Are you searching for the perfect diamond engagement ring and want to know more about what certain industry-specific words and phrases mean?
Engagement ring shopping is rarely quick and simple if you want to get ‘the one’ for your partner. However, being savvy on the lingo can help. Here, we’ll look at the term ‘VVS’ (very, very slightly included) and whether it might affect your final decision.
Diamond basics
Recent data shows that the worldwide diamond jewellery market was valued at $82 billion in 2017 with the demand for rough diamonds expected to hit $26 billion by 2020. Clearly, it’s a big market and there’s a lot of information to learn about, which is why some brands offer interesting guides, like: www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/diamond-education/vvs-diamonds-1600.htm. To understand VVS diamonds, we have to look at the fundamentals of diamond quality.
Diamonds are graded on colour, cut, carat, and clarity (the ‘four Cs’). Cut affects the sparkle, carat is the stone’s weight, colour ranges from clear to yellowed, and clarity is determined by the number of blemishes/inclusions on the surface or inside the diamond. It’s in the ‘clarity’ category that we meet the term ‘VVS’.
The grading scale
To decide on a diamond’s worth, it goes through several tests that include determining its clarity. Essentially, ‘VVS’ is a rating given to a diamond and here’s where it falls on the scale:
- FL & IF: Internally Flawless (perfect stone without flaws and very rare).
- VVS1 and VVS2: Very Very Slight/Small inclusions (nearly perfect and also rare with almost no visible imperfections).
- VS1 and VS2: Very Slight/Small inclusions (blemishes noticeable with a 10x loupe but still reasonably rare).
- SI1 & SI2: Slight/Small Inclusions or Slightly Included (blemishes noticeable but only with a magnifier).
- I1, 12 & I3: Included or Imperfect (visible flaws noticeable to the naked eye).
VVS stones have inclusions that are so tiny they’re tough to spot with 10x magnification, making them a popular choice for buyers. VVS diamonds are divided into VVS1 and VVS2 groups, with the differences between the two decided by the location of the blemishes/inclusions.
For example, VVS1 stones have flaws nearer to the edge, while VVS2 blemishes are closer to the centre. Usually, VVS1 inclusions are slightly harder to spot, which means they are placed higher on the clarity scale than VVS2 stones and have a marginally greater value.
Why buy VVS diamonds?
The main advantage of buying a VVS diamond is that, to the naked eye, it appears flawless. However, it won’t have the price tag usually attached to a flawless-rated stone. This means you can get a stunning ring for a much lower price.
What’s more, flawless diamonds — if you have the budget for them — are exceptionally rare. So, opting for a VVS alternative should make the purchasing process quicker and easier, too.
Lastly, VVS diamonds have a good chance of increasing in worth quite quickly, which makes them an excellent investment for the future.
Does a VVS diamond sound like your type of stone? Check out the different styles of VVS engagement rings online today.
