Diamond Chart

Diamond Chart

Below is a diamond chart with a rating system that will help you to evaluate stones of specific color and diamond clarity combinations. This diamond chart compares diamonds starting with the most prized color D (colorless) and balances them with loose diamonds of various clarity. You can cross-reference the diamond color with various clarity grades listed to the left of the diamond chart. This guideline and the evaluations represent the opinions of the author and assume that all stone comparisons are of equal diamond cut grade.

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Clarity

D Color Diamonds

D-Flawless

Investment

Elite-Investment Grade

Stones of this grade are very expensive and seldom used in traditional jewelry.

D-VVS-1

Investment

 Excessive-Investment Grade

Stones of this grade are very expensive and seldom used in traditional jewelry.

D-VVS-2

Investment

Excessive-Investment Grade

The color is visibly the best, and flaws are only detectable under close scrutiny with a microscope.

D-VS-1

Eccentric

Top Color-Excellent Clarity

The color is visibly the best and flaws are only detectable under close scrutiny with a microscope.

D-VS-2

Choice

Top Color-Very Good Clarity

The best grade the naked eye can see. Absolutely colorless and flawless without the aid of magnification.

D-SI-1

Very Nice

Top Color-Good Clarity

Absolutely colorless and the flaws are seldom detectable in during normal wear.

D-SI-2

Acceptable

Top Color-Marginal Clarity

If you love color, and can live with slightly detectable flaws this can sometimes work.

D-I-1

Avoid

Top Color-Poor Clarity

Not logical to have perfect color if flaws are easily detectable. Consider sacrificing some color for clarity.

D-I-2 & Below

No

Top Color-Poor Clarity

Not logical to have perfect color and obvious flaws.

Clarity

E Color Diamonds

E-Flawless

Investment

Excessive-Investment Grade

Stones of this grade are very expensive and seldom used in traditional jewelry.

E-VVS-1

Investment

Excellent Color-Excessive

Stones of this grade are very expensive and seldom used in traditional jewelry.

E-VVS-2

Eccentric

Excellent Color-Great Clarity

The color is beautiful flaws are only detectable under close scrutiny with a microscope.

E-VS-1

Fine

Excellent Color-Excellent Clarity

Beautiful color and with minimal flaws detectable under 10X microscope.

E-VS-2

Choice

Excellent Color-Very Good Clarity

Beautiful color and the clarity is flawless to the naked eye.

E-SI-1

Very Nice

Excellent Color-Good Clarity

Beautiful color and flaws are probably not detectable in during normal wear.

E-SI-2

Acceptable

Excellent Color-Marginal Clarity

If you love color, and can live with slightly detectable flaws this can sometimes work.

E-I-1

Avoid

Excellent Color-Poor Clarity

Not logical to have eccentric color if flaws are easily detectable. Consider sacrificing some color for clarity.

E-I-2 & Below

No

Excellent Color-Poor Clarity

Not logical to have perfect color and obvious flaws

Clarity

F Color Diamonds

F-Flawless

Investment

Excellent Color-Excessive Clarity

Beautiful color and no flaws visible under 10X microscope.

F-VVS-1

Eccentric

Excellent Color-Excessive Clarity

Beautiful color and flaws are barely detectable under 10X microscope.

F-VVS-2

Eccentric

Excellent Color-Excessive Clarity

Beautiful color and flaws are barely detectable under 10X microscope.

F-VS-1

Fine

Excellent Color-Excellent Clarity

Beautiful color and with minimal flaws detectable under 10X microscope.

F-VS-2

Choice

Excellent Color-Very Good Clarity

Beautiful color and the stone will be flawless to the naked eye.

F-SI-1

Very Nice

Excellent Color-Good Clarity

Beautiful color and flaws are probably not detectable during normal wear.

F-SI-2

Acceptable

Excellent Color-Marginal Clarity

If you love color, favor size, and can live with slightly detectable flaws this can sometimes work.

F-I-1

Avoid

Excellent Color-Poor Clarity

Not logical to have excellent color if flaws are easily detectable. Consider sacrificing some color for clarity.

F-I-2 & Below

No

Excellent Color-Poor Clarity

Not logical to have amazing color and obvious flaws.

Clarity

G Color Diamonds

G-Flawless

Eccentric

Very Good Color-Excessive Clarity

Beautiful color-and no visible flaws under 10X microscope.

G-VVS-1

Eccentric

Very Good Color-Excessive Clarity

Beautiful color and flaws are barely detectable under 10X microscope.

G-VVS-2

Very Nice

Very Good Color-Excessive Clarity

Beautiful color and clarity, flaws are barely detectable under 10X microscope.

G-VS-1

Fine

Very Good Color-Excellent Clarity

Beautiful color and clarity with minimal flaws detectable under 10X microscope.

G-VS-2

Choice

Very Good Color-Very Good Clarity

Beautiful color and clarity. The stone will be flawless to the naked eye.

G-SI-1

Nice

Very Good Color-Good Clarity

The color is beautiful and flaws are probably not detectable during normal wear.

G-SI-2

Acceptable

Very Good Color-Marginal Clarity

If you want a pretty stone, and can live with slightly detectable flaws this can sometimes work.

G-I-1

Avoid

Very Good Color-Poor Clarity

Not logical to have very good color if flaws are easily detectable. Consider sacrificing some color for clarity.

