By Alexia Sorokina, Gemmologist | Say Yes in Paris

This is how it goes during our appointment. I show you two diamonds. One is Internally Flawless. One is VS1. I am not going to tell you which is which. Look at them — really look — and tell me which one you would wear every day for the rest of your life. You cannot tell the difference. Nobody can. That is the point.

What the clarity scale actually measures

The GIA clarity scale runs from Flawless at the top down through Internally Flawless, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, and I grades at the bottom. Each grade describes the size, nature and position of inclusions — the internal characteristics present in almost every diamond.

Inclusions are not flaws in any meaningful sense. They are the fingerprint of a natural stone — proof that it formed deep in the earth over billions of years, under conditions of extraordinary pressure and heat. A diamond without inclusions is a geological rarity. That rarity commands a price. Whether it commands the right price is a different question.

Where the eye stops seeing the difference

Above VS1, inclusions are not visible to the naked eye. This is not an opinion — it is a consistent finding across the industry. An Internally Flawless diamond and a VS1 diamond, worn on a hand, examined in daylight, held up at a dinner table, are visually identical to anyone who is not holding a 10x loupe.

They are also visually identical to most people holding a 10x loupe. Finding the inclusions in a VS1 stone under magnification requires effort and training. In real life, on a hand, in motion — they do not exist.

The price difference between IF and VS1 is real. The visual difference is not.

VS1 — the clarity sweet spot

VS1 is where I begin with every client who asks about clarity. It is the point where eye-cleanliness is essentially guaranteed regardless of the stone’s shape, cut or size. The inclusions are minor, well-positioned, and entirely invisible in normal viewing conditions.

VS2 is often equally eye-clean and worth examining in person — the saving can be meaningful. SI1 requires more careful evaluation: some SI1 stones are eye-clean, others are not, and it depends heavily on the nature and position of the inclusion. SI2 and below I approach with caution for engagement rings.

For the client who wants absolute confidence without examination — VS1 is the answer.

The shape factor

Clarity requirements change with diamond shape — and this is something most guides overlook entirely.

Round brilliants are the most forgiving. Their facet pattern creates exceptional light dispersion that masks inclusions effectively. A VS2 or even a carefully chosen SI1 round brilliant can be completely eye-clean.

Step cuts — emerald, Asscher — are the least forgiving. Their long, open facets act like windows into the stone. In a step cut, I would not go below VS1, and for larger stones I would consider VVS2.

Fancy shapes — oval, pear, cushion — sit between the two. VS1 remains the safe recommendation for all of them.

What you are actually paying for above VS1

When you pay the premium for VVS1, VVS2, or Internally Flawless, you are paying for a characteristic that exists on a certificate and under a loupe. You are not paying for anything you will see on your hand. You are not paying for something that will make the ring more beautiful, more durable, or more meaningful.

There are collectors who value Flawless diamonds for their rarity — as objects of geological perfection. That is a legitimate position. For an engagement ring worn every day, it is a different calculation entirely.

Where to put the money instead

The difference between IF and VS1 in a one-carat stone of good colour can be several thousand euros. That same sum, redirected, buys a larger stone, a more interesting cut, a better metal, or simply more confidence in the overall ring.

At Say Yes in Paris, we always show clients what the clarity premium actually buys — and what it doesn’t. Most people, once they have held both stones, reach the same conclusion.

Alexia Sorokina is a gemmologist and jeweller with fifteen years of experience in natural diamonds. She is the founder of Say Yes in Paris, a bespoke engagement ring atelier and proposal concierge based in Paris.

To discuss your diamond, book an appointment — in our Paris atelier or by video.