Diamonds are the most beautiful pieces of jewelry you can ever have in your jewelry collection. Every time you research or want to shop for a diamond you will hear a lot about clarity, carat weight, cut, and color. The clarity of diamonds is influenced by the inclusions presented. Simply stated, inclusions are the internal flaws in a diamond that affect its clarity. Learn more at Rare Carat about discovering the beauty in imperfections in diamond jewels. That said, let’s explore the guide to diamond inclusions.
What Are Diamond Inclusions
As you will learn more at Rare Carat, diamond inclusions are the imperfections that are contained in diamonds. The inclusions are naturally formed during diamond formation when carbon is transformed into a rough diamond. The clarity of a diamond is determined by the absence or presence of inclusions. You will learn more at Rare Carat, natural diamonds are formed as a result of exposing carbon to extreme heat and pressure over a period of millions or billions of years. This process can influence the internal characteristics of diamonds which are simply referred to as inclusions.
As you will learn more at Rare Carat, the evaluation of diamond clarity looks at the size, position, relief, number, and nature of these inclusions, as well as the impact they have on the overall appearance of the jewel. As you will learn more at Rare Carat pure diamonds have better clarity compared to those with inclusions. However, most diamonds are not perfectly pure meaning they contain inclusions.
Common Types of Diamond Inclusions
Feather
This type of inclusion appears as tiny cracks from the top to the bottom of the diamond. Feather inclusions can only compromise the structure of the jewel if they are deep enough.
Pinpoint
These are tiny black dots that appear on top of the diamond.
Crystal
These are small bits of mineral deposits or diamonds that were trapped within the diamond during its formation.
Natural
This is the part of the original diamond that remained during the cutting process. It appears on the corners of the diamond’s girdle.
Needle
This is a kind of crystal a thin, long line appears on a diamond and is usually clear or white in color.
Cloud
This inclusion resembles a cloud although they are usually a cluster of pinpoints in the diamond.
Chip
This is a small notch taken out of the exterior of a diamond and is often associated with the tear and wear of the jewel. Chip inclusions can be easily removed by re-cutting or polishing the diamond.
Cavity
This is a small hole that appears on the surface of the diamond. As you learn more at Rare Carat, we advise you not to buy diamonds with a cavity. This is because diamonds are only cut with diamonds meaning those with cavities are used for industrial purposes.
As you learn more at Rare Carat about the beauty of imperfections and inclusions in diamond jewels you will notice that inclusions can add more beauty to diamonds. Diamond inclusions also ensure you will pay less money for your favorite jewel compared to those with no imperfections. Moreover, it is not easy to notice diamonds with your naked eyes and most of them will require a 10x magnification in order to be noticed.
As you will learn more at Rare Carat, diamonds are classified on a scale based on their inclusions. Flawless (FL) diamonds have the fewest inclusions while the ones with visible inclusions are rated as included (I). Most gemstones fall in the middle classes of the scale, which is Very Very Slightly Included and Slightly Included. Diamond with slight inclusions has the same beauty as flawless diamond when it comes to the naked eye. As you will learn more at Rare Carat, there is beauty in imperfections as diamonds with inclusions are offers the same beauty to the naked eye and at a lower price compared to flawless diamonds.
When TO Overlook Diamond Inclusions
Microscopic diamond inclusions and slightly included diamonds are negligible since they are invisible to the eye. Diamond inclusions such as feathers, needles, and points are negligible since they only appear under a 10x magnification meaning they will not affect the beauty of your diamond jewel. These inclusions are crystal clear meaning they will not be visible to the naked eye.
