Is a VS2 or greater always eye clean?

[mre]

Hi everyone, after doing a lot of reading, I have a question that I couldn''t answer using the search. As far as clarity goes, I get the impression that the best value in clarity is in the SI range, if you can find an eye clean stone. My apprehension comes from the fact that I''m a bit concerned that I''ll buy something that isn''t eye clean and be disappointed as a result. So I''m considering only looking at VS2 or clearer when when doing my online comparisons, which brings me to my question. Is it safe to say that a VS2 clarity or greater will always be eye clean?

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome

Yes, generally a VS clarity should be eyeclean face up and usually from the side especially in rounds. Some fancy cuts can show inclusions more readily. To some eagle eyed owners, they can spot an inclusion in a VS but this isn't often the case and a VS is considered a safe choice for " eyecleanliness."

Many fantastic clean diamonds exist in the SI ranges, as you can see on the forums, but all SI diamonds are not created equal and some may be totally clean face up and others not and the bigger you go the more chance of seeing something. If you are very concerned regarding getting a completely clean diamond a VS might be a better fit for you.

Finally, remember that clarity grading is done face up and the pavillion views not taken into account, also the lab doing the grading, GIA and AGS etc usually being the industry standard. Also ask your vendor as to the type, colour, visibility.location and size of inclusions, probably won't be much of an issue in a VS and online vendors are a good bunch and honest, but just to be on the safe side.

Hope this helps.

 

[klavigne]

eyecleanliness


lol, thats a good one. I love it when people make up new words, it''s so fun!! This is one of the best yet, I think it should be part of the nomenclature for the industry!!

 

[Lorelei]

I will take that as complimentious then!

 

[mre]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I''m very tempted to buy online because of the value compared to a regular store, but apprehensive because I might get something that I''m not expecting. Could I end up with a bad diamond if I were to buy an ACA from Whiteflash or a Superbcert, or are these fairly safe bets?

 

[solange]

If you are buying from one of the highly regarded Pricescope vendors, you can safely go to an SI 1 or 2. If they do not have the stone in their inventory, they will ask the dealer before they send for it if it is eye clean.

I bought a perfectly eye clean SI 2 stone from Whiteflash. It was very difficult to find an eye clean SI stone in the size I wanted and Lesley rejected several stones over the phone because the dealer told her there were visible inclusions. If you buy an ACA from Whiteflash, they have the stone in their inventory and you can ask Brian the cutter to discuss every aspect of the stone with you. He is very patient and helpful. There is also the Expert selection from Whiteflash, selected for their inventory because they represent excellent value for the money.

When she finally found one that she was told was eye clean, she sent for it and told me that if it did not meet their standards as to being eye clean and excellent cut, they would send iit back.
Most dealers will be honest with the vendors because there is no point in taking stones out of circulation and sending them out only to have them returned. I bought the first stone they sent me and it was just as Brian described it. Although I can easily see the inclusions with a 10 power loupe, I cannot spot a single inclusion without the loupe, even though i know where they are.

I am sure that you would get this same service if you buy from any of the highly regarded vendors such as GOG, Mark T, James Allen, Wink or several others on Pricescope.

You get a lot for your money with an SI. Many on Pricescope have as you can see in Show Me the Ring. But if you are more comfortable with a VS, then you should go for that. Good luck.

 

[FireGoddess]

Generally, yes, VS2 or above are eye clean. However, when buying step cuts which can show inclusions more readily, such as asschers, emerald cuts, or baguettes, sometimes they''re not.

 

[Lorelei]

Those should be a good choice, as Solange says the eyeclean SI's are out there, but WF had to reject several before her stunning diamond was found. As said before vendors are honest and will tell you if an SI diamond isn't eyeclean, many here have them as I said earlier, but not all are and often " eyecleanliness'" is in the eye of the beholder. Human sight can vary tremendously, as one vendor says, he has a client that can spot VS inclusions across the desk

and will only buy VVS clarities. What is eyeclean to one may not be to another also the term eyeclean is generally defined by this in the trade: no visible inclusions in normal light at a distance of 10 - 12 inches. Some people when eyeballing a diamond up closely may be able to see something, especially when they know where to look!

