The plotting diagram on a GIA Diamond Grading Report identifies the location of blemishes by using either green or black symbols (internal characteristics are denoted in red or a combination of red and green). A Key to Symbols lists the characteristics present.

Please remember that these images are magnified to provide you with closer detail, so don’t expect all clarity characteristics to look exactly like the pictures!

	Abrasion A series of minute nicks along the facet junctions of a fashioned diamond; gives the edges a white or fuzzy appearance.
	Extra Facet A facet that’s not required by the cutting style, placed without regard for the diamond’s symmetry; most often found near the girdle. Courtesy K.R. Gems & Diamonds International.
	Lizard Skin Wavy or bumpy area on the surface of a polished diamond.
	Natural A portion of the original surface of a rough diamond left on a fashioned stone; usually on or near the girdle. Courtesy of Gary Roskin, G.G., F.G.A.
	Nick A small notch on a facet junction with no readily apparent depth at 10X, usually along the girdle edge or at the culet. Courtesy of Gary Roskin, G.G., F.G.A.
	Pit A small opening that looks like a tiny white dot. Courtesy of Gary Roskin, G.G., F.G.A.
	Polish Lines Fine parallel grooves and ridges left by polishing; can occur on any facet but do not cross facet junctions; transparent or white.
	Burn Mark Hazy surface area that results from excessive heat during polishing; also called a burned facet.
	Rough Girdle Irregular or granular girdle surface.
	Scratch A thin, dull, white line across the diamond’s surface; shows no apparent depth at 10X.
	Surface Graining Similar to internal graining, except it appears on the surface; results from irregularities in crystal structure.

The post Diamond Blemishes Defined appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

In the first of a two part series, we explore a diamond’s internal characteristics or those that extend into the diamond from its surface – these are called diamond inclusions. (Next time we’ll cover external characteristics, or blemishes.) A GIA Diamond Grading Report provides a diagram that uses symbols to illustrate the position of a diamond’s inclusions. We’ve listed diamond inclusions commonly found in diamonds with brief explanations. Enjoy!

	Bearded Girdle Very small feathers that extend from the girdle surface into the stone; can result from the cutting process.
	Bruise A tiny area of impact accompanied by very small, root-link feathers; typically occurs at a facet junction. Courtesy of Gary Roskin, G.G., F.G.A.
	Cavity An angular opening created when part of a feather breaks away or when a surface-reaching crystal drops out or is forced out during polishing.
	Chip A shallow opening caused by damage to the stone’s surface that typically occurs at a girdle edge, facet junction, or culet.
	Cloud Many tightly grouped pinpoints that might be too small to distinguish individually but together have a hazy appearance.
	Crystal A mineral crystal contained in a diamond.
	Feather General trade term for a break in a gemstone, often white and feathery in appearance.
	Grain Center A small, concentrated area of crystal distortion; can be white or dark, and might have a thread-like or pinpoint-like appearance.
	Indented Natural A portion of the rough diamond’s original surface that dips below a polished diamond’s surface.
	Internal Graining Lines, angles, or curves that might appear whitish, colored, or reflective, or affect transparency at 10X; caused by irregularities in crystal growth.
	Internal Laser Drilling Laser drilling within a diamond that creates a surface-reaching feather, or expands a pre-existing feather around a dark inclusion so that it reaches the surface. The feather then provides access for bleaching to decrease the visibility of the inclusion.
	Knot A white or transparent diamond crystal that extends to the surface after fashioning.
	Laser Drill-hole A tiny, surface-reaching tunnel produced by a laser light beam.
	Needle A thin, elongated crystal that looks like a tiny rod at 10X.
	Pinpoint A very small crystal that looks like a tiny dot at 10X.
	Twinning Wisp A series of pinpoints, clouds, or crystals that forms in a diamond’s growth place; associated with crystal distortion and twinning planes.

All images are magnified to provide you with closer detail. If you want to see a larger version of the inclusion, click the image. Just don’t expect all clarity characteristics to look exactly like these pictures!

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Diamond jewelry is often at the top of a woman’s holiday wish list but getting her a gift that she’ll love doesn’t have to be complicated. In the second installment of our 2013 Holiday Buying Guide series, you will learn the basics of what to look for when shopping for diamond jewelry.

The first thing to know is that not all diamonds are created equal. In fact, every diamond is unique, which makes buying a diamond seem all the more challenging. For starters, how do you compare them? To protect consumers and help everyone better understand diamond quality, GIA created the 4Cs, now globally accepted as the language used to describe diamond quality. The 4Cs are so universal that diamonds are valued by how they measure up to each of the Cs. Being familiar with the 4Cs not only helps you better appreciate each diamond’s unique beauty, but also understand its price.

Every woman knows ‘good things come in small packages’ and this short 4Cs primer will get you well on your way to making sure the gift you give her this holiday is one that will delight.

Color

GIA D-to-Z Color Grading Scale measures the degree of colorlessness of a diamond, as compared to a set of master stones of established color. D is the highest grade representing colorless. As you go down through the scale, the diamond is picking up more yellow or brown color. Colorless diamonds are the most rare, and their price will reflect their rarity. Even the slightest hint of color can make a dramatic difference in value. This interactive tool shows you the subtle differences in color.

