BEAUTIFUL LOW CLARITY DIAMONDS

As much as I’m always (always) saying, buy SI1 Clarity Diamonds or higher, the truth is, you CAN get lower Clarity Diamonds (like SI2 and I1) that really do look just as good!

I’m Serious!

You probably couldn’t tell them apart if they were side by side…

Some stones are Low Clarity but still face up very well depending on where the Inclusions are, what type of Inclusions they are, and other factors like Cut, Color, and Carat Weight (The bigger the Carat Weight, the more obvious the Inclusions are).

Compare Diamonds

So, as an Example, let’s take a look at these two Diamonds below. Can you tell which Diamond is the VVS1 and which Diamond is the SI2?

Did you figure it out?

It’s not so easy. I’m guessing you did, because there are Some Visual Differences, but it’s not as much as you would think.

The VVS1 is on the left!

VSS1 Clarity is at the TOP end of the Diamond Clarity Chart, while the SI2 is at the lower end. See the Diamond Color Chart below…

These two Diamonds are 5 Clarity Grades apart. That’s a lot! But they don’t look 5 Grades apart, that’s the important thing.

Let’s Buy Low Quality Stones…

Now, you can’t just run out and buy any ole SI2 or I1 Diamond you want and think it’ll be okay.

It Won’t!

You have to view them. You need to see the stone at 10x Magnification (like the Diamonds on James Allen) to see the Flaws and Imperfections in the stone.

And believe me, SI2 and I1 Clarity will (99% of the time) have easy to see Flaws and Inclusions in them. That’s just the nature of Low Clarity Diamonds. They will! Especially Magnified Ten Times.

But often, these Flaws get so big and so noticeable that they stand out like a sore thumb. Just glance at the stones and you’ll see Lines, Cracks, Foggy Areas, Spots…

“Hey, there’s a Black Spot in my Diamond!”

Like these Common Looking SI2 and I1 Stones…

CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED	PRICE	VIEW
1.00, SI2, I, EXCELLENT, GIA	$5,540	VIEW
1.18, I1, G, EXCELLENT, GIA	$6,170	VIEW

Flaws like those are common in Low Clarity Stones. That’s what you’d expect them to look like!

Keep Looking…

But, if you look long and hard enough, you WILL come across some SI2 and I1 Diamonds that DO face up more like an SI1 Diamond or higher.

Granted, you’ll probably still see some Inclusions with the naked eye, but they aren’t so obvious, and most people looking at your stone would never see them.

I like to view stones like this with some certain criteria:

• Nothing Big Or Dead Center – I try to stay away from Big Black Spots directly under the table of the Diamond. Those are hard to miss. If the Inclusions fall off to the side, it’s better. Exceptions to this rule are if the Diamond is Cut Excellent and tons of Sparkle mask the Flaws better, like in this Diamond here (also shown below)! The Sparkle in that Diamond Kicks Butt!
• Whiter Inclusions – If you do have Inclusions that fall dead center, or under the table, see if you can find Flaws that are Whiter in appearance, versus Black. White Flaws blend in more and aren’t so obvious to the casual viewer.
• Can It Be Covered? – I like to see where the Flaw lays. If it lays to the outside of the Diamond (like some do below) then there’s a good chance that the Jeweler can cover up that Flaw with a Prong or the Mounting. If they can hide the Inclusion then that Diamond will really look like a much Higher Clarity Stone!
• Cut – Like I said above, if the Cut of the Diamond is EXCELLENT (on a GIA Certified Stone), then the amount of Sparkle will really Hide Ugly Flaws that fall inside the stone. The more the Sparkle the Better!

Well Worth the Savings

Low Clarity Diamonds are Awesome if you find ones that Face Up Nicely because the Money you Save is AMAZING!

You could save Thousands on a Diamond, that looks just as good, and no one would be the wiser (except you and your pocketbook).

Below are Examples of such Diamonds. I made sure to pick out stones that were: GIA Certified, Excellent Cut, Excellent Polish, Excellent Symmetry, Good Color, and NO Fluorescence. These stones will look GREAT! And save you tons of dough…

Remember the two Diamonds above? The VVS1 and SI2? Compare the prices of these two stones and see for yourself…

CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED	PRICE	VIEW
1.02, VVS1, F, EXCELLENT, GIA	$13,360	VIEW
1.01, SI2, E, EXCELLENT, GIA	$6,410	VIEW

Now you see how they really rate. The VVS1 is DOUBLE THE PRICE! That’s a lot of Green Backs!

The SI2 is looking really GOOD… :)

Again, do keep an eye out for CUT. Really! Buying a stone with an EXCELLENT CUT makes all the difference in the world. Excellent will make your Diamond Sparkle like the best of them. And that is what really matters!

Now onto the Diamonds…

Take a gander at these Great Looking, Affordable Diamonds. I went through tons and tons of stones to find them. These Diamonds look wonderful and Won’t Break the Bank!

(All Diamonds sold by James Allen, whom I Highly Recommend)

Also keep in mind that these stones are Magnified 10x (with a Jeweler’s Loupe or a Microscope), so the size of these Flaws look big on the screen, but to the naked eye, without magnification, most of these Flaws will disappear. You probably wouldn’t see them unless you really scrutinized the stones. Take a peek…

See, I told you. Those are some Great Looking Stones, Well Worth Buying.

No matter what the Clarity Grade is, Beauty really is in the Eye of the Beholder.

See MORE Similar Stones Here!

Enjoy! :)