Education
Diamond Education
See E & F Graded Diamonds
See G & H Graded Diamonds
See I & J Graded Diamonds
Diamond Colour
Buying Tips
- The second most important of the 4Cs is colour because it’s what the eye notices next after sparkle.
- A diamond's colour actually refers to its lack of colour. The less colour, the higher the colour grade.
- To avoid a pale yellow colour, choose a diamond grade H or higher.
- Blue Nile offers only Colourless (grades D-F) to Near-Colourless (grades G-J) diamonds to assure that any natural colour present is typically undetectable to the naked eye.
Grading Scale
Use the slider to see colour grade details or view the Colour Grade Chart below.
D
E-F
Colourless
Minute traces of colour can be detected by an expert gemmologist. A rare diamond.See E & F Graded Diamonds
G-H
Near Colourless
Colour difficult to detect unless compared side-by-side against diamonds of better grades. An excellent value.See G & H Graded Diamonds
I-J
Near Colourless
An exceptional value with slightly detectable warmth or tone.See I & J Graded Diamonds
K-Z
Noticeable colour
Not carried by Blue Nile.
More Expert Tips
- For the purist, look for a Colourless grade of D-F for a diamond with no discernible colour under magnification.
- For the best value, choose a Near-Colourless grade of G-J for a diamond with no discernible colour by the naked eye.
- Consider platinum or white gold settings when buying higher colour grade diamond; a gold setting may show through a colourless diamond.
Clarity
Diamond Clarity
Buying Tips
- Most diamonds have tiny imperfections called inclusions.
- The fewer and less visible the inclusions, the higher the clarity grade.
- Diamond clarity is often the least important of the 4Cs because most inclusions are microscopic; they don’t affect the diamond’s beauty in a visible way.
- To maximize your budget, consider an "Eye-Clean" diamond, graded VS1 or higher, in which inclusions are invisible to the naked eye.
Grading Scale
Use the slider to see clarity grade details or view the Clarity Grade Chart below.
FL & IF
Flawless, Internally Flawless
Under 10x magnification, inclusions are not visible, rarest clarity grade.See FL & IF Graded Diamonds
- FL: No visible blemishes, <1% of diamonds
- IF: Very slight blemishes, <3% of diamonds
VVS1, VVS2
Very, Very Slightly Included
Characteristics miniscule and difficult to see under 10x magnification, even to a trained eye.See VVS Graded Diamonds
- VVS1: Few miniscule inclusions
- VVS2: Slightly more miniscule inclusions
VS1, VS2
Very Slightly Included
Minor inclusions ranging from difficult to somewhat easy to see at 10x magnification.See VS Graded Diamonds
- VS1: Difficult to see minor inclusions
- VS2: Somewhat easier to see minor inclusions
SI1, SI2
Slightly Included
Inclusions noticeable at 10x. Best value. SI2 inclusions may be detectable to a discerning unaided eye.See SI Graded Diamonds
- SI1: Inclusions occasionally visible to the keen eye without magnification
- SI2: Inclusions typically visible from the pavilion, and often seen from the top, without magnification
I1
Included
Diamonds
may have more obvious inclusions at 10X and may be visible to the eye.
Blue Nile offers a limited selection of jewelry with I1 clarity
diamonds..See Diamond Jewelry
- I1: Loose diamonds of this grade not offered by Blue Nile
I2, I3
Clarity grades not carried by Blue Nile.
Inclusions are obvious under 10x magnification, usually visible to the unaided eye.
Inclusions are obvious under 10x magnification, usually visible to the unaided eye.
More Expert Tips
- Select an "eye-clean" diamond - one that has no imperfections visible to the unaided-eye through the crown. An excellent value, diamonds of this clarity are much less expensive than flawless (FL) or internally flawless (IF) diamonds, which are extremely rare and command higher prices.
- If you're considering a diamond with an SI clarity grade, call to speak to a diamond and jewelry consultant who will review the diamond to ensure the imperfections are not visible to the unaided eye.
Have A Question?
Contact us by phone at 1-800-242-2728 or email at service@bluenile.com. In addition, Live Chat is available during most business hours.
