• What exactly does flawless mean for diamonds?
  • Should an engagement ring have a flawless diamond?
  • How much does a flawless diamond cost?

If you are looking for an engagement ring with a diamond, you have certainly encountered the term flawless, also known as "loupe clean" or LC for short. But what exactly does loupe clean mean and what effect does this feature have on the appearance of a diamond? We explain the details.

 
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What exactly does flawless mean for diamonds?

The quality of diamonds is determined by the so-called 4Cs. These 4 criteria refer to the size (carat), the colour, the clarity and the cut of the diamond. They are shown in the diamond’s certificate of a gemmological laboratory such as GIA, HRD or IGI
Flawless diamond for an engagement ring - A large, flawless diamond, perfect for an impressive engagement ring
The clarity of diamonds ranges from absolutely perfect, flawless stones that at 10x magnification, have no visible inclusions with a diamond loupe, to diamonds with very strong, dark inclusions, which can be present throughout the entire diamond. Within the highest clarity grade, a distinction is sometimes made between IF (internally flawless) and FL (flawless; completely flawless even without microscopic external scratches caused by polishing).
Sometimes flawless diamonds are also called "investment grade" diamonds. Flawless diamonds in the best colour grade “D” have a particularly high yield and stable value and are mainly traded as investment diamonds.

Should an engagement ring have a flawless diamond?

From an investment perspective, flawless diamonds are certainly a good choice. However, from a visual point of view, a flawless diamond is no different from an eye-clean stone, i.e. a diamond in which birthmarks are visible with a loupe, but not with the naked eye. This is also referred to as "eye clean".

In everyday life, an eye-clean diamond of the grade SI1 (small inclusions) or VS2 (very small inclusions) in an engagement ring is simply not distinguishable from a flawless engagement ring not even on close inspection. The price on the other hand, differs quite considerably; a flawless stone can easily cost twice as much as an eye-clean diamond or even more.

Whether an engagement ring should be flawless or not is a very subjective decision. If you are simply looking for a beautiful diamond ring to surprise your beloved, the attribute flawless makes the ring unnecessarily expensive without adding extra value to its appearance. If you only want the best of the best and you would like to consider the engagement ring as an investment then a flawless diamond would be a good choice.

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How much does a flawless diamond cost?

Since a diamond’s rarity and price are not only derived from its clarity but also from the other 3 criteria of the 4C’s, it is difficult to make a general statement about the cost. If you want to check how much the absence of inclusions affects the price, you should compare stones that differ as little as possible in the other characteristics, i.e. size, colour and cut.
Engagement ring flawless - A precious engagement ring with diamond
A good reference is provided by the reports released by the company Rapaport. Those reports are important for diamond dealers and reflect the fluctuation of diamond prices. In other words, a flawless, colourless diamond costs almost double the price of an SI1 diamond and not as near as double if compared to a diamond with very small inclusions (VS2). For diamonds under 1 carat, the difference is less noticeable, but for large diamonds the price could jump up to 3 times or more. The major price difference is noticeable when looking at the highest colour grades, however below the absolute white this difference almost insignificant. 
To summarise: You will pay a premium price for a flawless diamond as they are extremely rare in nature. Diamonds that are free of blemishes are the most expensive gemstones on the market.

Are you looking for a high-quality engagement ring, flawless or not, and would like to receive personal advice from our experts? The BAUNAT team will be happy to help and look forward to hearing from you.

What else would you like to know about our engagement rings?

Are you looking for more information and inspiration about the proposal and the corresponding engagement ring? The BAUNAT blog provides you with comprehensive information about everything you need to know:

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