Clarity:  Clarity refers to the absence of natural “inclusions” in the diamond.  These tiny faults are formed by minerals or fractures while the diamond is forming in the earth.   Clarity is important because if there is an inclusion blocking the light, some of the brilliance will be lost.  Most inclusions are so small that they are not visible to the naked eye.

Diamond clarity is ranked on a scale from FL (flawless when under 10 power magnification) to I (Inclusions are visible to the naked eye).  This grading system ranks diamonds on the size, nature, and positioning of the faults and can only be determined by the eye of a professional.  To view the inclusions, trained gemologists study the diamond under a 10X magnification.  Only those diamonds that are graded I are visible to the naked eye.  Also, some inclusions may actually be hidden in a setting or mounting and may not affect the actual beauty of the diamond.