Diamond color and clarity are two of the “four Cs” of diamond appraisal, along with cut and carat weight. Both diamond color and clarity have a meaningful impact on both the appearance and the value of a diamond. While, compared to the cut grade, the diamond color and clarity grades are perhaps somewhat easier to understand and have a clearer and more easily visible relationship to the actual appearance of the diamond to the naked eye, there are still some things about diamond color and clarity that potential diamond buyers need to know in order to ensure that they’re getting the best value possible when making a purchase.
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Diamond Color – The Basics
The color grade of a diamond is a measurement of the extent to which coloration is visible within the diamond. Ideally, a diamond is completely clear, with no coloration at all. In some cases, though, some coloration is visible, to differing degrees. In the worst cases, diamonds will have a yellowish tint throughout. Note that diamonds that exhibit a such a high degree of coloration that the color actually becomes desirable – such as yellow diamonds, black diamonds, or pink diamonds – are not judged in the same way.
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Diamond Color – The Grades
As you can see, D is the highest grade on the color scale, meaning that the diamond is absolutely colorless. Diamonds with color grades all the way to around H or I will have coloration so slight that it may not be at all visible to the naked eye, while grades from N to Z indicate coloration significant enough to dull the overall appearance of the diamond.
Diamond Clarity – The Basics
The clarity grade of a diamond indicates the extent to which the diamond has external or internal flaws, which work to make the diamond less clear in appearance. External flaws are called blemishes, while internal flaws are known as inclusions. Very few diamonds are completely free of flaws or inclusions, and so diamonds with the highest clarity grades can be very expensive.
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Diamond Clarity – The Grades
The F grade indicates that the diamond is completely flawless, while the slightly more common IF refers to diamonds that may have a very small number of blemishes, but no inclusions. Diamonds with clarity ratings within the VVS and VS ranges may have a small number of inclusions which are visible under strong magnification, but the effect to the naked eye is still virtually nonexistent. In I1-3 clarity diamonds, the inclusions themselves will actually be visible to the naked eye, and the lack of clarity within the diamond will be noticeable.
Diamond Color And Clarity – Getting The Best Value
Between the diamond color and clarity grades, clarity has a much greater impact on diamond prices. If you were to take two diamonds with the same grades in every area except for clarity, the price difference between a VVS1 clarity and SI1 clarity diamond can be substantial. However, the difference to the naked eye is still very slight, and in some cases, almost nonexistent. For this reason, diamonds with SI1 or SI2 clarity grades usually represent the best value, although with some diamond shapes, such as the emerald cut, the clarity grade needs to be higher, as the large facets on these diamonds will leave any internal flaws exposed.
For the color grade, the range of G-I usually offers a good value, because the price is somewhat lower than that of an otherwise equivalent diamond with a higher color grade, but the coloration effect is still difficult if not totally impossible to see.
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