Are Brian Gavin SI-2 clarity diamonds eye clean?
I’m trying to decide between two Brian Gavin Signature diamonds, one is this 1.015 carat, G color, SI-2 clarity diamond, and the other is this 1.010 carat, G color, SI-1 clarity diamond. The comment “this diamond is eye clean” appears beneath the video provided for each diamond on the product details page, but I want to be sure because it’s pretty easy to see the inclusions for both diamonds in the video and clarity photographs. Obviously I’d like to purchase the less expensive of the two options if they are both eye clean, but I need a little help selecting the right diamond. Is there a reason why you would choose one diamond over the other? Thanks in advance! – A. Cooper
Determining whether a diamond is “eye clean”
Let me begin by clarifying that not all SI-1 or SI-2 clarity diamonds are eye clean, and that the degree to which a diamond might be “eye clean” largely depends on the eye sight of the person evaluating the diamond, and also their experience grading diamonds for clarity…
The industry standard for determining whether a diamond is eye clean, is to evaluate the diamond without magnification from a distance of 9 – 12 inches from a top down perspective.
When we do this, we usually do so with a working knowledge of the inclusions located within the diamond, and do so from the perspective of experienced diamond graders… we look at the diamond carefully, in a consistent lighting environment, and determine whether we can see the inclusions within the diamond with just our eyes, or if we need to use 10x magnification to do so.
If we are able to locate the inclusions within the diamond with just our eyes, it’s obviously not “eye clean” but realize that we’re also not scrutinizing the diamond, facet-by-facet trying to burn our way into the diamond with just our eyes either… we’re looking at it normally, the way diamonds are intended to be viewed, but with the experience of knowing how to grade diamonds for clarity.
What is the difference between SI-1 and SI-2 clarity?
By definition, the term “SI” means that the diamond is semi-included and that the inclusions within the diamond will be readily and immediately visible when the diamond is evaluated by a trained observer using 10x magnification… the diamond may or may not be eye clean.
Other considerations include the inclusion type, size, location, and prominence within the diamond; thus an SI-2 clarity diamond will contain inclusions which are larger in size, more plentiful, and/or more prominent than an SI-1 clarity diamond… so the odds are that you will be able to find the inclusions within an SI-2 clarity diamond easier than you will within an SI-1 clarity diamond, however this is not always the case.
So much of the visibility of diamond inclusions has to do with their specific location within the diamond; the facets of a diamond are intended to help mask inclusions by directing light up towards the viewer and creating sparkle which has a tendency to distract our eyes from the inclusions.
Sometimes finding the inclusion within a diamond is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, while it’s possible that you could simply sit down in the hay and land straight on the sharp tip of the needle, it’s also possible that you could spend a considerable amount of time sifting through the hay trying to find it, and maybe you would and maybe you wouldn’t…
In this particular instance, both of the SI clarity diamonds which you are considering appear to be eye clean when Brian looked them over, thus I’m confident that you will also find the diamonds to be “eye clean” when you look at either of them, providing you do so with the understanding of how diamonds are graded for clarity and what the term “eye clean” is intended to represent.
Both diamonds are from the Brian Gavin Signature collection and are cut to a level of precision which is incredibly difficult to achieve and have been graded by the AGSL with an overall cut grade of AGS Ideal-0 and exhibit an exceptional level of brightness and sparkle, I don’t see a reason to select one diamond over the other and therefore see no reason why you shouldn’t select the lower priced, SI-2 clarity diamond since it seems like the best option for your personal preferences and price range.
