Whether your hunt for a diamond is prompted by a special occasion, an upcoming proposal, an anniversary or perhaps you just want to treat yourself to one of the most desirable jewels in the world; learning about the scope of diamonds available on the market, such as VVS, will assist you in making an informed decision. You may be interested to know that most diamonds available for sale possess flaws to some degree and that there are different grades of diamonds available to buy. The class of each diamond determines its appearance, value, and the place you will be able to purchase it from.

Diamond Formation

A pure diamond is created from carbon atoms, with the lattice arrangement aligned in a specific way. However, during the process of the diamond being produced, impurities may infiltrate the lattice of the rock. Depending on the minerals and elements that affect the composition of the diamond, it could change the color and clarity of the crystal.

VVS, FL and IF Diamonds

VVS, which stands for very very slightly describes inclusions in the diamond that require a microscope and experienced grader to see them. These VVS diamonds rest just below the clarity of being an internally flawless jewel. To give this definition more weight, it’s wise to compare it with other clarity grades. Clarity is one of the 4 C’s (cut, clarity, color, and carat weight) that affects the look and value of a diamond. A diamond’s purity is partially determined by its blemishes and/or inclusions, also what setting these are visible in, e.g., by a microscope, experienced graders or visible to the naked eye.

  • FL (Flawless) – A flawless diamond is one with no inclusions or blemishes present at 10x viewing.
  • IF (Internally Flawless) – A diamond with no visible inclusions, however, minor blemishes are present.
  • VVS (Very very slightly) – This term falls third in line to FL and IF and defines diamonds that have inclusions, however, they are challenging to see at 10x viewing by experienced graders.

To put this into context, if you were to view a VVS diamond in a real-life setting, you would not be able to tell the difference between a VVS and a FL diamond.

VVS Value

Using the 4C’s the value of every diamond is determined holistically. For instance, a FL diamond may be low in price if the cut of the diamond is poor, or if the rock is tiny. Moreover, the country you decide to purchase a diamond from also concludes the price of a diamond. For example, Asian cultures prefer rocks with the utmost purity, whereas western cultures tend to choose the size of the diamond over flawlessness.

Gaining an understanding of the VVS diamond and other variations such as the FL and IF diamond will arm you with the information you need to decide what diamond is right for you. Should you want to purchase a VVS diamond, you will need to turn to elite stores. This is because a lot of countries prioritize size over clarity, and so jewelers tend to stock diamonds of a lesser quality than the ones mentioned throughout this article.