G-I-2 & Below

No

Very Good Color-Poor Clarity

Not logical to have amazing color and obvious flaws.

Clarity

H Color Diamonds

H-Flawless

Unbalanced

Good Color-Excessive Clarity

Pleasing color with no visible flaws under 10x microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity for size or higher color.

H-VVS-1

Unbalanced

Good Color-Excessive Clarity

Pleasing color with minimal flaws under 10x microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity for size or higher color.

H-VVS-2

Unbalanced

Good Color-Excessive Clarity

Pleasing color with minimal flaws under 10x microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity for higher color.

H-VS-1

Very Good

Good Color-Excellent Clarity

Pleasing color with minimal flaws detectable under 10X microscope.

H-VS-2

Practical

Good Color-Very Good Clarity

Pleasing color and clarity. The stone will be flawless to the naked eye.

H-SI-1

Practical

Good Color-Good Clarity

Pleasing color and flaws are probably not detectable during normal wear.

H-SI-2

Acceptable

Good Color-Marginal Color

If you favor size, and can live with slightly detectable flaws this can sometimes work.

H-I-1

Avoid

Good Color-Poor Clarity

Inexpensive pleasing color with easily detectable flaws. Consider sacrificing size to improve clarity.

H-I-2 & Below

No

Good Color-Poor Clarity

Good Color-Poor Clarity: The diamond will have obvious flaws. Consider a smaller stone to improve clarity.

Clarity

I Color Diamonds

I-Flawless

Unbalanced

Good Color-Excessive Clarity

Good color no visible flaws under 10x microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity for size or higher color.

I-VVS-1

Clean

Good Color-Excessive Clarity

Good color with minimal flaws under 10x microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity for size or higher color.

I-VVS-2

Clean

Good Color-Excessive Clarity

Good color with minimal flaws under 10x microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity for size or higher color.

I-VS-1

Clean

Good Color-Excellent Clarity

Good color with minimal flaws under 10x microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity for higher color.

I-VS-2

Practical

Good Color-Very Good Clarity

Good color and clarity. The stone will be flawless to the naked eye.

I-SI-1

Practical

Good Color-Good Clarity

Good color and flaws are probably not detectable during normal wear.

I-SI-2

Acceptable

Good Color-Marginal Clarity

If you favor size, and can live with slightly detectable flaws this can sometimes work.

I-I-1

Avoid

Good Color-Poor Clarity

Inexpensive pleasing color with easily detectable flaws. Consider sacrificing size to improve clarity.

I-I-2 & Below

No

Good Color-Poor Clarity

The diamond will have obvious flaws. Consider a smaller stone to improve clarity.

Clarity

J Color Diamonds

J-Flawless

Unbalanced

Fair Color-Excessive Clarity

Slightly yellow with no flaws under 10X microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity to improve color.

J-VVS-1

Unbalanced

Fair Color-Excessive Clarity

Slightly yellow with minimal flaws under 10X microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity to improve color.

J-V VS-2

Unbalanced

Fair Color-Excessive Clarity

Slightly yellow with minimal flaws under 10X microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity to improve color.

J-VS-1

Fair

Fair Color-Excessive Clarity

Slightly yellow with minimal flaws under 10X microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity to improve color.

J-VS-2

Fair

Fair Color-Very Good Clarity

Slightly yellow with no visible flaws to the eye. Consider sacrificing size to improve color.

J-SI-1

Fair

Fair Color-Good Clarity

Slightly yellow with negligible flaws to the eye. Consider sacrificing size to improve color.

J-SI-2

Fair

Fair Color-Marginal Clarity

Slightly yellow with negligible flaws to the eye. Consider sacrificing size to improve color.

J-I-1

Avoid

Fair Color-Poor Clarity

Slightly yellow with visible flaws to the eye. Consider sacrificing size to improve clarity and color.

J-I-2 & Below

Avoid

Fair Color-Poor Clarity

Off color diamond with obvious flaws to the eye. Consider sacrificing size to improve clarity and color.

Clarity

K Color Diamonds & Below

K-Flawless

Unbalanced

Poor Color-Excessive Clarity

Off color diamond with no flaws under 10X microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity to improve color.

K-VVS-1

Unbalanced

Poor Color-Excessive Clarity

Off color diamond with minimal flaws under 10X microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity to improve color.

K-VVS-2

Unbalanced

Poor Color-Excessive Clarity

Off color diamond with minimal flaws under 10X microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity to improve color.

K-VS-1

Unbalanced

Poor Color-Excessive Clarity

Off color diamond with minimal flaws under 10X microscope. Consider sacrificing clarity to improve color.

K-VS-2

Avoid

Poor Color-Very Good Clarity

Off color diamond flawless to eye under 10X microscope. Consider sacrificing size to improve color.

K-SI-1

Avoid

Poor Color-Good Clarity

Off color diamond with negligible flaws to the eye. Consider sacrificing size to improve color.

K-SI-2

Avoid

Poor Color-Marginal Clarity

Off color diamond with negligible flaws to the eye. Consider sacrificing size to improve color.

K-I-1

NO

Poor Color-Poor Clarity

Off color diamond with visible flaws to the eye. Consider sacrificing size to improve clarity and color.

K-I-2 & Below

NO

Poor Color-Poor Clarity

Off color diamond with obvious flaws to the eye. Consider sacrificing size to improve clarity and color.

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