Everybody is always on a quest for the PERFECT Inclusion-Free Diamond Ring!
ESPECIALLY in an Engagement Ring!
I mean who wants to give the Bride-To-Be a Flaw?
People are always willing to sacrifice Color, Cut and Carat Weight, but in no way do they want to give her a Diamond that’s Riddled with Inclusions!
What are Inclusions?
Inclusions are Nature’s Flaws!
They were born with the Diamond millions of years ago. They actually crystallized inside of it. They never get bigger, they never get smaller. They are basically birthmarks of the Diamond. They have been there forever and will remain there forever.
Just like us, we have moles and freckles and birthmarks that identify us. Everything made in Nature has them. There’s nothing really wrong with them, some Diamonds just have more than others!
BUT… and here’s the BIG BUT… WHERE the inclusions lie inside the Diamond, how BIG the inclusions are and what COLOR the inclusions are, make a BIG difference in the overall beauty of the Diamond and the value of the Diamond! Inclusions can be other minerals, irons, deposits, or even other pieces of Carbon that crystallized differently from the rest of the Diamond.
Diamond’s are 100% Pure Carbon
When you look at a Diamond, a lot of times you’ll see Black Spots or Cloudy areas in the Diamond and sometimes you’ll see lines that look like Cracks or Chips.
These are all different types of inclusions. You can have 2 Diamonds side by side. They could both have 5 inclusions. One stone could be rated higher than the other and could be worth Thousands of Dollars more too! Insane to think about! But it’s true.
Generally speaking, if the inclusion is what they call a White Inclusion, (where the inclusion actually looks white) vs a Black Inclusion, (black spots, pepper-like inclusions) the Diamond will be prettier and most of the times it will sparkle more and look bigger!
White inclusions tend to be hidden better in the Brilliance and Shine.
Black spots are easier to see with the Naked Eye…
If your inclusions fall to the outside of the Diamond, that is, around the outer edge of the Diamond Girdle, the Diamond will look better and the inclusions will be less obvious.
Sometimes if the inclusion is deep within the Diamond, near the base of the point (the base is called the Pavilion, the point is called the Culet), the inclusion will look like 4 inclusions, because the Pavilion creates a fun-house mirror effect and reflects the inclusion all the way around the base.
If your inclusion falls around the edge of the Diamond near the Girdle, you get better results. Because a good Jeweler can hide that inclusion with the prongs of the mounting!
So not all inclusions are actually bad. You could have one, cover it up and save literally Thousands of Dollars!
But let me make a couple more points worth considering. If you’re still thinking to yourself “Good Inclusions? This Guy is Nuts!” Then read on…
There are some pretty good reasons why you should get some inclusions in that Diamond!
There is NO Perfect Diamond
That’s right! You may be on a journey for a perfect Diamond, but just like people, they don’t exist. What people often forget is that a Diamond that’s rated Flawless, can still have inclusions!
Nothing’s perfect and some people will get so obsessed with a virtually flawless Diamond that they slack off and get a H-I Color or a Diamond that’s Cut too Deep.
So much for a Perfect Diamond!
Perfection Doesn’t Exist
You could place an SI1 Clarity Diamond, one that’s way further down the Clarity list, up against a Flawless Diamond. And if the lower Quality Diamond has a better Color grade, or a better Cut, it will look 1000% better than the higher Clarity Diamond. Believe it or not! It’s a stunning difference.
A flawless Diamond is only as good as the rest of the stone.
When you think about inclusions, spend your money wisely on something that’s visible. And what I mean by that is, if you can’t see the difference with the naked eye, who else would?
If you can’t see the difference between an SI1 Diamond and a VVS Clarity Diamond, then why spend more money? You may see the difference under the Microscope or 10x Jewelers Loupe, but that’s about it. I would rather spend my money on something that I can see.
Something that can make a difference. Unless you can see a huge ugly inclusion with the naked eye, get a better Cut or Color instead! You won’t regret it!
One more excellent point about inclusions…
Let’s talk about one of the best reasons to get a Diamond with Inclusions…
If your Diamond has a couple small inclusions inside it, you’ll be able to see them with a Jeweler’s Loupe (loop) or a Microscope. You’ll always be able to see the inclusions inside the Diamond. They won’t change or move. They will always be there.
If you can remember where the Inclusions are and what they look like, then you’ll always be able to identify your Diamond. Think about that! You will always be able to scope your Diamond, anywhere, anytime and say without a doubt “Yep! That’s my Diamond!”
If you take your rings in for a retipping, scope your Diamond first!
You can even draw a little diagram of the Diamond with the inclusions. When you get your ring back from repair, scope it again just to verify that it’s yours! People always forget this part, they’re just so happy to get their ring back, they forget to look closer. But I say “get into the habit“! It’s good practice and without a doubt you’ll know, that you got YOUR Diamond back!
Flawless = Bad
That’s the really bad thing about having a FLAWLESS Diamond! A Flawless Diamond has No Visible Birthmarks! No real way to Identify it. Scary eh?
That Flawless looking stone, could be a Fake and you’d never know it. Flawless sounds like it has some Flaws now doesn’t it?
See inclusions CAN be good!
I’m not saying that I’m fine with LOTS of Inclusions. I’m saying that a Diamond that has lots of Beauty and Sparkle and a Few Identifying Inclusions that ARE NOT visible to the naked eye, can be a good thing. As long as they’re small, there’s no harm.
I would stay away from BLACK Inclusions. If it looks like pepper then run!
Get inclusions that are small and white so sparkle will hide them. Don’t get inclusions that are LARGE and look like chunks of salt, those are bad. Fine little dots, feathers or small points are okay. Don’t get inclusions that resemble a long line or crack. Those can weaken your Diamond and cause it to break. And always check the girdle for chips. A lot of Diamonds get broken during the setting process by the Jeweler’s Steel Pliers!
Lastly, remember to always scope your Diamond before and after any Jeweler works on it…
Your Wallet and your Fiancee will thank you!
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