Flawless (FL) vs Internally Flawless (IF) Clarity Diamonds

Flawless vs Internally Flawless Diamond

When you’re buying a diamond, there’s lots of terminology that goes along with it. 

One instance is the clarity grade. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and other labs that evaluate the quality of diamonds use a scale that ranges from flawless (FL) to I3 and includes internally flawless (IF).

The main difference between flawless and internally flawless diamonds is flawless diamonds have no visible inclusions at 10x magnification. Internally flawless means there aren’t any blemishes within its facets, but there are imperfections on its surface. So flawless diamonds demand a premium price.

In this article, we’ll explore diamond clarity and the differences between FL and IF diamonds, including details on each grade, how it impacts prices, and whether choosing either of these options is the right decision for you.

What is a Diamond’s Clarity Grade?

The GIA and other grading institutions grade diamond clarity by assessing the position, type color, and number of inclusions (also called clarity characteristics). Inclusions are blemishes inside a diamond that resulted from the extreme heat and pressure placed on it during its formation.

Inclusions such as a twinning wispcavities, and feathers diminish the appearance and light performance of a diamond, so ones with fewer or less noticeable defects are more valuable.

The GIA awards diamonds the following grades related to clarity:

  • Flawless
  • Internally flawless
  • Very, very slightly included (VVS1 and VVS2)
  • Very slightly included (VS1 and VS2)
  • Slightly included (SI1 and SI2)
  • Included (I1, I2, and I3)

Diamonds higher on the scale have less impactful inclusions compared to the ones below.

What is a Flawless (FL) Diamond?

A flawless diamond is a diamond with no visible inclusions on the inside or surface under 10X magnification. It’s the highest grade of clarity given to a diamond because of its superior appearance and light performance. It’s estimated less one percent of diamonds on the market earn the flawless designation.

Check out this example of a flawless one.

Flawless Diamond

If you rotate the image on the vendor’s website, you won’t find clarity characteristics present at any angle.

In reality, no diamond is truly flawless because the formation process always results in some inclusions. If a trained gemologist examined one under 60X or 100X magnification, they’d likely find at least one inclusion.

The GIA grading report will list the clarity grade as flawless, and there won’t be any comments in the “Additional Grading Information” section noting the specific surface flaws. 

Additional Grading Information on GIA Report for Flawless Diamond

That’s because there aren’t any.

What is an Internally Flawless (IF) Diamond?

Internally flawless diamonds have no visible inclusions within the diamond but do have some blemishes on its surface. On the GIA scale, it’s one level below flawless.

Examples of the surface blemishes include:

  • Surface graining: irregular crystal growth that keeps the surface from having a polished, mirror finish
  • Extra facets: an additional facet, usually near the girdle, that distorts light performance
  • Polish marks: covers a range of issues regarding polish, such as translucent or white lines or bumpy texture
  • Naturals: areas of the diamond’s surface that dip below the surface
  • Burns: caused excessive heat during formation or cutting

To illustrate, here’s one that earned IF.

Internally Flawless Diamond

They’re nearly as rare as flawless diamonds and essentially impossible for consumers to distinguish from a flawless one.

The GIA grading report will note what caused the diamond to receive its internally flawless grade. In many cases, you’ll see comments that read, “Surface graining is not shown. Minor details of polish are not shown”, but in the example below, there are only minor details of polish.

Comments on GIA Report for Internally Flawless Diamond

This indicates that while there are flaws on the surface, they’re minor and don’t impact the performance or appearance of the diamond in a meaningful way.

What are the Differences?

Flawless vs Internally Flawless Diamonds Infographic

Price

As with the other criteria on the GIA scale, you’ll pay a premium as you move to higher ratings. That means a flawless diamond is more expensive than an internally flawless one. 

In fact, you can expect to pay a 20-60 percent premium for the flawless grade, with all other qualities being equal.

For example, let’s compare two diamonds that both have the following qualities:

  • Shape: Round
  • Carats: 1.00
  • Cut: Excellent
  • Color: D

The only difference is the diamond on the left is internally flawless, while the diamond on the right is flawless.

Internally Flawless and Flawless Diamond Comparison

The internally flawless diamond costs $13,000, and the flawless diamond costs $20,060. That’s a 54 percent difference for the exact same diamond, only one is flawless and the other has slight issues with polish.

No one would ever tell the difference by looking at them, but buying the flawless one would cost $7,060 more.

Graining, Polish, and Facets

The distinguishing features between FL and IF diamonds are the presence of surface graining, extra facets, or polish marks.

Surface graining is visible as transparent or colored lines. It’s a result of defects in the crystal formation, when some areas grow faster than others. In some cases, it’s invisible to the naked eye, but if it’s detected at 10x magnification, it can keep the diamond from earning the FL grade.

Polish indicates the smoothness of facets. If there are imperfections related to its polish, the report could indicate there are “minor polish marks.” This is enough to land it at IF instead of FL.

Thirdly, a diamond may have extra facets. They’re often found near the girdle.

Extra Facet

With the naked eye, you likely won’t notice the difference.

Should You Choose a Flawless or Internally Flawless Diamond?

My recommendation is flawless and internally flawless diamonds are not worth the premium price. 

The key to finding the best value diamond is to avoid paying significant sums of money for qualities that can’t be seen with the naked eye.

I recommend starting your search at SI1 clarity, and working your way up the scale from there until you find an eye-clean diamond.

GIA Clarity Scale

For my wife’s engagement ring, I chose a VS1 clarity round-cut because it struck the balance between affordability and cleanliness. When you view it without magnification, you’d think it earned a flawless grade.

Your money is better spent improving the color, carat, or cut of the diamond and sticking with an “eye-clean” clarity, which even the very slightly included grades can offer.

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Jacob Clarke

Jacob Clarke

Jacob Clarke is the founder of TeachJewelry.com.

He earned an Applied Jewelry Professional Diploma from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and now brings you essential information about diamonds, settings, and more.

Jacob has consulted with leading jewelry brands, and his work has been cited in Clean Origin, Diamond Nexus and industry publications.

He's also a member of the International Gem Society.

He enjoys discussing jewelry with readers, so contact him with any questions at jacob.clarke@teachjewelry.com.

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Jacob Clarke

Jacob Clarke from Teach Jewelry

About Me

Greetings, my name is Jacob and I am the founder of Teach Jewelry. My aim is to guide you in making informed decisions when it comes to diamond and engagement ring selection. I provide comprehensive yet accessible advice and tips to ensure clarity, eliminating any concerns of overpaying for your diamond, engagement ring, or other jewelry. Whether your interest lies in selecting a top quality diamond, choosing its ring setting, or exploring other jewelry pieces, rest assured, you will attain the knowledge needed to select the right piece with confidence.

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