Clarity

Few things in life are perfect, and diamonds are no exception. Diamonds have internal features, called inclusions, and surface irregularities, called blemishes. Clarity grades assess the number, size, relief, nature, and position of inclusions and blemishes. Flawless is the top grade in the GIA Clarity Grading Scale, and flawless diamonds are so rare that it’s possible to spend a lifetime in the jewelry industry without ever seeing one. There are 11 clarity grades assigned to a diamond, and the fewer inclusions and blemishes, the higher the value.

Cut

Cut is the finished shape of the gem and the number and angles of its facets. The GIA Diamond Cut Grading System for standard round brilliant diamonds (still the most popular diamond shape and cutting style) has five cut grades ranging from Excellent to Poor and takes into consideration not only the proportions, polish and symmetry, but also visual appearance. Many people mistakenly use the term “cut” to refer to the diamond’s shape. Diamond shapes other than round brilliant are called fancy shapes, and include marquises, pears, ovals, hearts, and triangles to name a few.

Carat Weight

As most people know, diamonds are priced by weight. Diamonds are weighed to a thousandth (0.001) of a carat, which is 0.200 grams, and then rounded to the nearest hundredth, or point. These exact calculations are important; fractions of a carat can mean price differences of hundreds—even thousands—of dollars. Only one in 1,000 diamonds is more than a carat, and this rarity means that larger diamonds of the same quality are worth more per carat. In other words, a two-carat diamond will often cost more than the total of two one-carat diamonds, because of a higher per carat cost.

Going to a jeweler with a basic understanding of the 4Cs will help tremendously in your ability to compare diamonds and talk knowledgably with the salesperson.

For even more information, GIA created the 4Cs app, available for iPhone, iPad and Android ®, which includes videos and interactive tools explaining each of the 4Cs in greater detail. It also has a useful tool called “My Diamond Wish List” where you can save and compare GIA-graded diamonds from different jewelers as you’re shopping this holiday season.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the 4Cs, you’ll want to know how to make sure the diamond you’re buying has the qualities you’re looking for. For more about GIA grading reports, stay tuned for the next installment in our 2013 Holiday Buyers Guide.

The post Holiday Buying Guide – Part 2: 4Cs Tips for Holiday Diamond Jewelry Shopping appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Understand all the aspects of the Diamond Clarity Scale, in the second of GIA’s 4Cs Q&A series.

Q: How did the GIA Clarity Scale come to be?

A: Like the color scale, the GIA Clarity Grading System developed because jewelers were using terms that could be misinterpreted, such as “loupe clean” or “piqué.” Today, if you buy a diamond somewhere else in the world, the jeweler will most likely use terms like VVS1 or SI2, even if his or her language is French or Japanese instead of English.

Q: What causes diamond inclusions?

A: Small crystals can become trapped in a diamond when it’s forming. Sometimes as a crystal grows it can develop irregularities in its atomic structure.

Q: How is diamond clarity evaluated?

A: Diamond clarity is graded under standard viewing conditions with 10x magnification. The preliminary GIA grader carefully examines the diamond in order to identify clarity/finish characteristics and evidence of any clarity treatments, such as fracture filling or laser drilling.

A minimum of two GIA graders assign their impression of the diamond’s clarity, polish, and symmetry. Next, they plot the clarity characteristics on the diagram most representative of the diamond’s shape and faceting style.

GIA Clarity Scale
The GIA Clarity Scale has six categories, some of which are divided, for a total of 11 specific grades.

FLAWLESS (FL)
No inclusions and no blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

INTERNALLY FLAWLESS (IF)
No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

VERY, VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED (VVS1 AND VVS2)
No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

VERY, VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED (VVS1 AND VVS2)
Minute inclusions that range from extremely difficult to very difficult to see are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

VERY SLIGHTLY INCLUDED (VS1 AND VS2)
Minor inclusions that range from difficult to somewhat easy to see are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

SLIGHTLY INCLUDED (SI1 AND SI2)
Noticeable inclusions that range from easy to very easy to see are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification

INCLUDED (I1, I2, AND I3)
Obvious inclusions are visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification and may affect transparency and brilliance

For more information on diamond clarity, please visit our 4C of Diamond Quality website or download the GIA 4Cs app, now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android!

Color Q&A | Clarity Q&A | Cut Q&A | Carat Weight Q&A

Clarity diagrams are for reference only and do not reflect true diamond clarity quality grades. Images are not for clarity diamond grading.

The post 4Cs Q&A with GIA: Diamond Clarity Grading appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Natural diamonds are the result of carbon exposed to tremendous heat and pressure deep in the earth. This process can result in a variety of internal characteristics called ‘inclusions’ and external characteristics called ‘blemishes.’

Evaluating diamond clarity involves determining the number, size, relief, nature, and position of these characteristics, as well as how these affect the overall appearance of the stone. While no diamond is perfectly pure, the closer it comes, the higher its value.

