Every Diamond Clarity Grade, Explained (And The Only Three That Matter)

Every diamond clarity grade, flawless to trash. Let's go.

Then I'll tell you why most of the scale is a waste of your money.

The full scale

Clarity grading measures inclusions or the internal characteristics and blemishes. GIA grades under 10x magnification, by a trained grader, with the stone face-up. That last part matters more than people realize. Eleven grades:

FL — Flawless. No inclusions and no blemishes visible at 10x. 

IF — Internally Flawless. No inclusions at 10x. Minor surface blemishes allowed a faint polish line, a tiny nick on the girdle. Functionally identical to FL to every human eye that will ever look at it.

VVS1 — Very Very Slightly Included 1. Inclusions extremely difficult to see at 10x, and typically only from the pavilion side. A skilled grader needs time to find them.

VVS2. Same category, slightly easier to locate. Usually a pinpoint or a faint needle. Still invisible to you at any distance.

VS1 — Very Slightly Included 1. Minor inclusions, difficult to see at 10x but findable without hunting. This is where the value curve starts getting interesting.

VS2. Inclusions somewhat easy to spot at 10x. Almost always still eye-clean in the face-up position. For most shapes and most sizes, this is the sweet spot.

SI1 — Slightly Included 1. Inclusions noticeable at 10x. Often eye-clean, but no longer guaranteed. Now you have to look at the actual stone, not just the paper.

SI2. Inclusions easy to see at 10x, and sometimes visible without magnification. This grade is a coin flip that depends entirely on the specific stone.

I1 — Included 1. Obvious inclusions at 10x, usually visible to the naked eye. May start affecting brilliance.

I2. Prominent inclusions. Clearly visible, noticeably reducing sparkle and light return.

I3. Severe inclusions. Visible from across a table, dulling the whole stone, and often affecting the diamond's structural integrity. Skip it.

What's actually inside there

The grade tells you how much. It doesn't tell you what, and what matters.

Crystals are other minerals trapped in the diamond as it formed. Sometimes a tiny diamond inside a diamond. Usually harmless. A black carbon crystal in the center of the table is not harmless.

Feathers are internal fractures. Most are cosmetic. A feather that breaks the surface, especially near a girdle or a point, is the one inclusion type that can be a durability problem. Ask about it.

Clouds are dense clusters of microscopic pinpoints. Small clouds are nothing. A large cloud can make an otherwise well-graded stone look hazy or milky, a diamond that grades VS2 but looks dead. If a report comment says "clarity grade based on clouds not shown," slow down.

Needles are thin, rod-shaped crystals. Usually invisible.

Twinning wisps are ribbons of distortion from irregular growth. Common in fancy shapes.

Two SI1 stones can be worlds apart. One has a white feather tucked under a bezel facet where a prong will cover it. The other has a black crystal parked dead center under the table. Same grade. Same price bracket. Completely different rings.

Three things that change everything

Shape. Step cuts — emerald and Asschers — have long, open, mirror-like facets and nowhere to hide. You need to go a grade or two higher, usually VS1 minimum. Brilliant cuts — rounds, ovals, cushions, radiants — scatter light in a way that camouflages inclusions. An SI1 round can look perfect.

Size. Inclusions don't scale with carat weight, but the facets they sit under do. A pinpoint that vanishes in a 0.75ct is a visible speck in a 3ct. Above about 2 carats, add a grade.

Position. Under the table, dead center, is the worst place an inclusion can be. Near the girdle, under a crown facet, or somewhere a prong will sit is the best. A stone can be graded lower purely because of where the inclusion is, which means position is the one variable that lets you pay less for a diamond that looks identical.

Where the money actually goes

Here's the uncomfortable part.

Above VS2, you are paying for a certificate. Nobody at your wedding will ever see the difference between a VVS1 and a VS2 with their eyes. 

Below SI2, you're gambling, and increasingly the stone starts to look like what it is.

So the practical range for most buyers is VS1 to SI1 — three grades — and the right one depends on your shape and your carat weight. That's where you get an eye-clean stone without funding a number that only exists on paper. For lab grown diamonds I don't normally get anything under VS2 quality

The exception is if the number matters to you. VVS carries status. It's the grade people name out loud. If that's part of what you're buying, that's a legitimate reason — just know that you're buying the grade, not a visible difference.

Cut is what makes a diamond look alive. Clarity just makes sure nothing is in the way