OK, now listen up folks, for "Clarity is so dependant on the geometry
and cut that they cannot and should not be considered separately"... What
I mean by this is simple, let's take a very good example... Let's take
a diamond that is graded by GIA or AGS as "SI1" for example... Take that
level of clarity to a raging ideal cut round brilliant and you have a
99% sure bet, if you want to hedge yer bet further head fer the VS2 range
but past that does not really make much sense in practical terms, since
at a "VS2" appearant perfection is easily attained, and one would be well
served by spending more perhaps on color but in the round brilliant ideal
cut the "VS2-SI1" range is a sweet place to call home... Now to chat a
bit about grades, gem labs and local grading later... Be sure and read
the "Local grading VS GemLabs" for it will save you headaches later, and
real money right now.
Flawless and Internally Flawless
This is where the diamond is perfection, under high magnification the
diamond is supremely perfect and exhibits absolutely no hint of imperfections,
which is as good as it gets in the world of diamonds. Now, where "appearant
perfection" starts is not here, this is sheer perfection and that is only
really appreciated under ultra-high magnification for lower clarity gives
"appearant perfection" in ample measure, and remember that the real beauty
of a diamond lays in the cut and the geometry, but clarity is the key
for how clean the diamond is, and in this range you pay a premium for
this perfection, but again this is as good as it gets, and that is a fact...
VVS Range (1-2)
Very very slightly included to the first or second power. In this range
the diamond will seem to the eye and under magnification as totally perfection,
and in this range is where you get perfection in huge measure, and even
under the microscope there is absolutely nothing to see to hate. This
range is still considered a high premium range, for the fact is that this
grade of clarity will produce 100% of the appearant perfection even the
most discriminating diamond lover might desire, and saves the price of
the Internally Flawless hit... When you want sheer perfection and you
want it all this range is worth considering, and while there are safe
places to be in lower ranges this is a super fine place to be with emeral
cuts and fancy cuts that are not as optomized as is the round brilliant...
In an emerald cut this is a prime time place to be for perfect, for in
this grade of clarity you see nothing but perfection, and in the step
cuts and fancies this is a prime time perfect look.
VS Range (1-2)
Very Slightly Included to the first or second power. Now this is a range
that I truly love and spend most of my time in when I can, for this area
gives the appearant perfection that is all a person could want to the
eye, and still gives size as it is more affordable than the above mentioned
grades are... In the "VS1" you will see nothing at all in this grade,
and in the "VS2" for rounds this is a great place to be, nothing will
upset that mission for appearant perfection here... For the emerald cut
lovers the "VS1" grade is fine, and most of the time is the "VS2" range
but the placement of imperfections is critical in the step cuts so we
will inspect this grade carefully in fancy cuts and make sure that they
are fine...
SI Range (1-2)
Slightly Included to the first and second power. The SI range can be the
salvation of the diamond shopper, if you pay attention to cut. The cut
of the diamond is so important that to consider clarity without fully
appreciating the geometry and the cut's impact on what you will "see"
is to error seriously... In for example the AGS graded idealcuts the SI1
is a perfect place to go, but you emerald cut lovers will do well to avoid
this grade in a step cut diamond for the reason that the slight imprefections
that are associated with this grade are just a bit over most folks pain
thresshold for clarity, since the brilliant cut diamond does such a finer
job of light return and breaking up the light it "hides" clarity more
than does fancy shapes by far... This is a wonderful place to be for the
larger size diamond, and for that perfectly fine look to the eye...
SI Range (3)
Slightly Included to the third power. Ahem, this is a creative revision
of the standard that allows a diamond which I feel would clearly be an
"Imperfect grade" to creep into the "Slightly Included" sandpile, but
you will do well with just pushing that back into the Imperfect range
and smiling, because you can call a rose by any other name but it will
still have the "thorns" associated with the Imperfect grades. I refrain
from advocating this grade much, feeling that it does more to confuse
than to help in the accurate grading and common sense understanding of
diamond clarity.
Imperfect Range
In this range the inclussions are visible to the eye, and while this is
a grade that has visual activity the fact is that you can find that larger
finer cut diamond in this grade and have a wonderful effect and delightful
result. The fact is that clarity is so dependant on the cut that this
range gives one the rather unique chance to get that larger diamond that
is everything they ever wanted, a massively beautiful diamond that is
well cut in this grade is not a problem, it is rather a delight and while
a compromise that goes into the visually active range this can be the
place where the savy shopper and diamond lover can find that perfect diamond
that is the center of attention... |