People often confuse a diamond's clarity with "just how clear" it looks, which is more a function of color and cutting. The clarity of a diamond actually has to do with just how "pure" the stone is.

When diamonds are formed over time, the crystal "grows" under heat and pressure over years. During the crystal formation many things can happen that will affect the purity of the diamond, as well as the formation of the crystal. These characteristics will often be able to be seen, but may or may not affect the final beauty of the diamond.

The most popular clarity grading system was developed by the Gemological Institute of America. Diamond clarity grades range from IF, or Internally Flawless, down to I-3, or very imperfect, and a diamond we would not purchase or recommend. The Gemological Institute of America grading scale is shown below.

According to the Smithsonian Institution, and those interested can access their website, "Most diamond formation probably took place in the Earth in the first couple billion years of the Earth's history." Also, there was much tumult during the formation of diamonds. This is why there are impurities within diamonds, as well as certain crystal anomalies. These impurities and anomalies are called, "inclusions."

For more information about the formation of diamonds within the earth, please see the Smithsonian website