You have to decide IMO if you found an eyeclean SI diamond, would it be " mind clean " to you or would you always be trying to see something and would this bug you.

Or would you be happier going for a VS for your own comfort? Nothing wrong at all with being clarity sensitive and going for a VS, it is a personal choice.

Here is a thread which might be helpful to you regarding clarity and the definitions of eyeclean.

Click here for the thread.

 

[mre]

I guess I should have mentioned that I''m looking for a round diamond - sorry for not providing all of the information. I think I could be happy with an eye-clean SI because I''ve seen one at local jeweller and it looked very good to me. In fact I would buy it without hesitation if it weren''t for the price. I guess it comes down to choosing a reputable vendor that I can trust to be my eyes - something that''s hard to do for a purchase like this.

 

[firebirdgold]

For me it helps if the vendor has the plot of the diamond online to look at. That''s the little diagram of a diamond with red marks drawn on it from the certificate. Two diamonds can get the same clarity grading even though one of them has it''s inclusions in the center of the diamond (easier for me to see), and another has them off to the edge where they are less noticeable to me.

 

[Lorelei]

mre, many of us have been there, it can take a leap of faith to buy online, but it can be so worth it. The vendors are a great bunch and are very honest regarding each diamond, they have to be as they don't want diamonds whizzing back and forth all over the place, they want to please the customer, dishonesty benefits no one.

You can be sure that any of the PS vendors will take excellent care of you and help you every step of the way if you decide to go the online route. Plus they all encourage you to get an independant appraisal and stand by their porducts and also most have a great return policy. The vendors will be your eyes, make sure their is good communication between you so they know exactly what you want and your comfort levels. A vendor can always email you a copy of the cert and any other paperwork to help you choose.

 

[klavigne]

A friend of mine has a SI where the inclusion was in such a spot that the setter hide it under one of the prongs. He later had it appraised and they told him it was a VS2. Bottom line is there are a lot of factors to consider but for the most part a SI diamond that is eye clean is a great bargin if you can live with the knowledge that it has a few unnoticeable flaws.

 

[Mara]

there is no guarantee that a VS will be eye-clean from all angles, diamonds are typically graded top down and sometimes you can see a thing or two from the sides depending on how hawk-eye you are. also depends on the lab which grades them.

i have owned a VS, SI1 and now an SI2 and all of them have been eye-clean. part of it is working with a good vendor who knows what you are looking for and can help you find it ... aka if they have in-house inventory then they can look at the stone physically and report back what they see (if you buy online). also the better labs like AGS and GIA are usually stricter with grading, so something like an SI1 or SI2 that is eye-clean is not SO hard to find as when you are working with possibly a less accurate grading lab like EGL or IGI etc.

i highly recommend looking into SIs because they can save you a bundle if you can find one that is eye-clean. i feel like you shouldn''t have to pay for what you can''t see!! working with a great vendor is key. good luck!

 

[Mara]

Also there are TONS of threads like this in the search re: VS vs SI etc.

I just typed in ''eye clean VS2'' and it brought up hundreds that are somewhat relevant, you have to cull through them a bit to look, but I found these 4 threads in less than 5 minutes which are all relevant to the question you asked:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/vs2-si-1-worth-paying-more.21847/
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gia-vs2-not-eye-clean.29746/
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/buy-an-si-and-had-to-return-it.9596/
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/vs2-black-spots.23980/

If you want more just retype in what I did and keep reading. There were about 20 pages of threads, not all are relevant but you can typically tell by a subject line how close it is to what you are asking.

So keep reading up to figure out YOUR comfort level. Some people don''t like SI''s, some people won''t take the chance, others have and have had been pleased, others have purchased VS2 and found it not eye-clean etc. Good luck.

 

[mre]

Thanks again for all the feedback. I''m almost to the point of knowing exactly what I want so I''ll contact a vendor very soon. I''m sure I''ll have more questions, so I appreciate the help.

 

[mre]

Hi Mara, I guess I typed in the wrong search terms. I have no problem with doing the research, so I appreciate you digging up those threads.

 

[lmurden]

From the top but not always from the sides. Please inspect the stone thoroughly to make sure it meets your standards.