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FLAWED, OR FLAWLESS?

CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN I1 CLARITY AND FLAWLESS DIAMONDS?

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Compare Flawed I1 to Flawless Diamonds

Compare these Diamonds:

Comparing stones is fun and educational, and that’s why I make these posts.

For seeing them with your own eyes, and seeing why one diamond is much higher priced than another, is really, well, eye-opening!

Because some diamonds, at either end of the spectrum, can actually appear similar!

It’s True!

If you took one of the highest clarity of diamonds (Internally Flawless), and one of the lowest grades of clarity (I1 – Included Level 1)…

You may be Surprised!

You may not be able to tell them apart.

Sounds crazy… But it really is the truth.

To prove it, I’ve gone to James Allen and selected 2 diamonds; IF (Internally Flawless), and I1 (the lowest clarity range on Earth), and put them side by side…

Can you tell which is which?

Which Diamond is Flawless and Which Diamond is Flawed

Astonishing isn’t it?

You can’t really tell. One diamond is supposed to be practically perfect, and the other full of sightly eye-visible flaws and inclusions… But they look the same.

What gives?

It’s a combination of a couple of things…

  1. The size of the stone
  2. What type of inclusions they are
  3. Where these inclusions reside

So let’s delve deeper…

1) The size of the stone:

When dealing with small stones like the ones shown (.30 carat), everything gets smaller. The viewable area, the inclusions, the overall appearance…

It’s small, and the imperfections inside the stone tend to blend in and go unnoticed. If the diamonds were bigger, say 1 carat (100 points) each, then you could easily see these inclusions with the bare eye (no magnification needed). But anything smaller than a half carat or so, all start to look the same.

Inclusions Get Harder To See With Smaller Diamonds

See this Diamond HERE:

CARAT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, POL, SYM, FLUOR PRICE VIEW
1.01, IF, F, EX, EX, EX, NONE $4,390 VIEW

It just shows you how the apparent flaws in the bigger stones diminish and become almost invisible as you get smaller!

Unless there are massive flaws, like huge black carbon spots, fractures, or clouds, you will probably never see them (which is awesome since the average diamond engagement ring is only .33 carats.)

The main thing to look for in smaller stones is brilliance and sparkle.

2) What type of inclusions they are:

Like I said, if the flaws are soft white thin feathers, or if the flaws are broken up and scattered around in points, you probably aren’t going to see them. But if there’s massive cracks, chunks of flaws, or dark spots dead center, it can not only make them more apparent, but it will hinder light and shine and make the inclusions stand out even more (and some stones literally look just like a white piece of salt).

The key to buying inclusions is how the diamond faces up. If they appear clean to the eye in the center, then chances are the flaws are fine and no one will ever notice.

3) Where these inclusions reside:

Where these inclusions lay, where they are situated in the stone is important. For if the flaws fall directly in the middle, right under the table, you’ll see them pretty quickly. But if they fall to the outside (under the crown facets), or to the bottom of the stone, they could stay hidden forever.

So look into the viewable area (the window) of a diamond and see if anything huge jumps out. A lower clarity diamond could be a great diamond to own because it brings the price down greatly, and it makes identifying your diamond a breeze!

Compare these Diamond Prices below:

Flawed Diamonds and Flawless Diamond Prices

CARAT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, POL, SYM, FLUOR PRICE VIEW
.30, I1, E, EX, EX, EX, NONE $550 VIEW
.30, IF, E, EX, EX, EX, NONE $860 VIEW

Granted, these prices are not so extreme (just 36% difference), but we are dealing with small stones. In larger diamonds, that price difference could be as much as $6,000 or more!

So never shrug off a lower clarity stone, it could look just as good as the most expensive ones. It all depends on the size (carat weight), and searching long enough to find that perfect stone.

One more thing to consider…

If you get a diamond that’s cut “ideal” or “excellent“, as in these true hearts diamonds below, then the cut itself will help hide flaws and inclusions (as well as color) more. It makes any diamond of any quality appear better!

So check out these I1 clarity diamonds here at James Allen:

I1 Clarity Diamonds

And check out the Flawless clarity diamonds here:

Flawless Clarity Diamonds

Cheers! :)




Recommended Jewelry Supplies:

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Jewelry Steam Cleaner Complete Jewelry Cleaner Kit Diamond Dazzle Stick
Gold Silver Jewelry Polishing Cloths Jewelry Making Supplies Kit Gold Acid Test Kit Watch Tool Repair Kit
Ring Adjusters EMT Emergency Ring Cutter 10x Jewelers Loupe Jewelers Microscope

Recommended Jewelry Supplies:

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Jewelry Steam Cleaner
Complete Jewelry Cleaner Kit Diamond Dazzle Stick
Gold Silver Jewelry Polishing Cloths Jewelry Making Supplies Kit
Gold Acid Test Kit Watch Tool Repair Kit
Ring Adjusters EMT Emergency Ring Cutter
10x Jewelers Loupe Jewelers Microscope

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