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| Some diamonds carry an inclusion deep within the stone. These inclusions are often described as flaws because their presence within the stone means that it cannot be described as perfect. |
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| There are a number of different common inclusions that can be found within a stone. Some may affect the diamond's clarity or make it vulnerable to damage. |
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| Of course, we would like to think that any diamond we purchase is perfect, but perfection in a diamond means that it will be at the higher end of the price scale. |
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| It is always wise to discuss the possibility of an inclusion in your diamond with your merchant. They will very likely put your mind at rest. Most inclusions will not affect a diamond in an adverse way and as long as it does not have a bearing on the beauty of your diamond or will not make it vulnerable to breakage at a later date, you should not be wary of buying one. |
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| The various types of diamond inclusion are grain lines or growth lines, girdle fringes or beading, cleavage, feathers, laser lines and pinpoint inclusions. We'll take each one in turn : ~ |
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| Pinpoint Inclusions |
| These inclusions are tiny points of crystals, either dark or light that create a hazy area within the diamond. This is called a cloud and can affect the diamond's clarity. |
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| Grain Lines or Growth Lines |
| These are formed during the creation of the diamond in it's birthplace deep underground. They can be colourless and unless they are present 'en masse' will not affect the clarity of the diamond. If white or coloured lines are present they can affect the beauty of the diamond and in turn, it's value. |
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| Girdle Fringes or Bearding |
| These hair like lines occur around the girdle of the diamond as it is being cut. These problems are less obvious than others may be because they can be removed through re-cutting or polished away during a longer polishing process. |
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| Cleavage |
| A diamond cleavage is as the name suggests, a crack with no feathering. This kind of inclusion can leave the diamond vulnerable to cracking or smashing if it is inadvertently hit at the point of breakage. Any diamond that has small cracks that are not apparent when the diamond is viewed with it's table up, will not have it's value affected. |
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| Feathers |
| Some diamonds have feather like graining which will not affect a diamond's resistance to damage unless they are located at the top of the stone. |
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| Laser Lines |
| Laser lines are not inherent in the diamond or formed in a natural way. These are trails that are left by the laser inside the diamond when they have been used to remove any inclusions within the diamond. They are thread like in appearance and will only affect that part of the diamond that has been touched by the laser. |
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| Some blemishes appear on the surface of the diamond. Some occur quite naturally when the diamond is formed, or some occur during the creation or cutting of the diamond. Surface blemishes can affect the clarity and value of a diamond, others can be polished away with little or no trace. |
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| If there are scratches on the stone, these can be polished away with no trace. Nicks are small chips in a diamond that can also be polished, creating a new facet. If this is carried out too regularly on a single diamond however, it can detract from it's value due to a negative impression on the diamond's appearance. Pits are tiny pinprick holes that can be polished away. A natural is part of the diamonds surface that has not received polishing. On occasion, a polisher will leave part of the surface unpolished to retain diamond weight. |
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| All of these inclusions sound prohibitive to the diamond's beauty but many of them can be easily remedied. The wise diamond purchaser uses a diamond merchant who provides diamond education for their client. |
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| 'My Diamonds', www.mydiamonds.com.au is such a company. Passionate about diamonds and providing the best customer service available, they will advise you on the best diamond or diamond jewellery for your purpose. Call them on 1800 766 567 or visit their on line showroom where you will find an extensive showcase of irresistible diamonds. |
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