What is an ‘eye clean’ diamond?

Being ‘eye clean’ affects the clarity and quality of a diamond, which will alter the price of any stone. If a diamond is ‘eye clean’ it does not visually show any inclusions or blemishes on the surface or interior when viewed with the naked eye. The diamond may feature an impurity, but it may only be visible with the use of a microscope.

The clarity of a diamond is one of the 4 Cs – Cut, Clarity, Colour and Carat - because it is one of the fundamental attributes to knowing how to judge a diamond.  Clarity becomes especially important if impurities are noticeable to the naked eye in diamond jewellery or engagement rings.

Clarity refers to the level of inclusions such as scratches, blemishes, pockets of air and non-diamond material inside or on the surface of a diamond.  Fewer or less obvious inclusions make diamonds rarer and more highly valued.

What imperfections can a diamond have?

Any rough diamond can suffer from interior or surface imperfections, known as inclusions or blemishes.  Inclusions may be crystals of a foreign material or another diamond crystal, or the presence of structural imperfections such as tiny cracks that appear cloudy or white. Cracks are often known as fracture lines, needles or feathers depending on the mark they leave or their cause.  Internal crystals or marks can appear as singular ‘pinpoints’ or as clusters known as ‘clouds’.