Diamond flaw

The presence or absence of flaws or inclusions in a diamond is usually decided by examining the stone carefully with a lens having the standard magnifications of 10x.

The term for a scarcely perceptible inclusion is "VVS" for "very very slight (or small)" – which is sometimes offered as flawless.

Such inclusions are usually formed during fluid assisted partial healing of fractures already present in stones.

While this could indicate that diamonds have been HTHP treated, giving the required temperatures for fingerprint inclusions, such is not always the case.

The earth may also cause geologically high temperatures, leading to the formation of fingerprint inclusions.

While these are considered as blemishes, the presence of naturals is a sign of good cutting practice, where the cutter has managed to retain as much of the original weight as possible.

Here the cutter usually leaves the indented natural either at the girdle or pavilion of the stone, in order to keep it less noticeable.

Nevertheless, while a diamond is being formed, it may not totally crystallize, leading to the presence of small dots of black carbon.

These surface flaws resemble a small black dot and may affect the clarity of the stone depending on the size of the imperfection.

The occurrence of this kind of flaw is less common in diamonds compared to pinpoint inclusions.

Within the trade, these are called "carbon spots" and may be cleavage cracks which have developed through uneven heating or a blow.

Every natural diamond crystal contains impurities and typical intrinsic or "self-defects": vacancies, dislocations, and interstitial atoms.

Nitrogen as a diamond impurity was first identified in 1959 by Kaiser and Bond of Bell Telephone.

As the name implies, these inclusions are minute crystals usually white in color present inside the diamond.

These resemble a small point of light and are, by far, the most common of all flaws found in diamonds.

The presence of three or more pinpoint inclusions close together can create an area of haze, or a cloud, in the diamond.

While the occurrence of a small cloud is not visible to the naked eye, presence of many pinpoints covering a large area can affect the clarity of the diamond.

These are usually indicated on grading reports in the form of tiny red dots close together or as circles and other formations.

The graining line on the Macle is a natural cleaving plane where the diamond can easily be split in half.

Although graining seems like a severe flaw it is not visible with the naked eye and does not impact the overall brilliance or quality of a diamond.

Thus, various inclusions such as pinpoints, needles or feathers may form together, creating a white strip inside the diamond.

It usually shows no feathers and has a great chance of causing the stone to split, especially if placed in the high pressure grip of prongs in rings.

In fact, these flaws often lend a diamond its distinctive beauty and make a stone look unique.