What is and eye clean diamond?

One of the questions I ask my customers when they are beginning to look at diamonds is “are you concerned with how it looks under magnificaiton, or more to the naked eye.”  By far, most reply with “more to the naked eye.”  Now, I have an idea of what quality to show them.

Now, with the first couple stones I need to find out what is an “eye clean” diamond to them.  Some customer get under the strong lights and how that thing 4 inches from their eye, tilt it back and forth and try to win the “I’m gonna find something” challenge.  In the industry “eye clean” does not mean under close examination. Its more like 12 inches away, looking directly at the top of the diamond, not the side, and nothing obvious is visible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once in a while I do have the guy with the latest lasic, with better than 20/20 vison that can see things that I need a loupe to see. Of course he is the one that is going to take the “I’m gonna find something” challenge.

Factors that play into the “eye clean” test are type of inclusion.  A tiny black carbon may be more obvious than a white feather. Size of the stone is also a factor.  The large the diamond, the more obvious inclusions may be.  

Also, if you are looking at the back of the diamond, inclusions reflect.  So a single inclusion may look like several all around the diamond. So, “eye clean” does not mean looking from the back of the diamond. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since every customer is different, It is up to me to help them find what they will be happy with.  The only way to do that is to show them several diamonds and have the opportunity to compare them side by side.  I have so many customers that say this is good, but show me the next step up. When they see it they say “Oh, I can see the difference.”  Now it is a questions of do they want to pay the difference in price, do they see the value in paying more. Or, would they prefer to go with a smaller diamond of better quality and the same price.

So, bottom line, an “eye clean” diamond is actually in the eye of the beholder.  What one considers eye clean, others may not.  Just remember, industry standards does not mean close examination, so when someone says its “eye clean,” you may want to see for yourself.

check out our YouTube video on “eye clean” diamonds here