{"id":59294,"date":"2022-06-09T01:39:09","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T01:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ringspo.com\/uk\/?p=59294"},"modified":"2022-06-28T00:03:57","modified_gmt":"2022-06-28T00:03:57","slug":"vs2-diamonds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ringspo.com\/uk\/vs2-diamonds\/","title":{"rendered":"VS2 Diamonds"},"content":{"rendered":"
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VS2 Diamonds<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Everything you need to know about VS2 clarity diamonds<\/h3>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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VS2 diamonds are the clarity I recommend the most when helping people find the best engagement ring for their budget. And there\u2019s one good reason for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The incredible balance of value and beauty they offer. When you\u2019re buying your engagement ring, you want to get the most beautiful diamond for your budget, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What beauty means may differ slightly from person to person, but what is not<\/strong> beautiful when it comes to diamonds is pretty consistent.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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\"1<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Diamonds that have big, visible inclusions in them are universally acknowledged to not be beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you need is a diamond that is \u2018eye clean\u2019 ie. one that looks absolutely perfect when someone looks at it, and when doesn\u2019t show any visible flaws or inclusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where VS2 diamonds come in. They strike the best balance between clarity and price out of any clarity grade.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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VS2 Diamond Clarity on the Chart<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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It\u2019s likely that you\u2019re familiar with the diamond clarity scale<\/a>, but just in case you need a quick refresher, it looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"vs2<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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As you can see, VS2 is in the middle of the scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, you should discount \u2018included\u2019 diamonds from being considered for purchase as they all have obvious inclusions that significantly affect the beauty of the stone, even when viewed with the naked eye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, almost all SI2 graded diamonds and a large proportion of SI1 diamonds will have readily visible inclusions, which makes them less suitable for purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"vs2<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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This therefore puts VS2 diamonds towards the bottom of what would be deemed \u2018acceptable\u2019 when it comes to diamond clarity. So does this mean that they are low quality and should be avoided?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The important thing to read is the description that the GIA provides for VS-graded diamonds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inclusions are minor and range from difficult to somewhat easy for a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

So, even a skilled grader, ie. a diamond professional who knows what to look for, will need a microscope to see a flaws in a VS2 diamond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A layman would find it much more difficult to see any inclusions in a VS2 diamond and without a microscope it is extremely difficult indeed.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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What do VS2 diamonds look like?<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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VS2 diamonds are generally<\/em> free from visible flaws when viewed \u2018face up\u2019 ie. with the flat \u2018table\u2019 of the stone at the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the view that diamonds are when mounted in an engagement ring and really should be the only view if you are buying your diamond to wear in jewelry, rather than as an investment.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Face<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

But diamonds are naturally occurring substances, and as with anything in nature, there is some variation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, diamonds are graded by real people, and there may be some variation in the standards applied. But reputable grading laboratories like GIA and AGS try very hard to ensure that grading standards are consistent over time and across different labs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A typical VS2 clarity diamond<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A typical VS2 clarity diamond might look like the diamond below:<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"1<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

At first glance it looks pretty good, right? No obvious inclusions or flaws visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first step when assessing a VS2 diamond should be to check out the clarity plot on the diamond grading report, or certificate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most diamonds above 0.7 carat should have a diamond clarity plot on their grading report (also known as a certificate), which shows the types and size of the inclusions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Vs2<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Zooming in, the clarity plot for the above diamond looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"vs2<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It lists the most obvious inclusions first \u2013 in this case, a feather, which we can see marked up in red in the top right hand corner of the stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking again, now that we know where to look, it\u2019s easy to spot this inclusion in the diamond:<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Vs2<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

While the inclusion is readily visible on the magnified image now (and the big red circle helps, no doubt!), its location and the type of inclusion it is means that it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to see in real life when the diamond is not magnified 20x.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are VS2 diamonds eye clean?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

All diamonds that have been graded as VS2 clarity by a reputable, independent lab should<\/em> be eye clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are exceptions to this and I would advise against buying a VS2 diamond that has an inclusion directly under the table. There are a couple of ways that this could manifest itself, and each can cause a different issue:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crystals in VS2 diamonds<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Crystals are remnants of other minerals in a diamond and are often sizeable and dark. A diamond clarity plot with a crystal listed first, like the one below, means that it is the most prominent inclusion and its location under the table means that this diamond needs to be examined to determine whether the diamond is eye clean:<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"crystal<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Looking at the actual image of the diamond, below, you can see the crystal inclusion is easy to see near the middle of the table:<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"8<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

While this is an extremely magnified image, it\u2019s likely that this inclusion would <\/em>be visible when examined closely, so I would recommend avoiding this diamond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clouds in VS2 diamonds<\/h4>\n\n\n
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A cloud inclusion is a collection of tiny pinpoint inclusions in close proximity to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each individual pinpoint is difficult to see, but as a group they can be visible:<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"\/<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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When a large cloud is under a table, the clarity plot on the certificate looks something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"7<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Looking at an image of the actual stone, the cloud can be seen near the center of the table:<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"7<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Unlike the crystal inclusion in the example above, the cloud inclusion isn\u2019t an obvious dark spot. It\u2019s unlikely that this would be readily visible when examined normally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the issue with a cloud is that they can severely limit the amount of light that is transferred through a diamond, especially if they are located in the center of a diamond\u2019s table, like this stone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reducing the amount of light that is transferred through a diamond will mean that less light is available to be reflected back to your eye in the form of brilliant sparkle. For this reason, I would recommend avoiding VS2 clarity diamonds with cloud inclusions under the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flaws at the edge of the stone<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Some VS2 diamonds have flaws at the edge of the stone. These may be quite large and visible, even without a microscope or loupe:<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"9<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

However, these flaws don\u2019t necessarily mean that a diamond should be rejected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These types of flaws are known as \u2018prongable\u2019 as they can be hidden underneath the prong of the ring setting which holds the diamond in place.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"prongable<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Their location at the side of the stone means that they won\u2019t affect the brilliance of the diamond, so finding a prongable VS2, or even an SI1, can be a good way to get more value with your diamond, without affecting the amount that it sparkles.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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How much does a VS2 diamond cost?<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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As mentioned before, VS2 diamonds deliver the best blend of clarity and price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s where they sit on a price scale for a diamond with the following specs at one of my recommended retailers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n