The most important thing is to educate yourself about diamonds so that you can make the right decision for your budget and needs. There are many factors that go into deciding what kind of diamond you want, but the most important thing is to not be afraid of asking questions when it comes time to buy one!
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but do you really know the difference between diamond color and diamond clarity? A lot of people think that they are the same thing. In fact, there is a huge difference between the two. Let’s explore what each one means so that you can find out what is right for your next piece of jewelry!
Color is the amount of color that a diamond has. This can range from completely colorless to light yellow, and it’s what determines the price of a diamond.
The most expensive diamonds are those with an extremely high clarity rating and very low color grade. Colorless diamonds have no color at all, but they still may have some faint tints or hues. The GIA grading scale for diamonds is used by professionals to determine these colors: D means absolutely no tint whatsoever; E indicates faint light yellow; F indicates faint yellowish brown; G indicates light brown; H indicates dark brownish gray; I indicates gray-brownish black; J indicates blackish green-gray; K indicates medium dark green-gray; L indicates medium dark blue-greenish gray (once considered impossible); M means intense blue-greenish black (this grade was introduced in the 1980s).
Diamonds with a very high clarity rating and very low color grade are the most valuable. These diamonds are also referred to as “flawless” or “internally flawless.” This means that they have no inclusions visible under 10x magnification and no blemishes on their surface.
Diamond clarity is the absence of inclusions and blemishes. It’s measured on a scale from FL to IF, with IF being the highest grade of clarity. Inclusions are small imperfections within a diamond that can be seen with a loupe, or magnifying glass, but they have no effect on the value of the diamond.
The majority of diamonds sold today fall between SI1 and I2 in terms of clarity. Diamonds with higher grades tend to be rarer, so if you see one for sale at an affordable price, it may be worth considering!
Most people think that the difference between diamond color and clarity is one of degree. For example, they might think that a GIA Near Colorless diamond is more clear than an F colored diamond. This isn’t true. Diamonds can have many inclusions, but still be very light or dark-looking in appearance. The same goes for diamonds with lower clarity ratings that appear to be quite clean looking (i.e., IF/VVS1).
Diamond color and clarity are independent of each other, meaning there are no “colorless” or “extra-white” diamonds with any type of grade higher than VS2 which means you will never see an “F white” diamond that is actually completely free from color because it would actually be colorless!
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