SI1 INCLUSION : Professional Opinion Needed

[visiblesi1]

I have a stone graded as SI1 by gemscan and laser engraved.

It is a certified Canadian Diamond.

My issue is I can see the flaw with my naked eye from the side of the diamond and from the bottom.

Is it possible to see a flaw in an SI1 with the naked eye?

The flaw/inclusion is black and was seen best when the Diamond was placed on a white piece of paper.

 

[JulieN]

clarity grading is done with 10x and face up.

it is acceptable to see things from side and bottom.

even a VS2 can have "naked eye" visible inclusions.

oh, wait...I'm not a professional.

 

[oldminer]

SI inclusions often can be seen from the side or pavilion. Most of the time theyu are not visible from the top of a round diamond, but may be more visible in some of the other shapes face up. There is no rule about eye visibility and the exact clarity grade dependent on it. It is size of the diamond, size and visibility of the inclusion, placement of the inclusion, etc. A very subjective business.

 

[visiblesi1]

Thank you for your comments, I was not aware of this.

The diamond has only 1 inclusion, it is dark (black) and cannot be seen from the top.

I have been reading forums and was under the impression that an Si1 had zero visible inclusions to the naked eye. I am not expert on the matter but have done my fair share of looking.

I plan to pick up the stone tommorow and have been given the option to purchase it and return it at any time. Here are the specs:

Cut: Very Good
Carat: 1.36
Color: F
Clarity: SI 1
Depth %: 60.1
Table %: 58
Crown ANgle: 32.2
Pavillion Percentage: 44%
Girdle: 2.0%

I think I am having buyers remorse. The price was good but I am afraid that the inclusion is noticable from the side as it can be seen with the naked eye. Worst case scenario I can take it back and get a full refund (less the setting), but above all I would like to know if this is a rare case or is usually the case in SI1 stones.

 

[mrssalvo]

SI''s have inclusions that''s why they are SI''s. there are eye clean SI''s out there from both the top and side views but you have to verify this with a trusted vendor if buying sight unseen. Some inclusions are white and can''t be seen as easily as a black one. It''s not rare for an SI stone to have a visable inclusion..IF it bothers you take advantage of your refund policy and get something else.

 

[hlmr]

I''m not a pro either, but as a Canadian, I find Gemscan grades soft. I would go for a VS1 or VS2 with ideal cut and G or better colour!

Good luck!

 

[niceice]

Date: 7/26/2006 11:40:02 PM
Author: visiblesi1
I have been reading forums and was under the impression that an Si1 had zero visible inclusions to the naked eye.

SI-1 clarity diamonds were almost always "eye clean" ten years or so ago, but these days it seems that we can locate the inclusions within SI-1 clarity diamonds a lot easier than we used to be able to and I''m guessing that it''s not because our vision is getting better as we get older unless staring at a computer screen all day answering email is actually good for our eyes

No, it seems to me that the laboratories have gotten more generous in granting the SI-1 clarity grade, no doubt industry pressure for the labs to give better grades is the cause... "Well if I''d sent this diamond to ''the other'' laboratory I would have gotten SI-1 or VS-2 on it" etc. The few "eye clean" SI-1 clarity diamonds that we do see tend to have extensive feathers located along the perimeter of the diamond, so there is a trade off of sorts.

It is possible to locate inclusions through the side view of a lot of diamonds all the way up to VVS if you have sharp eyes and have an idea of what to look for, as stated previously in the thread, diamonds are cut to be viewed from a top down perspective and are graded as such.

Now this is NOT to say that visible inclusions are a bad thing, the 2.25 carat that I wear has an inclusion that is visible to me through the table facet without magnification - most people miss the inclusion because it happens to be located in alignment with one of the pavilion main facet edges (even some jewelers miss it) but I consider inclusions to merely be part of the characteristics / personality of a diamond and the diamond was a ''gift'' so who am I to complain? If the visibility of the inclusion bothers you, then you might consider trying to find a similar diamond with a clarity grade of VS-2, but if it doesn''t then I wouldn''t worry about it... Give it a nickname and know that you''ll be able to identify your diamond easily when dropping it off and picking it up from a jewelry store when having it cleaned or when having bi-annual inspections and repairs on the ring...

 

[Lynn B]

Interesting thread, and thanks, Todd, for the information. I never heard that before about SI grading seeming to get a little softer through the years.

I always tell people considering SI stones about my 2.36ct AGS-0 stone, SI2 clarity that is absolutely eye-clean (even under close scrutiny) from all angles. I know that not all SI stones are like that - but they are out there and well worth the search!