Diamond Quality
The two highest color grades. VS+ clarity. Eye-clean, every time. This is what we set as our floor, not our ceiling.
D and E are the two highest grades on the international color scale, completely colorless, with no visible yellow or brown tint. You would need a master set of comparison stones under lab conditions to tell them apart.
VS stands for Very Slightly Included. VS+ means VS2 or better. Any inclusions present are minor, difficult to see even under 10x magnification, and completely invisible to the naked eye. Eye-clean guaranteed.
These are not self-reported grades. Every diamond is submitted to IGI for independent grading. Their certification confirms the grades on paper. No marketing, no ambiguity.
Diamond color is graded on a D–Z scale, where D is completely colorless and Z has a noticeable yellow or brown tint. The grading is done by comparing the stone to a master set under controlled lighting.
D and E are functionally identical in appearance: both are colorless when viewed face-up. The difference is only detectable under highly controlled laboratory conditions. Every Lihara diamond sits at one of these two grades.
| Grade | Description | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| D | Exceptional white + | Absolutely colorless |
| E | Exceptional white | Colorless |
| F | Rare white + | Colorless to trained eye |
| G–H | Rare / near colorless | Slight tint, not visible face-up |
| I–J | Near colorless | Slight tint visible face-up |
Clarity refers to the presence of internal characteristics (inclusions) or surface features (blemishes) within a diamond. The less of these present, the higher the clarity grade.
VS+ means VS2 clarity or better. This is where the eye-clean threshold sits. Inclusions at VS2 and above are minor and require specific effort to locate even under 10x magnification. To the naked eye, the stone appears perfectly clean.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| FL / IF | Flawless, no inclusions under 10x magnification |
| VVS1 / VVS2 | Very very slightly included, extremely difficult to see at 10x |
| VS1 / VS2 | Very slightly included, minor inclusions, hard to see at 10x, invisible to naked eye |
| SI1 / SI2 | Slightly included, inclusions noticeable at 10x, may be visible to naked eye |
| I1–I3 | Included, inclusions visible to the naked eye |
We set VS+ as our minimum because it's the point where inclusion level stops mattering to the wearer. The stone looks flawless in real life.
Most jewelry brands stock whatever sells, which means a wide range of quality, and a lot of hope that the customer doesn't know the difference.
We made a different decision. By working directly with our growers and skipping the wholesale markup, we can source only the top tier, and still price it below what traditional retailers charge for lower-grade stones.
D–F color and VS+ clarity are not upsells at Lihara. They are the minimum. Every stone. Every piece.
Lihara