DIAMOND COLOR
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has devised a set of guidelines to grade diamond colour. The colour of graded diamonds is compared to that of control stones, which are pre-selected gems of a specific colour.
- D: Absolutely colourless. The highest colour grade, which is extremely rare.
- E: Colourless. Very negligible traces of colour can be noticed by an expert gemmologist. A rare diamond.
- F: Colourless. Very negligible colour traces can be seen by an expert gemmologist, but still considered a "colourless" grade. A high-quality diamond.
- G-H: Near-colourless. Colour noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but these grades offer excellent value.
- I-J, K: Colour slightly detectable. An excellent value.
- L-M: Noticeable colour. Not carried by CARATLANE
- N-Z: Noticeable colour. Not carried by CARATLANE
DIAMOND CLARITY
We measure the clarity of a diamond by its size and the number of inclusions and blemishes in or on it. Inclusions are interior irregularities and blemishes are exterior irregularities. These imperfections are not flaws, but rather the natural fingerprint of every diamond. With 11 grades, the system classifies a diamond's clarity based on the nature, position and size of its inclusions and exclusions. The list below summarizes the GIA's International Diamond Grading System.
- FL : Flawless: Flawless diamonds have no inclusions or blemishes detectable under 10x magnification, and are extremely rare
- IF: Internally Flawless: Internally flawless diamonds have no detectable inclusions but some surface blemishes under 10x magnification, and are rare and very valuable
- VVS1/VVS2: Very Very Slightly Included: Inclusions and blemishes are extremely difficult for a even a skilled grader to detect under 10x magnification
- VS1/VS2: Very Slightly Included: Inclusions and blemishes are detectable under 10x magnification, but are minor flaws that do not impact the diamond's beauty and are frequently invisible to the naked eye
- SI1/SI2: Slightly Included: Inclusions and blemishes are easily noticeable under 10x magnification and may also be visible to the naked eye
- I1, I2, I3: Inclusions and blemishes are obvious under 10x magnification and typically visible to the naked eye. These flaws may negatively impact the transparency and or brilliance of the diamond
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