Flawless refers to the purity of diamonds and represents the highest quality level according to the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) system.
A diamond can only be sold as flawless if a trained expert cannot see any inclusions or blemishes under tenfold magnification. This is only very rarely the case; the majority of diamonds are not flawless, but have smaller or larger external features, which are also called "nature's fingerprints". These are foreign minerals that were embedded in the diamond during its formation, cracks in the crystal structure or irregularities caused by growth.
Determining the Clarity of a Diamond
To define whether a loose diamond is flawless, the GIA examines it under darkfield lighting at ten times magnification. The assessment of clarity depends on five factors: the size of the inclusions, their number, their positioning in the diamond, their type and their color. The quality of clarity is determined based on these criteria; the term flawless is reserved for diamonds in which no irregularities are visible.
The further classification is based on the fact that the smaller the inclusions, the better the clarity of the diamond. Even a flawless diamond is not necessarily completely free of impurities, but these are so tiny that the appearance is not affected in any way.
The more inclusions a diamond has, the lower its value.
The position of the flaws is also important when assessing clarity. The worst case scenario is when the inclusions are located directly below the diamond's table, as they are particularly noticeable there and are also reflected by the side facets.
The type of inclusions is divided into internal and external impurities. If a diamond has internal defects, it does not fall into the flawless category under any circumstances.
Of course, the color of the inclusions also plays an important role, as it determines how noticeable they are.
diamond lexicon
