What is worse in a diamond?

[Runnerhams]

When viewing a diamond certificate (on the internet), and looking the clairity presentation, which is worse? A Crystal, a Feather, A Cloud, or a Needle? Can someone help me understand how each one may(?) appear when looking at the diamond?




Just trying to get educated /idealbb/images/smilies/read.gif'');" height=24 alt="Insert smilie

" src="http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/images/smilies/read.gif" width="19 border=0"> as my boyfriend told me that one jeweler kept showing him diamonds that he could see "black specs" throughout the diamond when looking at it with the naked eye, (he didn''t buy any of them), but what would this be referred to in a diamond certificate?




Thanks for any insight! /idealbb/images/smilies/wink2.gif'');" height=15 alt="Insert smilie

" src="http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/images/smilies/wink2.gif" width="15 border=0">

 

[valeria101]

Crystals can be black, so can needles (all are included crystals of different shapes and sizes). Clouds and graining can be colored and there can be obviously colored growth marks and twinning if you get lucky. Large black inclusiosn appear as a somewhat larger splotch of the inclusion diagram, otherwise, there is no special sign for what color an inclusion is. Also, the inclusion plot is not too helpful indicating which inclusion show - the position of inclusions is a hint, but I would not bet on it.

Unless you are definitely set to buy VS1 or higher, it really is necesary to see that stone in person before the sale becomes final (this includes return policies, of course).

Short of holding the stone, some sellers provide magnified pictures of the diamonds to show inclusions and... you can always post the inclusion plot from the cert here. There s always some interpretation left.

You may want to look on THIS recent thread.
A few websites present detailed pictures of inclusions. Not that all needles and feathers are alike, but you can get an idea what those are. All diamonds at Niceice, Superbcer, Good Old Gold (and otehrs I don't know) come with 30X pictures showing inclusions in anythig from VVS1 to I2 diamonds. The short clarity tutorial at adiamondisforever.com shows some typical inclusions with progressive magnification.

These addresses should contain a few dozen examples of inclusions of just about every type. Verry interesting and good learning, but... you still need to see that diamond

Just my 0.2, of course.

 

[DiamondExpert]

What your boyfriend was looking at were probably SI1/2, I1/2 clarity stones where the incusions were eye visible.

If you stick to eye clean stones (usually many SI1's and VS1/2, VVS1/2, IF clarities), then it shouldn't make any difference what the inclusions are described as because they won't be visible to you without magnification.