HPHT involves placing the diamond in a pressure vessel and applying extremely high pressure and temperature. This environment mimics the conditions the diamond crystal was originally formed under. The effects of HPHT are permanent, and the presence of the treatment is very difficult to detect. Any treatment or "enhancement" made to a diamond lowers its value. Lumera does not sell diamonds that have been treated in any way, including HPHT.
If you cannot tolerate imperfections, even those you cannot see, choose a VVS2 or better diamond. The most popular range is the VS1-VS2 diamond. These diamonds appear flawless to the naked eye, and are a fraction of the price of a truly flawless diamond.
Almost half of all diamonds purchased fall into this range. The next most popular range is SI1, where the inclusions are usually not significant enough to impact the appearance of the diamond for the casual observer. Often, customers will opt for this clarity range in exchange for a higher cut or color grade. This combination often results in a beautiful, lively diamond with imperfections detectable only upon close inspection.
In diamonds under 1 carat, the same can be said for an SI2 grade. In diamonds over 1 carat where clarity is more important, and SI2 inclusions are often easier to detect , an SI2 is often half the price of a VS1 diamond. About one third of diamonds sold fall into the SI1-SI2 range. The larger the diamond, the easier imperfections are to detect; therefore Clarity becomes more important. For diamonds over 2 carats, a clarity grade of VS2 or higher is the safest bet for avoiding any signs of visible inclusions.
In diamonds between 1 and 2 carats, clarity grades of SI1 or better will not have inclusions easily visible to the naked eye. In diamonds under 1 carat, clarity should be considered the least important of the traditional 4 Cs. Brilliant-cut diamonds such as round, princess, cushion, oval, pear, and marquise hide inclusions better than step cuts emerald, asscher.
When purchasing a step-cut, move up one clarity grade e. But what is it then? After considering all the inclusions, their size and position, their whys and wherefores, the gemmologist gives the diamond one of the following clarity grades:. Grading is mainly to do with the size and amount of inclusions but often location is an important factor too.
These diamonds have many inclusions visible to the naked eye. You may or may not be able to tell from the diagrams that there are different types of characteristics - GIA has a Diamond Grading Report explaining what each of these plots mean.
Throw away the microscope and study a diamond with the naked eye. No, not even Sandra in Accounts who you know would love to find fault with your stunning new engagement ring.
Not even if she squints really, really hard. There is, of course, one exception. But there are some cases where the inclusions in an SI1 or SI2 are visible to the naked eye. In theory, inclusions in a diamond could have a negative effect on the amount of sparkle.
Find us on Etsy, here. Cushion Cushion cuts have large tables , so if you go below an SI1 clarity grade, you may be able to see the inclusions. The color grade is more important than the clarity grade because cushion-cut diamonds tend to retain a lot of color. Radiant Radiant-cut diamonds have lots of facets and angles, which means imperfections are generally not visible.
Because of this, you can go as low as SI1 or SI2 on the clarity scale, and the diamond should still appear flawless. If you are shopping for a radiant diamond, prioritize color over clarity. Look for a radiant diamond with at least an H grade on the color scale if you want your diamond to appear colorless.
Pear Clarity is not as important as color when it comes to pear-shaped diamonds. Look for a pear-shaped diamond that has a clarity grade of SI1 or SI2 for the best value.
Pear diamonds show more color than many other shapes , so color should be your priority. For white metals, look for a color grade of H or above, but you can drop down to a K if you choose yellow or rose gold.
Asscher Another step cut diamond, the Asscher cut , is more likely to show inclusions. Because of this, clarity should be your priority when buying an Asscher-cut diamond. Look for Asscher-cut diamonds that fall between D-I on the color grade scale, with an I grade for the best value. Oval Inclusions are often obscured in oval diamonds , so you can safely go down to an SI1 or SI2 on the clarity scale.
It is hard to find hints of color in oval diamonds, but color should still be a priority over clarity. Look for an oval diamond that has an H color grade or above.
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