Does the clarity of a diamond affect the brilliance?
“I realize that the majority of people probably prefer diamonds that are 100% eye clean, but I actually like the idea of being able to see an inclusion or two within the diamond in my engagement ring (which I’m helping to select) because I view the inclusions as part of the beauty of a natural diamond crystal. The only concern that I have is whether the clarity of a diamond affects the brilliance and light performance. I don’t necessarily need my SI-2 or SI-1 clarity diamond to be eye clean, but I do want to know that the clarity of the diamond is not affecting the brilliance in a negative manner.”
Diamond clarity affects clarity only in extreme cases:
Generally speaking, the majority of inclusions that you’re likely to find indicated on the plotting diagram featured on the diamond grading report of a Brian Gavin Signature diamond, will not have any effect upon the brilliance or light return of the diamond.
For one thing, Brian Gavin personally inspects every diamond produced under his direction for the BGD Signature diamond collection, and thus if an inclusion were having a negative impact, or a diamond is not exhibiting the light performance that Brian Gavin expects from his production, the diamond would be eliminated from inventory and sold off to the retail trade.
This is a photograph of Brian Gavin using an ASET Scope to evaluate the light performance of a Brian Gavin Signature diamond. The ASET Scope was designed by the American Gem Society Laboratory (AGSL) to demonstrate where in the room a diamond is gathering light from, and how evenly the light is being distributed throughout the diamond.
Evaluating diamonds for Light Performance:
The ASET Scope pictured above is only one of the tools that Brian Gavin relies upon to help him evaluate diamonds for light performance, other gemological instruments include an Ideal Scope, a Hearts and Arrows Scope, a master set of diamonds for color grading, a 10x diamond grading loupe, a high quality gem scope that makes it possible to see the inclusions within the diamond, computerized proportions analysis, and a state-of-the-art imaging system that any gemological laboratory or gemologist might just kill for…
However the most important evaluation tool in Brian’s gemological arsenal is the years of experience that come with being a fifth generation diamond cutter. The fact of the matter is that Brian knows exactly what to look for in a diamond, and he’s not going to put his signature on any diamond that does not exhibit the highest volume of light return and sparkle factor!
Rest assured that whichever Brian Gavin Signature diamond you decide to purchase, it is going to exhibit the highest volume of light return, and the inclusions are not going to have a negative affect upon the brilliance of the diamond. Brian Gavin built his reputation upon his skill as a diamond cutter, and the precision of his production and evaluation skills.
