Scientifically, diamonds are described as metastable allotropes of carbon. However, most people would define diamonds as the most beautiful type of precious gemstones.

For hundreds of years, people have used diamonds as decorative items.

They used them in different pieces of jewelry especially in wedding rings which are still considered to be the most beautiful kind of wedding rings.

The reasons why people love diamonds are simple – they are durable, attractive, and come with an enduring value.

Even though all diamonds have characteristics like this, the truth is that they are not equal and some of them have better quality.

One of the things that are used in the process of evaluation of diamond’s quality is clarity.

Diamond clarity explained

Diamond clarity is part of the 4 Cs, the world-renowned method for evaluating the quality of diamonds.

The other grading scales include cut, carat, and color.

For those who didn’t know, diamond clarity highlights the level if blemishes/stains, flaws and/or impurities present on the surface or inside the diamond.

This is the factor that affects the sparkle and brilliance of this special gemstone.

What’s important to understand is that it is almost impossible to find a flawless diamond.

Yet, the flaws that we are talking about are usually very small, and only a person with knowledge, experience, and adequate equipment is able to determine these flaws.

Based on the level of diamond clarity, there are a few different types of diamonds.

One of the most popular types is the VVS Diamonds.

What is a VVS Diamond?

Many people are wondering what VVS stands for?

The answer is quite simple – it means Very, Very Slightly Included.

Diamond clarity scale

Obviously, these words are describing the level of blemishes and flaws in the diamond making VVS diamonds one of the best options people have in terms of clarity.

VVS diamonds come with flaws that are extremely small. These flaws are so small that even people that have experience and expertise in this field will find it difficult to spot even when they are using a powerful loupe.

That’s why it is recommended to use a microscope for this purpose. In most cases, the flaws associated with VSS diamonds are actually pinpointed.

It’s good to know that VSS diamonds are separated into two subtypes – VVS1 and VVS2.

They are the second best diamonds in terms of quality right after extremely rare flawless FL/IF diamonds.

VVS1 diamonds have flaws that are almost impossible to spot without a strong microscope.

These flaws can be seen only if the person is looking from the bottom part up.

On the other hand, VVS2 diamonds have very tiny flaws too, but they can be seen from the top of the diamond.

So, we can freely say that VVS2 diamond is almost as good as VV1 diamonds.

How much do VVS Diamonds cost?

As we already mentioned, VVS diamonds are among the best diamonds in the world.

The price of VVS diamonds depends on a few things. So, besides the diamond clarity, you have to take weight, color, shape and cut into consideration.

Generally speaking, as clarity increases, and if all other value factors are equal, diamond price per carat also increases.

As diamonds with a higher level of clarity, VVS diamonds are generally more expensive than VS (Very Slightly Included), SI(Slightly Included) and I(Included) diamonds, but cheaper than IF (Internally Flawless) diamonds.

The color of the diamond plays a very important role too.

There are five categories of colors – colorless, near colorless, faint, very light and light.

The most expensive ones are completely colorless VSS diamonds because they are extremely rare.

The vast majority of VSS diamonds found on the market are actually near colorless.

In order to save some money, many people are looking for very light and light diamonds of this kind.

The cut also has an impact on the pricing. The way the diamond is polished affects the light performance.

Generally speaking, diamonds with fine symmetry, proportions, and finish are providing the best light performance and they are more expensive than other diamonds.

Obviously, the carat weight will make the price go up or down too.

Remember that 1 carat is actually 200 mg. The heavier the diamond is, the higher price you can expect.

According to the latest statistics, a round, near colorless, one-carat VSS diamond is worth at least $4000.

Of course, the seller himself determines the price.

Which VVS diamond should I buy?

If you want to stay on the safe side and buy the best VVS diamond for the money, you should learn a few things about these special diamonds. You can also find educative material in our Diamond Education section.

First and foremost, you should think about the carat weight. After all, this is the single factor that has the most important impact on the final price. This is a matter of personal taste.

For example, if you are planning on using this gemstone as part of a wedding ring, you should think about your partner’s preferences – do they like a big gemstone or a discreet one?

This will determine whether you will get a 2.5-carat VVS diamond or a 0.5-carat VVS diamond.

Most people will say that a bigger diamond is always a better option, but that’s not the case in every situation.

If you are buying a VVS diamond as a form of investment, you should think about your budget and your long-term expectations.

As previously mentioned, VVS diamonds, just like all other types of diamonds, are available in a wide array of shapes. Yet, if you take a closer look at the market, you will notice that round VVS diamonds are dominating.

Average Price Per Carat For a Round Cut Diamond

Yet, there are many other shapes you can choose like Asscher, emerald, princess, oval, radiant, marquise, cushion, heart, and pear. Each of them provides different light performance, so take this fact into account.

