What Are Clarity Enhanced Diamonds?

You’re shopping for the perfect diamond ring, and you’ve got all the 4 C’s down – cut, color, carat, and then smack dab in the middle of your research you stumble across this confusing new term: “clarity enhanced diamonds.”

Well, snap. Just when you thought you had this diamond stuff figured out, another curveball gets tossed your way. What in tarnation are clarity-enhanced diamonds? Some weird lab-created imitation? A sketchy industry con-job?

Take a deep breath, rookie diamond scholar. I’m here to decode this jargon and explain why clarity enhanced diamonds have become so darn popular lately. Plus, hit you with everything you need to know to make sure you’re getting a fair deal if going that route.

You know those pesky natural blemishes and imperfections diamonds develop while forming deep within the earth over billions of years?

Clarity enhancement diminishes or masks those flaws to boost the diamond’s clarity rating without actually tampering with its chemical composition.

This makes them quite different from synthetic, lab-grown, or imitation diamonds created from non-natural materials. Clarity-enhanced diamonds are still 100% real diamonds formed naturally – they just got a lil’ boost to minimize those signature imperfections and improve marketability.

Now that we’ve got the high-level gist out of the way, here are the need-to-know essentials about clarity enhanced diamonds:

– Clarity enhancement uses advanced techniques like laser drilling, fracture filling, or coatings to improve appearance

– All clarity enhanced diamonds undergone treatment by certification labs like GIA

– Treatments are permanent, stable and don’t require special diamond care

– Clarity enhanced diamonds are still physically, chemically and optically identical to natural diamonds

– Cost is lower than higher clarity diamonds since Enhancement “upgrades” lower quality diamonds

– Resale value may be moderately less than non-treated diamonds of the same specs

Okay, so now you know the abridged clarity-boosting definition, but I’m sure you’re wondering just what exactly these mysterious enhancement techniques entail?

Well, the two most common methods of enhancing a diamond’s clarity are fracture filling and laser drilling.

As the name implies, fracture filling involves…you guessed it…filling in cracks, cavities or fractures within a diamond to improve its apparent clarity. Pretty cool, right?

The process uses a powerful microscope to map out any cracks and imperfections inside the diamond that are visible to the naked eye. Then a special lead-based glass compound is heated up and injected into those fissures under extremely high pressure and heat.

This foreign material is designed to mimic the diamond’s optical properties and appearance. Once it cools and bonds with the internal surfaces, it “invisibly” fills in and conceals those unsightly blemishes to boost the clarity grade – like magical diamond retouching!

The other common technique uses laser beam technology to essentially zap away or remove those pesky imperfections from a diamond’s body.

Since lasers have become super precise and controllable, technicians can carefully drill or etch out inclusions and imperfections lurking within the diamond. Kind of like lancing a blemish but on a microscopic scale.

Once removed, that void is then fracture-filled to blend seamlessly with the rest of the diamond. Boom – an instant clarity boost without sacrificing any appreciable weight or messin’ with the overall chemistry.

Both fracture filling and laser drilling methods provide permanent clarity enhancement without the need for extra protective coatings or special cleaning requirements. Just good ol’ fashioned diamond dazzle!

As you can probably gather, the clarity enhancement process ain’t exactly cheap or easy. It requires high-tech equipment only found in specialized gemological labs.

So while these treatments make lower-quality diamonds more visually appealing, there’s definitely a premium price markup to factor in. You’re still getting a real diamond – just one that had a bit of work done to improve its looks.

That said, since clarity is such a huge driver of a diamond’s cost and value, choosing an enhanced diamond allows you to snag a bigger, higher-clarity looking stone while still saving money compared to naturally occurring higher-clarity diamonds. Making it an enticing compromise for lots of modern shoppers!

Just remember that an enhanced diamond’s resale value down the road may be moderately lower than an entirely natural untreated diamond of the same specs. The enhancement treatment gets permanently disclosed, which could disincentivize some potential future buyers.

But for budget-minded shoppers just focused on rocking maximum sparkle and fire for their dollar? Clarity enhanced diamonds are attainable stunners all the way.

At the end of the day, as long as you buy from a reputable vendor who fully discloses the enhancement details, there’s absolutely nothing sketchy about scoring a clarity enhanced diamond. You’ll get all the fiery brilliance without having to re-mortgage your home!

So embrace the world of clarity enhanced bling and snag a #diamamazingdeal that proves you can, in fact, have it all. Whether it’s a traditional stubbly natural diamond or one that just had its rough edges buffed out a bit, the right rock is the one that speaks to you!