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Which inclusions bother you the most?

MamaBee

MamaBee

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 31, 2018
Messages
14,585
I will be upgrading my ACA in January if I can get the size and specs I want. The last three years I noticed that VS1 graded diamonds can have messy plots with crystals under the table. Pre-PS I struggled to find vs1 diamonds for studs I wanted to purchase. I finally gave up and purchased vvs2s. The inclusions that really bother me the most are dark inclusions, clouds, and pretty much anything under the table. I’m really curious to see how you all feel about what inclusions deal breakers. TIA!
 
I don't mind feathers if they are fairly straight and at an angle that doesn't cause much disruption. I guess dark carbon inclusions can be a deal breaker, depending on where it is.

I'm an owner of a I1 oval that has a small garnet growing inside among a few darkish inclusions, but it's surprisingly eye clean viewing from the top, so I'm quite tolerant of inclusions.
 
In general, the more noticeable they are, the more they bother me, especially dark inclusions.

I don't mind going way down in color for a lower price but haven't been able to go lower than SI1 in clarity, and even then I'd pass on many of the SI1 diamonds.
 
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as a shopper, visually, most si1's bother me. vs2 are case by case or stone by stone basis. vs1 is, usually, safe.

because i favour larger faceted stones, i am particular with inclusions.

as a whole, dark carbon specks bother me. especially, bothersome right under the table. dark carbon specks are a no go, for me
 
I’m always so critical when calling a diamond eye clean etc. but the ones that bother me the most are the inclusions that seem totally innocent from a picture but then reflect throughout. Also inclusions that are invisible until you expose it to different lightings, those really piss me off.
 
I do not go lower than VS2 and it must be a high one. I also do not like feathers unless they are in a VVS category. Just knowing there is a crack somewhere in my stone would bother me. I do not like anything on the table so I was lucky to find my stone that is VS2 to be clean on the table. I do not mind crystals if they are not visible and on sides. The most favorable inclusions of all for me are pinpoints and needles.
 
Black spots on the table and internal graining.
 
Chips
knots
cavity
anything in the corners of princess cuts
grades set by clouds and worse grade based on clouds not shown unless extremely vetted.
Same with indented naturals they need a look.
 
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I prefer White crystals, crystals, pinpoint or needle on the table are no problem for me as long as are difficult to see on the plot either is a diffused cloud, but i don’t like them as grade setting with the dreaded “additional clouds/clouds not shown”. I ruled out a lot of diamonds based on the comment alone even though it was explained to me it was just listed for completeness and that only “clarity based on clouds” is of concern. No dark inclusions from the side. I do not like to see many feathers and my latest upgrade does not have any. I like a VS1 for my ring and went with this clarity.
 
Thank you for the responses! I forgot cavities, bruises and chips! I don’t think those inclusions would ever be on an ACA so it didn’t even come to mind...If it’s a vs1 I probably would be okay with a feather if everything else is great. I would love to know if clarity grading is getting softer..or is it just my imagination...I am hoping to get some help when I upgrade in January. I’m inclusion and color weary already..haha
 
Anything that is a dark inclusion.

I actually have a stone with an indented natural and the way it's set I can see it. It kind of bothers me a decent bit, and in the future, I would probably have it set a different way so I didn't have to see it.
 
You all must have some good eyes as my 54 year old eyes can’t critically focus closer than 10” to my eyes anymore. With a loop yes I can find inclusions, but it must be pretty bad to see them in a set diamond in VS-SI grades without magnification.
 
VS1 is almost always safe. I prefer VS1 for that reason. Don't let the inclusion plots scare you. VS1 inclusions should be difficult to see with a 10x loupe, so they shouldn't be an issue. I do use VS2 in studs, though. I avoid feathers as the primary inclusion because they are cracks!
 
My 50+ yo eyes don't focus very well up close but I can spot a dark inclusion a mile away.

I used to have what my then jeweler thought was a great diamond, F color, H&A that had clouds making it a VS2 and additional clouds not shown on the cert. I bought it pre-PS and the jeweler talked me into it due to the color and my ex encouraged me to buy it because he was tired of looking (I suspect). I tried really hard to like that diamond and even bought a steamer hoping to make it sparklier. That's how I found PS and why clouds are my least favorite inclusion.
 
Titan7 said:
You all must have some good eyes as my 54 year old eyes can’t critically focus closer than 10” to my eyes anymore. With a loop yes I can find inclusions, but it must be pretty bad to see them in a set diamond in VS-SI grades without magnification.
Click to expand...

@Titan7 The dark inclusions even bother with when I see them with a loupe. I can’t see anything with the naked eye. I just know that if a dark pebble is there it will bother me.
 
I have pretty bad old lady eyesight so I have a differing opinion than most. If I can't see it and it's not a structural problem then I really don't care. I can't see most inclusions. However, if an inclusion makes my stone less crisp (which I easily see), then I can't stand it. Although each stone is different, I am leery of surface graining and twinning wisps.
 
Anything I can see with my naked eye. Even close up. I don’t want to see any inclusions.

And anything that affects the integrity of the stone.

Those are my Inclusion deal breakers.
 
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