What Are Clarity Enhanced Diamonds? Are They Real?

What Are Clarity Enhanced Diamonds

Have you ever been out shopping for jewelry and someone says that the diamonds are clarity enhanced? Well, you may be wondering what clarity enhanced diamonds are. No worries!

Below you can find out what they mean by clarity enhanced, and the difference between real diamonds and clarity enhanced diamonds.

What is a Clarity Enhanced Diamond?

The simplest answer… A Clarity Enhanced Diamond is a diamond that has its imperfections filled with glass. All diamonds have inclusions or imperfections (Learn more about Diamond Clarity). When those inclusions are visible it can cause the diamond to not look as great as it would without the inclusions. The diamond is not “stuck” with these inclusions though. You see, they can be eliminated using a small drill laser. This must be done by a professional though.

What an Inclusion is in a Diamond

To know what enhanced diamonds are, it is important to know exactly what an inclusion is. An inclusion is simply an imperfection. Think of id as a birthmark for a diamond. Not all inclusions are visible to the naked eye. This makes those diamonds even more valuable. It stands to reason that the term clarity enhanced is used.

All real diamonds were formed deep down inside the earth. When being formed they develop little inclusions. You can relate it similarly to a mark while being made or formed. All diamonds have inclusions.

What a Clarity Enhanced Diamond means

Clarity enhanced means that the fractures in the diamond have been filled with glass. There are a couple of different ways that diamonds can be enhanced. Most of the time it involves a laser drill that goes into the diamond to expose the inclusion. The fracture in the diamond is then filled with glass.

Think about how a crack in a window can be repaired. Most of the time you do not have to throw out the entire window. It can be repaired with a resin. Essentially that is the case with inclusions in diamonds, except you must drill down to the inclusion.

Are Clarity Enhanced Diamonds Real?

Clarity Enhanced Diamonds are real diamonds, they have just been modified to improve their clarity. The clarity enhancement process is done on real diamonds. Diamonds that are clarity enhanced do not come from a lab or anywhere else. They are simply natural diamonds that have had the inclusions removed to provide more clarity to the diamond. A clarity enhanced diamond will have a sharper appearance than it would with the inclusions.

The difference between a natural and enhanced Diamond

You may be wondering if a clarity enhanced diamond is better than a natural diamond. This really is a personal choice. You can buy diamonds (Read also: How to Buy a Diamond a Ring) that are natural without a lot of visual inclusions or imperfections. The price only goes up with a natural diamond that has fewer inclusions. The difference between a natural and enhanced diamond is that the clarity enhanced diamond has been human-modified to reduce imperfections.

A clarity enhanced diamond can be better for your budget (Read also: How Much Do Diamond Rings Cost? ). The key is knowing if the diamond has been clarity enhanced rather than assuming that the diamond has fewer inclusions. Enhanced diamonds are not worth as much as natural diamonds.

A lot of times it is very hard to tell the difference in a natural diamond versus a clarity enhanced diamond. People rely on the honesty of the jeweler when it comes to buying a diamond.

Do note that sometimes jewelers are not informed that a diamond has been enhanced when they buy it. So, it is not always something that is known. You can get diamonds that are certified natural (Read also: Which Diamonds are Certified?) and have not been enhanced. This can get even more pricey though.

Are Clarity Enhanced Diamonds Good or Bad?

You do not want a diamond that has been clarity enhanced too much. If the diamond has had a lot of inclusions fixed it can weaken the diamond. This causes the life of the diamond to decrease dramatically. Too many repairs can cause damage. Great clarity enhanced diamonds are ones that have not had to have an extensive number of repairs.

Should You Buy a Clarity Enhanced Diamond Ring?

While a lot of inclusions cannot be seen, it may not be a great idea to buy a diamond with treated inclusions. You see, when there is a natural inclusion in a diamond it can act as a distinguishing mark. You can think of it as a fingerprint for the diamond. This is helpful it has ever been lost or stolen. It can help the recovery process.

Plus, inclusions in diamonds are a lot like people. Everyone has flaws, but it makes you who you are. An inclusion is apart of what makes that diamond different or special. No two diamonds have the same exact imperfections.

Before You Buy and Enhanced Diamond…

Hopefully, this gives a better understanding of what clarity enhanced diamonds are. Natural Diamonds are recommended over Enhanced Diamonds due to the strength, value, originality, and uniqueness. You can find more info about diamonds in this YouTube link.

Carl A. Jones, GIA GG

Carl A. Jones is a GIA Graduate Gemologist with over 20 years of experience in the diamond industry. He is an independent jewelry appraiser. He specializes in determining the value of diamonds and advising consumers on how to buy quality diamond jewelry.

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