Clouds in a diamond

[Toagee]

I recently viewed a diamond that was rated a VS1 from GIA and on the cert it stated that there was a cloud that was not shown.

When viewing from the table the cloud is not visible at all.
When viwed from the sides of the stone, you can see a tiny white spec.

My question is how does a cloud effect the diamond? I thought that if you can view specs inside the diamond with the naked eye that it would be a lesser grading than VS1, like slightly included. Are clouds not factored in when stating clarity?

Thanks

 

[nineta]

I have a G VS2 stone (GIA cert) and, maybe I have superb eyesight, but i can clearly see the feather inside witout any magnifying glass. It doesn't bother me because the inclusion is tiny and the stone has beautiful fire. I would't take the grading guidelines strictly by the word.

What they mean is that 'if you have a trained eye and just look and don't see inclusions, it shd be SI'. If you look carefully, you'll see them.

Clouds will affect the sparkle, but in a VS1, probably not too much. At the end of the day it is about you liking the feel and the beauty of the stone!

 

[BEDAZZLED]

I have a round F/VS2 with a cloud down by the culet.

It does not effect the sparkle at all. You can only notice it if you look at the point of the stone...and no one else would be examining it that closely anyway.

 

[Derek]

What is a cloud anyway? I understand feather (crack(s)), pinpoint (dot), needle (line). What the heck is a cloud though? I've been looking at a lot of stones as of late but have yet to run across a 'good' cloud example.
Thanks!
-D

 

[StevL]

A lot of pinpoints grouped together. If they didn't plot them then it was not a deciding factor to the grade of the stone. Just noted as a side note.