Many specialists in this field agree that the diamond cut is more important than anything else in VSS diamonds. They point out that the cut determines the sparkle of every diamond.

So, even though VVS diamonds (both VVS1 and VVS2) have an excellent level of clarity, in case their cut is not good, they will look unattractive.

On the other hand, in case the diamond cut is proper, the light will radiate in the best possible way.

Very often, diamond graders are classifying VSS diamonds as poor/fair, good, very good and ideal in terms of cuts.

Obviously, if you have the money, you should opt for the best cut.

We have already mentioned the color, but we will have to provide even more information about this factor. As we all know, the human eye notices the color of gemstones right away.

In fact, many people find the colors of diamonds to be the best part about them.

But, what every potential buyer should know is that the color of the diamond is actually the extent of lack of color in the object.

To put it in simple words, if the VSS diamond has less color, it will have a better color grade.

There is a special grading list that determines the color of diamonds and it goes from D to Z.

D is an absolutely colorless diamond and it will take time and money to find a diamond like this. E and F are colorless, G and H are near colorless, as well as I and J and K and Z have noticeable colors.

If you want the best return on investment select a diamond between G and J. If you want to he best, buy a D to F diamond.

Finally, those looking for a high-quality VVS diamond must focus on diamonds with certificates.

A certificate of this kind which is often called a diamond quality document or grading report is a document made by professional gemologists.

This means that the diamond that you are looking at has exactly the same properties as advertised.

VVS and VS clarity explained

Many people are still confused when they look at VVS and VS diamonds.

What’s even more interesting is that they believe that these diamonds are the same. But, they are wrong and every diamond grader can confirm this.

Very Slightly included diamonds or VS diamonds also come in two subtypes – VS1 and VS2.

As expected, they have a very small number of inclusions that are visible when you are using a magnifier that has at least 10x magnification power.

The main difference between VS and VVS diamonds is that the first ones have imperfections that can be spotted more easily.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can notice them right away. We are still talking about very small blemishes and imperfections.

Yet, we can’t forget that VVS diamonds’ imperfections are even smaller.

As previously said, in some cases, people need more powerful magnification to notice these imperfections.

Besides the size of imperfections, most VS diamonds also have more imperfections. Keep in mind that this is not a rule. When the experts are determining the quality of diamond clarity, they take either the size or the number of imperfections.

What every potential buyer should know is that you can’t see imperfections in VVS or VS diamonds with a naked eye.

It takes an experienced professional and adequate equipment to find these flaws.

As a result of their higher clarity, VVS diamonds are usually more expensive than VS diamonds.

We have already highlighted the fact that there are a few other factors that contribute to the formation of the final price like the cut or the carat weight.

It is possible to find VS diamonds that are more expensive than VVS diamonds.

Should I invest in VVS diamonds?

The simple answer is YES.

Every type of diamond gives you a chance for a valuable investment.

Yet, investing in VVS diamonds is the best idea because they are very rare and they provide the best value for the price. People that are investing in these commodities can confirm that VVS diamonds promise great return on investment.

There are a few other reasons why people would want to invest in VVS diamonds.

For starters, these diamonds have proven to be very liquid. In other words, you can turn this kind of diamond into cash almost anywhere in the world. You may not be able to buy things in stores or online, but collectors and jewelers will be glad to buy a gemstone like this.

The other reason why someone would want to invest in VVS diamonds is their durability.

Environmental changes, weather elements, pollutants – none of these things can affect the quality of VVS diamonds.

They, just like other diamonds, are the hardest stones on our planet.

You can’t break them with a mild force. You need powerful tools to cut and shape diamonds.

The free market shapes the price of different commodities.

However, it looks like VVS diamonds remain unaffected by major turbulence in the world of finances.

This is quite logical because VVS diamonds, and other types of diamonds, are controlled by a global price report in an indirect way. It’s the well-known Rapaport Diamond Price Report.

Here is where you can find the market price on a weekly level of every kind of diamond. What we are trying to say is that the price of diamonds is more or less the same around the globe.

Diamonds are rare gemstones and VVS diamonds are among the rarest.

Only 2% of the cut diamonds come with more than one carat.

This is a very small number knowing that the interest in this special type of diamonds is very high.

With VVS diamonds you can expect to avoid possible recession, collapses and financial crisis on an international level.

Similar to real estate and gold, diamonds will not only keep their value, but they will probably boost their value in the long run.

Any downfalls in bonds and stocks are not affecting the price of diamonds at least not directly.

Needless to say, maintaining a diamond like this is a very simple task. Finally, VVS diamonds look amazing.

We hope that this VVS diamond guide will help you learn more about these diamonds and make the right decision.

I love diamonds like every woman does, but I like to go beyond and research the topic to the ground.

