VVS Versus VS is not a battle between the two Clarities. It's more of a closer look and comparing them. I will give you
my verdict at the end of the post though, just so you see where I stand.
Let me take a second to say that VVS and VS are only two of the 6 Clarity Grades on the market. The order of Clarity is as follows:
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• FL (Flawless)• IF (Internally Flawless)
• VVS1 & VVS2 (Very, Very Slightly Included)
• VS1 & VS2 (Very Slightly Included)
• SI1 & SI2 (Slightly Included)
• I1, I2 & I3 (Imperfect)
The G.I.A. Clarity Chart is below:
Now, let's look at VVS...
VVS Clarity
VVS means: Very, Very, Slightly Included.
Take a look at the picture below that shows VVS Clarity Diamonds.
Very, Very...
The words Very, Very, always crack me up because they mean the opposite of what you'd think.
For example: If I say "This Table is Very Dusty", it means the Table is really dusty.
However, if I were to say "This Table is Very, Very Dusty". You would think that Table would just be full of dust. Right?
But, the keywords here aren't "Very", it's actually "Slightly".
Very Slightly together means the Inclusions are very tiny.
So VVS is Very, Very Slightly Included.
Perfection
VVS is just about as perfect as you can get. The next two steps higher are Internally Flawless and Flawless, both of which are hard to locate on the market. So VVS Clarity is usually the highest Clarity of Diamond that you can find.
VVS is very rare and very clean.
VVS is made up of two grades: VVS1 and VVS2 (VVS1 being the better).
VVS Definition:
The definition for VVS is: Small Inclusions inside the Diamond that are very difficult to see under 10x magnification.
Under a microscope, VVS would look practically perfect. It's not, but to the untrained eye (and even some experts), VVS would be very impressive and you would have a hard time searching just to locate any flaws or imperfections.
Now let's take a look at VS...
VS Clarity
VS Clarity is one Clarity range lower than VVS.
VS means: Very, Slightly Included. (Just one Very less than VVS)
VS is broken down into 2 grades: VS1 and VS2. VS1 is the better of the two. Take a look at the images of VS Clarity Diamonds below.
VS Definition
The definition of VS is: Small Inclusions inside the stone. Some of these Inclusions will be easy to spot under magnification, others will be difficult. Either way, the Inclusions will be small and pretty insignificant.
The Inclusions
Both VVS and VS Clarity Diamonds have Inclusions. These Inclusions are generally small pin-points, lines, feathers, clouds, nicks, naturals, cavities, knots, pits or abrasions, nothing that you can see with the naked eye. They are ALL microscopic.
The Inclusions are like freckles, moles and birthmarks on people. Everything born in nature has their own unique characteristics and identifying marks about them.
The Differences
What makes VVS and VS different are a couple of things:
1) The Amount of Inclusions
2) The Size of the Inclusions
3) The Rarity of the Stone
4) The Price
let's take a closer look...
1) The Amount of Inclusions
While it's true that BOTH a VVS Diamond and a VS Diamond COULD have the SAME amount of Inclusions, it's highly unlikely.
VVS Clarity for the most part, will have less flaws (cleaner).
You can tell this when you're trying to locate them under a microscope. It can take you a while just to even pick out ONE of of the imperfections. They're that small!
2) The Size of the Inclusions
Usually the biggest difference between the two Clarities is going to be the size of the flaws. VS will usually have bigger flaws than a VVS.
I say "usually" because every single Diamond is different. There will always be exceptions. With Diamonds, every single Diamond will get a difference of opinion.
When you view a VS Clarity Diamond under a scope, you can usually pick out a couple of the Inclusions pretty easily. Right off the bat, you'll see one here, one there... To me, this is a good thing. (I'll get more into that in a second.)
Placement of the Inclusions
Do note that the placement of the Inclusions isn't a big issue.
Both VVS and VS Clarity have Inclusions. These Inclusions usually fall around the outside of the Diamond (Underneath the Facets). That way they are more hidden, which also makes them better quality.
