FEATHER FLAW OR CRACKED DIAMOND?

Cracked?

Possibly.

Inclusion!

More than likely…

You see, a crack or a fracture is literally an inclusion itself. So you can’t really say is it cracked or included…

It’s both!

But what most people want to know, is this:

1. Did they buy a cracked diamond?
2. Did they crack their diamond?
3. Is that mark a feather or a flaw?

These answers vary, so I’ll try to help you out…

A crack (like a broken window) can look very similar to a feather (a leafy white inclusion that runs through a diamond, and could be small or rather large and obvious).

What’s the difference?

The origin (or starting point).

Just like this diamond pendant a reader sent me…

Normally in a pendant, it’ll probably be an inclusion (especially if there are two separate white lines that don’t touch, like in the photo above). New cracks in pendants and earrings are rare, after all, you don’t bump or hit those stones like you would a ring.

So you know there’s a good chance that it’s either a flaw, and more than likely it was bought like that.

In the pendant above, I would say that the diamond is I clarity, and those flaws have been in the stone since the time of purchase!

Closer inspection under a scope would tell the difference…

So what is a diamond crack?

A diamond crack usually starts from the surface of the stone and works its way inward. That’s because a crack is caused by hitting the stone. They crack upon impact and fractures to the center. The outside surface feels rough, jagged, chipped… And viewing the diamond up close (under a microscope or 10x jeweler’s loupe, you will see that the damage is fresh (not smoothed over, worn, or polished).

If you run your fingers over the surface of the stone and feel a crater or rough spot, that’s a good sign it’s fractured.

But if it feels smooth and slick (and all you feel are facets), that’s an internal flaw, an inclusion, something buried inside the stone.

Under a scope, feathers are softer, frayed out like wings on a bird (hence they’re called feathers), patterned like nature with a paint brush.

And while it’s tough to tell the two apart…

The other way is through time!

Inclusions or feathers have been inside the diamond for a billion years. Those birthmarks are permanent and will never change. So the day you buy a diamond, those marks will already be there, and they will stay there forever. Whether it be a feather, or a fracture (remember, fractures are a form of inclusion, so technically you could buy a diamond that’s fractured and that’s a perfectly fine purchase).

But, if you’ve had your stone for years, and suddenly look down and see a new white crack running through the diamond, that’s probably a fracture (or a dirty stone, which I’ll discuss soon).

Damage could happen to any diamond at any time with the right amount of force and the proper angle (diamonds break across cleavage lines, like lines in a tree).

If you can’t tell if it’s a crack or a feather…

Take it to a jeweler for inspection!

Cracks are quite common in lower clarity diamonds (Like I2 & I3). And, many pendants and earrings are I clarity (which lowers cost and most people don’t view them like they would an engagement ring, so the clarity doesn’t need to be so high).

Many people buy included diamonds and don’t even realize it.

This is because they don’t view the stone at the time of the purchase. They only look closer at the stone somewhere down the line…

And the reason why some flaws become obvious after the purchase is this:

The stone is dirty!

Dirt hinders light, and light is what helps hide flaws. So when a diamond gets dirty (from lotions, perfumes, soap and whatnot), the flaws stand out more and become more apparent. People notice lines, marks, black spots, fractures…

Some customers freak out and say “The jeweler sold me a cracked diamond…”

But the real fault is yours!

Yes the jeweler may have sold you a stone with a crack, but I’ve already told you, included diamonds can have cracks. They’re just another trait or identifying mark. So the jeweler did nothing wrong. It’s common. Half the diamonds in jewelry stores have eye-visible flaws… HALF!

That’s what buying lower clarity gets you: FLAWS!

Included diamonds don’t change. Those feathers, flaws, and cracks have been in the stone since day one. They didn’t grow or magically appear.

If you buy a low clarity diamond, you’re probably buying imperfections. Easy as that! (Cleaning the stone will “hide” those flaws once more – buy yourself a nice ultrasonic cleaner, that’ll do the trick!)

If you don’t want flaws, buy a better clarity!

If you get an SI1 clarity diamond or higher, you won’t ever see feathers, flaws or fractures (unless you hit your stone hard enough to break it).

The point is; scope all your diamonds!

View them now! Scope new ones before you purchase them. Get yourself a loupe or a microscope and see them at 10x magnification.

That way, you’ll have peace of mind, and a beautiful looking stone (And also know if the flaws were already there, or if you caused them)

No matter what, get your diamonds insured!

Just in case.

Insurance will cover damage, loss or theft.

Because in life, you never truly know!

P.S. And… If you buy a GIA certified diamond with a diamond plot, that plot will mark all the flaws and inclusions on a map so you know exactly what’s inside your stone at the time of purchase!

Cheers! :)