Nobody’s perfect, diamonds included. A natural material like diamond might be expected to have a few marks here and there, so it’s up to professional evaluators to determine which ones are slightly flawed and which are nearly perfect.

The technical term for a diamond imperfection is an inclusion. The clarity of a diamond indicates how many inclusions there are, how big they are, and what their position is in the stone. Most inclusions are microscopic and won’t alter the stone’s beauty in any noticeable way.

The above diamond clarity chart shows the different clarity grades a diamond can have. The Grades range from Flawless (no inclusions) to Included (inclusions visible under 10x magnification and, in some cases, to the naked eye).

Diamond Clarity Chart Explained

I2–I3 (Included): Inclusions can be clearly seen under 10x magnification, and sometimes by the naked eye.

I–1  (Included): Minor inclusions may be seen under 10x magnification, and possibly by the naked eye

SI1–SI2  (Slightly Included): Inclusions can be seen by the trained eye under 10x magnification. May be visible to the naked eye under close inspection.

VS1–VS2  (Very Slightly Included): Inclusions cannot be seen by the naked eye. Inclusions can be seen under 10x magnification, but are considered minor.

VVS1–VVS2 (Very, Very Slightly Included): Inclusions are difficult for even a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification.

FL–IF (Flawless/Internally Flawless): No inclusions (possibly only blemishes for IF) are visible under 10x magnification to the skilled grader. Both are extremely rare.