The post What are VVS Diamonds? Here is a Comprehensive Guide. appeared first on Rock My Diamond.

The basics of diamond clarity

As we already said, diamond clarity is one of the 4 Cs of diamonds. There are many different ways to describe this feature of diamonds, but the simplest one definition describes it as the state or quality of being clear. Buyers should be aware of the fact that finding a diamond that doesn’t have anything inside is very rare and this is especially true when it comes to large diamonds. So, this uniqueness makes diamonds that have fewer flaws inside them more attractive and obviously, more expensive too.

According to some statistics, 2 out of 10 newly mined diamonds have clarity that satisfies minimal standards so they can be utilized in jewelry. The rest of the diamonds are utilized for industrial purposes. In other words, in case you’ve got a diamond with the best clarity rating, then you’ve got a gemstone that occurs once in a few million.

The science behind diamond clarity

There are two things that have a direct impact on the clarity of diamonds. One of these factors is present on the diamond’s exterior and it is known as blemishes, and the other is found in the diamond’s internal structure and it is known as inclusions.

Inclusions

Generally speaking, almost all diamonds have some other compounds that were practically trapped while the diamond was growing underground. It’s interesting that diamonds are between 3 and 4 billion years old which means that their process of growing is quite slow. Over all these millions of years, it is quite natural that they have been in touch with other natural materials. The small inclusions you see can be thousands or even millions of years old. That’s why you can look at diamonds as some sort of timelines.

While we are talking about inclusions it is worth mentioning that there are some inclusions that seem to appear more frequently than others. These inclusions include cavities, clouds, needles, different minerals and/or crystals, feathers, wisps, cleavage, graining, and bearding.

Blemishes

As we said before, blemishes are the formations that we can find on the diamond’s exterior. The vast majority of these blemishes are formed during the cutting process. Experienced diamond cutters are able to eliminate these blemishes. Although they have an impact on diamond clarity, they don’t affect the rating as much as inclusions.

Just like in the case of inclusions, there are some blemishes that appear more frequently and these blemishes include graining, knots, polish lines, cavities, pits, dents, scratches, naturals, fractures, chips, and additional facets.

Diamond clarity ratings/grades

About 65 years ago, the Gemological Institute of America has introduced a diamond clarity system which includes a few different grades.

I1, I2, I3 (also known as included diamonds) – they have inclusions (most likely large crystals and/or large feathers) that are easy to spot under 10x magnifying glass. They usually have an impact on the brilliance and transparency of diamonds.

SI1, SI2 (also known as Slightly Included diamonds) – these diamonds come with inclusions like knots, clouds, feathers, cavities and included crystals that can be detected by an experienced diamond grader with the help of a 10x magnifying glass.

VS1 and VS2 (also known as Very Slightly included)  – these diamonds contain smaller inclusions like small feathers, small clouds or small crystals and they can be seen under 10x magnifying glass, but it will probably take some time to spot them.

VVS1 and VVS2 (an abbreviation for Very, Very Slightly Included diamonds) – they come with so-called minute inclusions that are hard to spot even if you are an experienced diamond grader using a 10x magnifying glass.

IF (or Internally Flawless) – these diamonds don’t have any inclusions visible under 10x magnification. Of course, they have some small blemishes.

FL (or Flawless) – they don’t have any inclusions and blemishes visible under 10x magnifying glass.

So, diamond clarity is determined by checking the combination of the number, size, nature, and color of the blemishes and inclusions. There are many different combinations which is why it is considered that every diamond is unique.

Diamond clarity grades: the beginnings

In the past, diamond clarity was usually described with the words like loupe clean, pique or clean. But, back in 1953, the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), or its member Richard Liddicoat to be more precise, revealed a unique system which was adopted around the globe. The system has 11 unique clarity grades which make determining diamond clarity easier than ever. These abbreviations we’ve mentioned before allows buyers from around the world to check the clarity of diamonds right away.

A Few other things you should know about diamond clarity

An ordinary person that has no experience in this field, will probably have a difficult time to determine diamond clarity even if they have a magnifying glass. So, when buying a diamond, it is highly recommended to use a seller that has certified diamonds in its offer. Diamonds like this have labels where you can check the clarity grade. In addition, you can always use the help of a reputable gemological lab that issues diamond grading reports.

If you are prepared to invest in diamonds, you should know that the price of diamonds is volatile. However, the price of these gemstones is always affected by clarity. For example, if two diamonds have the same cut, color, and carat weight, but different clarity (for one level) the one with better clarity rating will be up to 20% more expensive. When it comes to the beauty of these stones, there is no change regardless of the diamond clarity grade. It takes a 10x magnifying glass to notice the difference although in most cases, these differences can be noticed only by experienced diamond graders.

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