Many people do not know this little bit of Diamond Trivia:
Inclusions or Flaws (which is determined by the Clarity Grade of the Diamond) can make a Diamond Weak, Brittle, and cause the stone to Crack, Break or even Shatter!
The truth is, the more Inclusions you have in your Diamond, the more vulnerable your Diamond is to damage!
Tough lesson to learn!
What Inclusions Weaken Diamonds?
Pretty much ANY Inclusion can weaken a Diamond. Inclusions can be things like Lines, Cracks, Carbon Spots, Pits, Chips, Fractures, Feathers or Clouds. But the funny thing is, it doesn't matter what the type of Inclusion is; it's WHERE the Inclusion falls in the stone and how many Inclusions there are that's important!
If the Flaw or Imperfection lies close to the edge of the stone or near a Facet, it could potentially cause the Diamond to crack if accidentally hit.
If your stone has a lot of Inclusions throughout it, the integrity of the stone is greatly compromised.
Say "Cheese"
Think about a block of Cheddar Cheese. Now think about a block of Swiss Cheese. Which Cheese is more vulnerable to crumbling or breaking? The Cheese with the pits and holes of course: Swiss Cheese!
Flaws and Inclusions keep a Diamond from being solid. Small Inclusions here and there are no big deal. But highly Included Diamonds are risky business!
SI Clarity
Any Diamond Clarity SI (SI1, SI2) or Higher, is fine. You shouldn't have any problems with these Clarities being weak... (Generally speaking)
I Clarity is NOT so lucky!
I Clarity
I Clarity Diamonds are weaker. I Clarity is made up of 3 grades; I1, I2 and I3 Clarity (Plus, I'll throw in SI3, since SI3 is really just an I1 Clarity). Any of these could put your beautiful Diamond at risk.
I Clarity Diamonds have larger Inclusions in them than any other Clarity Range. Sometimes they have tons of them. These can make your stone Chip, Crack or Shatter.
Any Diamond that is riddled with Flaws, Black Spots, Fractures and Pits could crumble or break just like Swiss Cheese.
Compare an SI1 Clarity Diamond to an I2 Clarity Diamond...
See what I mean? SI1 is no biggie. But the I2 Diamond has Inclusions everywhere! You hit that stone on one of the Fault Lines or Pits and the stone could break.
I Clarity Diamonds are full of Inclusions, but they can save you a lot of money. Is this trade off worth it?
Not only will you be able to see the Inclusions in an I Clarity Diamond with your naked eye (No Jeweler's Loupe needed), but the stone will be fragile.
Not cool!
Using a Diamond like this for an Engagement Ring that is worn every single day, may not be such a wise choice!
Is it worth the Risk?
You could pay thousands for an I Clarity Diamond, only to have it break with one good strike. Granted, any Diamond could break with the right amount of force or angle, but you up your chances with an I Clarity (Included) Diamond.
My Advice:
Buy SI Clarity or Higher!
You won't regret it!
Buy High Clarity and you'll never have to worry about a weak spot in your stone.
Because with I Clarity... You get what you pay for.
Would you pay for a broken Diamond?
NO!
A broken Diamond will only leave you broken hearted! :(
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