Diamond clarity is judged based on the number and size of each flaw, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with common diamond imperfections and how they affect the value and integrity of the stone.

Types of Flaws and Inclusions

There are several types of flaws that can be found in diamonds, from the mild to severe. Knowing how to identify particular flaws and how they can affect the clarity and integrity of the stone is key in finding the perfect diamond for your budget.

The following flaws are found within the diamond (called inclusions.)

• Laser Lines

While many inclusions happen naturally while the diamond is forming, some inclusions are man-made, such as laser lines. Laser lines can result after a laser has been used to treat and remove more serious flaws from within the stone.

• Bearding

Characterized by thin, hair-like lines, bearding occurs when a diamond is being cut and often appear around the area where prongs grasp the stone.

• Growth Lines

Growth lines happen during a diamond’s formation and do not typically alter the value of the stone if they are colorless. If the growth lines are white or take on another prominent hue, then these lines are more visible and thus can affect the value of the stone.

• Pinpoints

Pinpoints are crystals that have formed within the diamond. If these pinpoints are of significant size or group together in clusters, it can result in a cloudy looking stone.

• Cleavage

Arguably the most damaging flaw found within a diamond, cleavage is a very serious flaw and look like cracks throughout the diamond. Daily wear and tear, high pressure, or knocking the diamond against a hard surface can actually cause the stone to crack if the cleavage is large enough.

External blemishes such as scratches or nicks, can affect a diamond’s clarity if they are large enough. Most external flaws can be easily corrected or left alone, but for serious problems you should have a jeweler take a look at the diamond and see if it needs to be repaired.

When viewing diamonds for purchase, a reputable jeweler will and should be able to tell you about any flaws or inclusions found in a particular diamond. That’s why it is important to only deal with a reputable jeweler who knows about these types of things and can help you find the best diamond for your budget.

Taking the time to familiarize yourself with the various diamond flaws and inclusions you are likely to encounter can help you choose the best quality diamond for your budget.

While most flaws are relatively minor, there are serious flaws to look out for to avoid causing irreparable damage to the stone further down the line. Diamonds are an investment, so make sure you are getting the most for your money by avoiding serious inclusions or blemishes and buying the best possible stone you can afford.

Synthetic diamonds are not, contrary to popular belief, “fake” diamonds. These gemstones are created in laboratories rather than by a few millennia of pressure, but are for all intents and purposes “real” diamonds, chemically almost identical to their ”natural” counterparts. True, there are certain inclusions and colors only found in nature (and vice versa), and true, there are currently no completely colorless man-made stones available on the consumer market, but science is coming very, very close. Synthetic diamonds are already extremely popular for use in abrasives and cutting-tools, as their hardness can rival or even surpass mined diamonds. Even now, a few companies carry lines of artificial diamond jewelry, and many are waiting for the artificial diamond engagement ring market to take off.

What this all means to you, as a consumer, is that in the near future the market for diamond engagement rings could literally be turned upside down. If research facilities are able to fine-tune the process of creating synthetic diamonds, these stones could potentially become very affordable alternatives to mined diamonds.

A steady and predictable flow of high-quality manufactured diamonds on the diamond market would mean that the demand for natural mined diamonds could be greatly reduced and a drop in demand means a drop in price, even on the natural stones. Additionally, the influx of artificial diamonds could help to drastically stem the flow of  “blood diamonds” or “conflict stones”. Without large diamond companies buying out masses of foreign stones, diamonds obtained via forced labor or unethical practice could be all but eliminated from the jewelry market. For the average consumer and for humanitarian groups this is all very good news. After all, what could be better than the idea of getting your fiance that “conflict-free”, 10 carat rock she’s always wanted and at a fraction of the cost?

Naturally (no pun intended), some jewelers and diamond companies blanch a little at the idea of the diamond market being infiltrated with a heap of man-made gemstones. Others, however, remain confident in the appeal of naturally mined diamonds. After all, there’s just something about knowing that the ring on your finger came from some exotic, far-flung location that just can’t be matched by the idea of your engagement ring’s stone being grown in a proverbial test-tube. For some, no matter how good science can get, you just can’t top the real thing.

Clarity

Clarity refers to the purity and clearness of a diamond. The number, size, location and nature of any imperfections found determines what clarity grade the diamond has. These imperfections are called inclusions if found internally and blemishes if the flaws are external.

