Clarity. The grade describing the size, number, and visibility of internal inclusions and surface blemishes in a diamond. GIA's scale runs from Flawless (FL) down to Included (I3). VS1 and VS2 are the practical sweet spot — eye-clean to the buyer, priced well below higher grades.
Clarity is judged under 10× magnification by trained graders. The vast majority of inclusions are not visible to the naked eye, which is why VS-grade stones are the most popular tier in the resale market.
Two stones at the same clarity grade can carry very different inclusion locations and types — and these differences quietly move resale offers up or down within the same grade band.
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