Many inclusions and blemishes are too tiny to be seen by anyone other than a trained diamond grader. To the naked eye, a VS1 and an SI2 diamond may look exactly the same, but these diamonds are quite different in terms of overall quality. This is why expert and accurate assessment of clarity is extremely important.

Have you ever received a 4Cs grading report? Share what you learned about your diamond, and come back next week to read about diamond cut and carat weight.

You can also take a closer look at the Diamond Grading Scales.

Clarity diagrams are for reference only and do not reflect true diamond clarity quality grades. Images are not for clarity diamond grading.

The post Diamond Clarity: The absence of inclusions and blemishes appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

GIA created the 4Cs (Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight) as a universal method for establishing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world. The 4Cs means two very important things: diamond quality can be communicated in a universal language, and diamond-buying consumers can know exactly what they are about to purchase.

All diamond images and diagrams are for reference only and may not reflect true diamond quality grade. Images are not for color or clarity diamond grading.

Interested in learning more about how to buy a diamond? Stay tuned for next week’s tutorial on diamond color or check out these great 1-minute videos on the 4Cs: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight.

The post GIA Diamond Grading Scales: The Universal Measure of Quality appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

This guide will help you navigate and understand the relative quality differences that exist on the color, clarity and cut grading scales.

The post Download GIA’s 4Cs Guide to Understanding Diamond Quality appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

It has been said that few things in nature are absolutely perfect. The same holds true of diamonds. Part of what makes a diamond unique is what is commonly referred to as a diamond’s clarity characteristic.

A diamond’s clarity characteristic is made up of both inclusions (internal features) and blemishes (surface irregularities). The number, size, relief, nature, and position of these characteristics affect the overall appearance of the stone, and go a long way toward determining which of the 6 GIA Clarity categories the diamond falls under.

A flawless diamond is rare, so when looking to purchase a diamond, it’s important to understand how clarity, one of the 4Cs of diamond quality, plays into the diamond purchase decision.

Learn more about diamond clarity with this great educational video from GIA.

Remember, the value of a diamond is determined only after considering all of the 4Cs of diamond quality, so learn about the next C, Diamond Cut.

The post Are Diamonds Really Perfect? appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Diamond clarity is one of the 4Cs of diamond quality that influence a diamond’s value. When GIA examines a diamond to determine its diamond clarity grade, it takes five factors into account:

• The size of the clarity characteristics and the number present.
• The position of the characteristics is also important–are they located on the table or in an inconspicuous place?
• The nature of the blemish or inclusion is examined, to see if it will affect the structure of the diamond.
• And finally, the clarity characteristics are checked for relief—whether they result in any color being present.

GIA’s clarity grading system is made up of eleven diamond clarity grades – terms used worldwide by jewelers and consumers alike:

• Flawless
• Internally flawless
• Two categories of Very Very Slightly Included (VVS₁ and VVS₂)
• Two categories of Very Slightly Included (VS₁ and VS₂)
• Two categories of Slightly Included (SI₁ and SI₂)
• Three categories of Included (I₁, I₂, and I₃)

Blemishes usually only affect the clarity grade in the top two categories (Flawless and Internally Flawless), whereas inclusions affect all grades. Flawless diamonds are very rare – so rare, that it’s possible for a jeweler to spend a lifetime in the industry without ever seeing one.

Learn more about diamond clarity with the first article of this series: Introduction to Diamond Clarity: What are Inclusions and Blemishes.

The post Introduction to Diamond Clarity: Understanding a Diamond Clarity Grade appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Both inclusions and blemishes appear in a diamond at different stages of a diamond’s formation. Inclusions may be present from a diamond’s creation, whereas blemishes may appear during cutting, setting, or even the wearing of a diamond.

There are many different types of inclusions, also known as internal clarity characteristics. As diamonds form in extreme heat and under great pressure, small crystals can become trapped inside. This is a common inclusion. Many of these crystals can only be seen if the diamond is studied at 10x magnification. If the diamond has an irregular atomic structure, it can also have a clarity characteristic called graining. Graining looks like faint lines or streaks. Diamonds can also have internal breaks, formed during or after formation. These breaks are called ‘feathers,’ because of their feathery appearance.

Blemishes occur after a diamond’s formation, during the cutting, mounting, and wearing of a polished diamond. Extra facets, polish lines (thin parallel grooves and ridges) or burns (from excessive heat on the polishing wheel during cutting) are examples of blemishes introduced during the manufacturing process. Nicks, scratches, chips and abrasions are examples of blemishes introduced during the handling, mounting or wearing of a diamond. Chips are shallow openings where part of the diamond was broken off, most often at the girdle edge.

Many inclusions and blemishes are too tiny to be seen by anyone other than a trained diamond grader. In some cases, a diamond can have a flawless clarity, or a total absence of any blemish or inclusion. Since rarity and value are related, a diamonds with a flawless clarity are incredibly rare and thus, the most valuable of all diamonds.

Learn more about diamond clarity with Diamond Clarity: Understanding Diamond Clarity Grades.

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