Unlike natural diamonds, clarity-enhanced diamonds are stones that have been artificially altered to improve the quality of their appearance.
And in addition to their added beauty, clarity-enhanced diamonds are also often more cost-effective options than more natural stones. However, these benefits don’t come without a few key drawbacks.
To better understand the pros and cons of clarity-enhanced diamonds, let’s look at what exactly clarity-enhanced stones are, how stones can become clarity-enhanced, and a few other things you need to know before making a purchase.
What Are Clarity-Enhanced Diamonds
Clarity-enhanced diamonds are naturally occurring stones that have been enhanced via specific treatments that work to remove imperfections and inclusions that are visible to the eye. Typically, the stones chosen for this kind of enhancement are either I1, I2, or I3, and they can be enhanced through one of two main techniques: laser drilling and fracture filling.
How Laser Drilling Enhances Diamonds
Laser drilling is a technique that is used to remove specific inclusions and imperfections found within a diamond’s crystalline structure. They can include such flaws as black spots or foreign crystals.
The laser drilling process hides these flaws by drilling a thin channel into a stone with a laser beam. This beam travels through the surface of the diamond and allows acidic chemicals to be introduced to the diamond’s internal structures. These chemicals dissolve and otherwise bleach inclusions to remove them from sight.
However, this process also leaves a mark on the diamond in the form of a small hollow left inside of it at the end of this process. Fortunately, this flaw is not visible.
After this process is completed, the clarity of the diamond increases by at least one grade on average, but the structural integrity of the diamond will be irreversibly weakened.
How Fracture Filling Enhances Diamonds
Fracture filling works to resolve feathers, also known as fractures, in a diamond. This essentially works in the same way gem polishing would, but on a much higher level.
But while polishing gently smooths the surface of a stone, it also drastically reduces the carat weight of a stone as it removes and polishes away layer after layer of the diamond to achieve the desired result.
Fracture filling works differently in that it doesn’t remove weight from the diamond but instead fills in fractures with a substance that reduces their visibility.
Typically, the substance is invisible and in the right conditions, you won’t be able to tell the difference between the fracture-filled section and the real diamond, However, in the light, the fracture-filled areas will not sparkle as brightly as the sections of real, unblemished stone.
Additionally, fracture filling is not a permanent fix–especially if intense heat is applied to the jewelry. The heat can cause the filled sections to melt or crack. But because this repair type is impermanent, most companies offer lifetime repairs of fracture filling.
Key Takeaways
Clarity-enhanced diamonds have many advantages that can make them appealing to a number of potential buyers, and their disadvantages are not significant enough to greatly affect the stone’s appearance over time.
If you’re interested in a clarity-enhanced diamond, contact our expert jewelers today for assistance in selecting the right stone for you.