how do you read on paper a diamond's clarity?

Question

I AM ABOUT TO BUY AN ENGAGEMENT RING FOR MY GILRFRIEND, AND IN THE SPECIFICATIONS IT HAS SOME LETTERS AND NUMBERS, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHATS CONSIDERED A GOOD DIAMOND AND LOW GRADE
THANK YOU BEFORE HAND

Answer 1

Try this little tutorial for diamonds about the 4C's of diamonds.

http://www.diamondreview.com/tutor/4cs/tutor_4cs_intro.shtml.

Go for quality of diamond. You could get at VS1 or VS2 to SI1 or SI2 clarity of diamond (where you cannot see oclusions in the diamond with the naked eye and definately avoid I2 and I3), G-H color (nearly colorless to slightly yellow, respectively - and you can't really tell the "yellowness" that easy with H rating). The carat and cut really depend on what the setting for the ring will be.

Answer 2

A reputable jeweler can explain the four C's of a diamond - cut, carat, clarity and color or there's plenty of info online.. Better to buy quality than size or you'll end up with a large diamond showing flaws, rather than a smaller diamond with more beauty. I'd rather have a smaller VS1 or SI1 than a larger I (more inclusions) or lower. As for color, I wouldn't go below G-H.

Answer 3

Here's a page that contains links that describe the 4 C's of diamonds. It should be a brief education for you to know what the jeweler is telling you and what you should be looking at in a diamond.

http://www.usajewels.com/online-store/scstore/diamond_qualities.html