The Diamond 4Cs can be complicated to understand. But put together, they have the power to change the look of your Diamond Engagement Ring. It’s a good thing then, that we’ve done a lot of research on this. We’ve looked at every aspect of the 4Cs in a lot of detail, and today we’ll delve into the Clarity of the diamonds that make up your Diamond Engagement Ring.

We’ll also take you through our recommendations for clarity. So you know how we approach it, and on what basis we’ve made those recommendations. So let’s begin:

Diamond 4Cs - Clarity grades IF VVS VS SI I1

Diamond Clarity - Why It’s Important

Diamonds are created under intense pressure and high temperatures 150-200km under the earth’s surface. Eventually brought closer to the surface by volcanic activity, diamonds are subsequently mined by human intervention.

Sophia Diamond Engagement RIng with stackable rings

The diamond formation process is entirely natural, and it’s not perfect. The clarity of a diamond refers to the imperfections found within the diamond naturally. These can range from tiny dots, to spanning the entire diamond crystal, resulting in a blackish appearance without any shine.

The clearer your diamond is, the more pleasant its lustre, the higher its value, the better its look. This is why clarity is important.

Clarity Grades

The GIA grades clarity from IF (Internally Flawless) to I3 (Included 3). This accounts for the size of the clarity. A schematic for the same is attached below.

At The Peacock, we go beyond this clarity grade. We also look at the type of inclusion. Some inclusions are black and opaque and easily visible. While others are watery and transparent or translucent. The watery inclusions are less visible. If the size of these two inclusions is the same, GIA would grade them the same for clarity. But with a trained eye, it’s easy to notice the difference.

As mentioned in our Ultimate Guide to Buying Diamond Rings, We generally recommend using stones with a clarity of VS2 and above. This is better than industry standard. The inclusions in a VS2 graded stone are so small, they’re invisible to the naked eye.

Diamonds graded below VS2 can exhibit naked eye inclusions, and hence we do not recommend using those qualities. Diamonds graded higher than VS2 may be more clear, but the difference would be imperceptible. Instead of paying more for better clarity, we would recommend using in a bigger stone. If you would still like a better clarity diamond, we do offer an upgrade to VVS1 clarity for some of our discerning customers. This pertains to products in our Made To Order Collection.

Also, all our engagement rings with centre stones larger than 0.30 carats come with a certificate of quality generated by GIA or IGI.

Explore our Collection

At The Peacock, we have a wide range of engagement rings, with each stone vetted for clarity. This includes rings made with diamonds, as well as other gemstones. All stones are hand picked, and adhere to our high standards of quality and craftsmanship.

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Akshay Sethi

With an eye for detail, Akshay has been designing exquisite pieces of jewellery for years now. He's also our resident gemologist, and the founder at The Peacock.

All Posts By Akshay