Diamonds: Clarity

Formed in molten rock, a diamond is not entirely pure carbon through and through. More often than not it contains inclusions - trace minerals, fractures, and other imperfections that appear in the gemstone and contribute to its unique fingerprint.

Gemologists use grades of clarity to describe how many or how few of these inclusions occur within the diamond. These grades are based on a scale that ranges from flawless (FL) through included (I3) as illustrated below. (The charts in this figure are typical of the diamond maps shown on diamond certificates).

Just as there are trade-offs between the cost and its color grade, there are trade-offs between cost and clarity. When you make your purchase, you must decide what level of clarity will match your budget. For fine jewelry, it is better to avoid inclusions that are visible to the naked eye. If you are on a tighter budget, or if you feel relatively comfortable with imperfections in your stone, then you will want to choose a lower clarity grade.