Clouds in SI1 affecting sparkle and cloudiness

[Safflower]

I came across this interesting article on the Whiteflash website, and I did not know that SI1 clouds could negatively affect sparkle, and VS2 would be less likely to encounter this problem.

http://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/diamond-education/diamond-cloud-inclusions-impact-on-diamond-sparkle-1372.htm

The last thing I want is a dull, cloudy diamond, but how can one tell accurately from the Whiteflash pictures and idealscope if the diamond is fiery and bright, and crystal clear?

I have tried to educate myself on depth and pavillion angles, and width (6.45mm for 1c stone) but it is overwhelming and I almost feel like I need to get a gemologist's degree to buy what I am looking for!

Here are a couple I found:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3034166.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3034167.htm
However, #2 does not say that it is eye-clean.

Any help is appreciated, and thank you!

 

[treasurehunter]

Clouds are a big concern in SI2 or lower grade , in SI1 I wouldn't get the cloud in the table .

 

[treasurehunter]

The first stone has a very small cloud nothing to worry about on the cert it looks to be VS2 or better cloud with the grade setting inlusions being the crystals which appear , the second stone looks like a worse SI1 .

 

[Karl_K]

There is no way to tell if a cloud will make the diamond cloudy going by the report or even a picture.
Ask your vendor to have an expert evaluate the stone and use a vendor that has a proven track record of being truthful and not just telling you what you want to hear.

 

[Karl_K]

Clouds are a big concern in SI2 or lower grade , in SI1 I wouldn't get the cloud in the table .

Not always, there have been cases where a si1 had worse problems with the clouds than an si2 and clouds in the table are not automatically bad in an si1 or si2.

 

[Andelain]

Whiteflash won't call a stone an ACA if the clouds or any inclusions detract from the stone at all.

http://www.whiteflash.com/a-cut-above-diamonds-specifications-and-qualifications/

 

[Safflower]

Thanks treasurehunter, I agree that the first one is better. I will probably stick to SI1s and VS clarity.

That's True Karl K, but whiteflash seems like a trusted company and they do have a generous 30 day return policy on diamonds. Then again, I haven't seen a lot of high quality diamonds up close, so it's hard for me to have much to go off of. Thanks for you post!

Thank you, Andelain, for the link. That is a good point. Even on this ACA stone though, I found this in the comments section: (see picture) I guess my best bet is to just order it and return if necessary (but who wants to do that) or make the drive down there myself!

 

[JulieN]

It is possible to have an SI1 cloud affect sparkle, but I tend to think they are misgraded SI2s.

The other thing is that in real life, diamonds get dirty very fast and easily. Unless your stone is pristinely clean all the time, the cloudiness of an SI2 is usually quite subtle, and hard to distinguish from a stone that is just going about a normal day.

 

[Gypsy]

That's what the gemologist and appraiser are for.

Sometimes they do affect it, sometimes they don't

Same with twinning wisps.

 

[spicyitalian]

I think the ACA had already been checked for such detrimental causes. The expert selection probably needs a review to check for sure.

 

[Karl_K]

That's True Karl K, but whiteflash seems like a trusted company and they do have a generous 30 day return policy on diamonds. Then again, I haven't seen a lot of high quality diamonds up close, so it's hard for me to have much to go off of. Thanks for you post!

I am sorry I did not mean to imply WF was not trustworthy.
Do to PS trade member rules I have to reply in general and not vendor specific so in getting my answer within the rules it was not clear that I thought WF was such a company that could be trusted.

 

[Todd Gray]

It would have to be a pretty substantial cloud, in which case the odds are that a vendor like White Flash would not select the diamond for their inventory... a cloud is simply a cluster of pinpoint size diamond crystals which are located in close proximity, small clouds are not cause for concern. Keep in mind that the majority of vendors who hand select diamonds for their inventory take the inclusions into account as part of their selection process, the reality is that they don't want to buy any diamond which they might get stuck with if it is purchased and then returned.

e.g. I bought this diamond [described by carat weight, color, clarity, and lab report number] from "Vendor X" and returned it because the cloud was impeding the light return, etc., at that point the diamond is virtually dead as far as their inventory is concerned...

So while the concept of a large cloud might be reason for concern, I don't feel that is necessary to avoid any diamonds which contain clouds as inclusions, in smaller sizes they are actually one of my favorite types of inclusions because they are simply diamond within the diamond, and as such I find them much more desirable than things like extensive feathers, stacks of smaller feathers, knots, cavities, and twinning wisps, which are also quite common in SI clarity goods... each of which might be perfectly fine, but which require the same amount of consideration on a stone-by-stone basis.