Can the difference between S1 and VS1 be this subtle (images attached)?

[Speedbump]

Here is the AGS cert image of a VS1 stone I''m looking at.

 

[Speedbump]

Now compare it this S1 stone that I''m looking at. This is an AGS cert, too. How is this possible for such a grade difference between the two?

 

[Whitefoot]

second one looks like one on whiteflash i was looking at but is a si2. Just ask them if its eye clean. If so try it, you should be happy!

 

[belle]

the plot tells only the type and location of inclusions. there is no way to tell from the plot the severity of the inclusions. that said, there are eye-clean si stones. there are also si stones that are not eye clean but again, you can''t tell that from a plot.

 

[Mara]

belle is right, the inclusions are only plotted on the cert but it does not show the severity of them. aka the SI could be black carbon inclusions that are easily eye visible whereas the VS may have all white clouds which are masked by sparkle. there are eye-clean SI stones, surely...and grading is done by humans, so if one person is having a bad day they may give a stricter grade to a diamond, aka an SI1 vs a VS2. also one person''s eyes are not the same as the other. it''s very hard to tell from just a plot...do you have pictures of the stones themselves? what do the vendors say?

 

[valeria101]

It may be that you expected a larger difference based on prices... but there are eye clean SI1 and the grade is not ''bad''.

Also, second Mara''s post. Looking at those plots does not give the most acurate picture. Looking at diamonds should be the best way (all more so given that the inclusions in Si1s are not standard issue

). Another would be detailed pictures of diamonds - these are pretty spectacular, but also very much magnified - things are not nearly as bad on a 6mm object as on a saucer-size picture. If you see many of these, youmight even start to like inclusions!

Take a look here

Hope the 0.2 helps ...

 

[WinkHPD]

There are more and larger inclusions in the second stone, and the inclusions may be white crystals or dark. Dark would have more of an effect on the appearance than white. (White here is meant to state colorless and transparent.)

You should ask to see photos of both stones and speak with the vendor of the second stone to confirm is it is eye clean when seen from the top of the stone.

Wink

 

[Rhino]

Good advice being offered here and demonstrates why many in the trade don''t like plots. If possible try and get darkfield pictures under a gemological scope to really show you the differences between these 2 stones. This will reveal the real differences between this SI1 and VS1.