Most VVS and VS Clarity Diamonds will not have Inclusions that lie directly underneath the Table (top flat surface of the Diamond). If they do, the Inclusions should be very small and towards the bottom of the stone (the Pavilion).
3) The Rarity of the Stone
It's much harder to find VVS Clarity Diamonds on the market. They are quite rare in nature and Jewelry Stores won't have an abundance of them. So comparing VVS Clarity Diamonds will be easy, you will only have a few to look at.
In nature, finding objects without flaws or imperfections is almost an impossible task. Nature just doesn't work that way. Usually if you do find a Diamond that's very clean or void of flaws, that Diamond will be weak in another area; like poor Color, or a small Carat Weight.
How rare are they? VVS Diamonds make up only 7% of the market. VS accounts for 14%. Take a look at the Clarity Chart below and how rare they are in nature.
As you can see, finding a VVS or even a VS is rare. Especially when you consider that this Clarity Chart represents only the few Diamonds that are of Gem Quality, which is just the top 15% of all the Diamonds mined in the World today. That's slim pickings! :)
4) The Price
VS will always be cheaper than VVS... Almost! :)
It's actually not that cut and dry. There are so many other things that make up the price of a Diamond. Things like: Color, Cut, Carat Weight, Certification, Symmetry, Finish, Fluorescence... Any one of these could affect price greatly and make a VS more expensive than a VVS. You really have to look and compare every single aspect of a Diamond to know which is the better deal.
The Verdict
Is one Clarity better to buy than the other? Not really. It depends on how much money you want to spend and how perfect of a stone you want.
But, in my opinion...
I would say VS Clarity wins. Hands down. Here's why:
I Don't Carry around a Microscope!
That's the ONLY way you'll spot a difference between the 2 Clarities: Microscope them!
If you put these 2 Diamonds side by side on the table, you would NEVER be able to tell the difference between them. (Assuming the Carat Weight, Cut and Color were the same.)
You WOULD be able to tell the difference in Price though. As a comparison, take a look at these One Carat Diamonds below.
Price Comparison
| CLARITY |
COLOR |
CUT |
CERTIFIED |
PRICE |
| VS2 |
E |
IDEAL |
G.I.A. |
$7,368 |
| VS1 |
E |
IDEAL |
G.I.A. |
$8,213 |
| VVS2 |
E |
IDEAL |
G.I.A. |
$9,235 |
| VVS1 |
E |
IDEAL |
G.I.A. |
$10,404 |
Do note that these actual prices were obtained from Blue Nile at the time of this writing: 4/21/2010. Diamond prices will fluctuate daily and market values will change. Do not take these prices literal, they are only used here for comparison!
My feelings are this:
Why Pay More for something you can't see?
Unless you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, I say Buy VS Clarity!
If you MUST Spend more...
If you MUST spend more money, spend it on a bigger Carat Weight or a Better Color (Colorless). Put your money into something that will change the physical appearance. Something you can see!
And the last reason I like VS better...
Identification
I can scope a VS Clarity Diamond and see the Inclusions. I like that. If I can see the Inclusions in my Diamond I can memorize them and identify them later.
I could tell if someone were to swap out my stone.
A VVS Clarity Diamond would look almost perfect under a scope. It would be very difficult to find something that stands out. Someone could switch your Diamond with a Synthetic Stone or a Cubic Zirconia (CZ) and you would never know the difference. It would look the same. Read more: CZ or Diamond?
See Inclusions can be a good thing! :)
So buying the best there is, isn't always the best thing to do.
I say buy VS and get a Colorless Color (D, E or F).
Certification
Plus, make sure you buy the Diamond Certified! Spending this kind of money on an incredible stone and NOT getting it Certified is silly! I recommend G.I.A.
If you buy this type of Quality, you'll want to guarantee that Quality!
And that my friends, is very, very good advice!:)
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