If you purchase a diamond that has been disclosed as “clarity treated” prior to the sale, you should be aware of the two methods that can be used to enhance the clarity of a diamond – laser drilling and fracture filling.

Laser drilling involves drilling a tiny hole into the diamond, whereby the bulk of the imperfection can be removed. Fracture filling is used to fill in tiny cracks and flaws in a diamond with a clear, glass-like substance. This treatment is not permanent and will wear away over time.

Color

A diamond’s color involves assigning a grade to the diamond based on how much color is visible in the stone. Diamonds can range in shade from nearly colorless to yellow. They can also have slight tints of yellow, gray, or brown. Pink, blue, green, red, and intense yellow diamonds are also available but are exceptionally rare. As such, these “fancy” diamonds greatly enhance the value of the stone.

Some diamonds have been color treated before sale and should be disclosed as such. Color treated diamonds undergo a method of irradiation treatment followed by heat treatment to influence the color of the stone. In most cases, this method is not recommended because of the risk of the diamond changing color over time.

Cut

Proportions, finish, polish and symmetry combine to describe the cut of a diamond. Additionally, these factors help assess the brilliance of the stone (how well the diamond reflects light.)

Well cut diamonds will always be much more valuable than poorly cut stones, and as such will command a premium price. Because of this, diamond cutters take great care to cut diamonds to reflect the most light possible.

Carat Weight

Carat refers to the actual weight of the diamond, not the visual size. Carat weight is determined based on a 100 point system where 1 carat is equal to 0.20 grams. The larger the carat weight, the more valuable a diamond will be. For example, a 1 carat diamond will always be worth much more than 2 half-carat diamonds, because the 1 carat diamond is harder to find.

Clarity, color, cut and carat weight are all very important to determine the value of a diamond. Each factor must be taken into consideration when assessing the value of a stone. When taken together, the four C’s are a very accurate depiction of the worth of your diamond and can help you find the perfect stone for your needs.

If you are determined to purchase a diamond for the center of your engagement ring, and seek an alternative to a white diamond, yellow diamonds have become incredibly popular. They are more expensive than white diamonds, of similar quality, but really make an impact when seen on a woman’s finger.

Another popular choice is pink diamonds. These diamonds are rarer than yellow diamonds and also cost more than the traditional white diamond.

Still, many women have learned about an issue that has taken place for some years. This issue was dramatically brought to the world’s attention via a movie called “Blood Diamond” staring Leonardo DiCaprio. The issue, also known as “non-conflict” diamonds or “conflict-free” diamonds has forced some women, and men, to look at the ethical issue of purchasing diamonds that may have been the cause of torture, rape and murder.

When this issue became better known, some women, who still wanted a center diamond for their engagement ring, insisted upon learning where the diamond was mined and how it was delivered to the jeweler. If the jeweler is reputable, he can produce documentation showing the origins of the diamond and proof that the diamond is a “conflict-free” diamond.

However, some women do not accept this documentation as proof positive and have decided to go in a different direction. Some have opted for other precious gemstones including Sapphires, Rubies, Emeralds, and the rare, and very expensive, Paraiba Tourmaline.

If you are searching for a gemstone to replace a white diamond, there are two substitutes that I can recommend that most people will think are real white diamonds. There are cubic zirconia and white sapphires. Cubic zirconia is well known as an extremely low cost replacement for real diamonds. Then there are white sapphires. White sapphires cost a fraction of diamonds the same size, but good quality white sapphires are not that easy to come by.

Sapphires, rubies, emeralds and Paraiba tourmalines are all very good replacement gemstones for diamonds. They all come in either different colors or different shades. For example, sapphires come in white, green, pink, purple, blue, yellow and variations of all these colors.

Paraiba Tourmaline also comes in a few different colors with variations of blue and green being the most widely available.

 
There are quite a large number of precious and semi-precious gemstones that can substitute for the traditional center white diamond in your engagement ring. Here are just a few of the gemstones that you could substitute: Alexandrite, Amethyst, Andesine Labradorite, Apatite, Aquamarine, Blue Topaz, Citrine, Fire Opal, Green Beryl, Green Tourmaline, Kunzite, Mandarin Garnet, Morganite, Peridot, Pink Tourmaline, Precious Topaz, Red Spinel, Rubellite, Tanzanite, Tsavorite and Yellow Beryl (just to name a few).