SI2 Question

[katrina_33]

Have any of you ever looked at an SI2 stone at normal viewing distance and seen inclusions right away? (Not having looked under a loupe first, not tilting a stone or staring into it closeup trying to find them, not knowing where they are from a plot, etc)

 

[dastewar]

In a word, yes. In fact, many of the SI1''s I''ve seen have obvious inclusions that your friends would notice when they say "show me your ring." My understanding is that this is especially true for larger stones (1.5 c +) since they tend to be graded more leniently.

 

[smappraisal]

Hi, Most of my experience has been with GIA graded diamonds.
It has been my personal experience as a former retail jeweler that the majority of GIA graded diamonds that show "eye visible" inclusions without the benefit of a 10x loupe are graded as I1''s and not SI2s. However, there are many factors that come into play. It is my opinion that the location of the inclusion along with its size, type and relief are paramount in determining the SI2/I1 grading. It should be noted that in the trade an SI3 split grade is transacted but does not exist on the GIA clarity scale.
For example, a "dark included crystal" (type) that is located under the table and in the center of the stone (location), that sticks out like a sore thumb in relation to the rest of the stone (relief), most likely will draw an I1 clarity grade on most of the GIA lab reports I''ve seen. If you take that same stone, and move that inclusion to the outer edge (girdle location) there is a decent chance from my experience that a GIA lab report will read as an SI2 clarity grade. The location of the inclusion is very important. The type of inclusion is very important. A prominent, yet unobtrusive light, white feather in the center of the stone may very well elicit a more lenient clarity grade, especially if the grader had to rotate the stone to get the full dimension of that inclusion.
I hope that some of this information will give you a better buying opportunity in the future.