Clarity Scale

Overview

Carat

Colour

Clarity

Cut

Fluorescence

Shapes

How to read a GIA report

Clarity refers to a diamond’s relative position on a flawless-to-included scale, which is important to a diamond’s overall quality. Clarity characteristics are classified as inclusions (internal) or blemishes (external). Very few diamonds are flawless; that is, they show no inclusions or blemishes when examined by a skilled grader under 10 time’s magnification. If other factors are equal, flawless diamonds are the most valuable. On average, less than 1% of diamonds mined are inclusion-free.
A diamond’s grading of clarity is divided into the following levels:

Clarity Grades	Clarity Names	Characteristics
FL& IF	Flawless and Internally Flawless	No inclusions can be detected under a 10x magnifying glass. Only less than 1% of all stones mined are Flawless. Flawless diamonds are extremely rare and highly valued. Internally Flawless diamonds are equally ranked in terms of rarity and usually come with minor polish details as stated under Comments section of GIA’s diamond reports.
VVS1 & VVS2	Very Very Slight Included	Only an expert eye may detect very slight inclusions under 10 time’s magnification. High quality stones, ideal for long term investment.
VS1 & VS2	Very Slight Included	One of the most popular clarity grade, inclusions may not be detected by naked eye. Even under a 10 time’s magnifying glass, inclusions within a VS1 or VS2 diamond may not be easily detected. Suitable for long term investment.
SI1 & SI2	Slight Included	Flaws are easily detected under a 10 time’s magnification and may be seen by the naked eye. SI1 or SI2 grade diamonds of higher purity are more suitable for short term investment.
I1，I2 & I3	Imperfect	Contains impurities detected by naked eye.