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Blemishes

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Blemishes
Little marks, bumps, scars or irregularities on a pearl's surface that give a pearl strand its personality, although heavy marking will lower its value.
Blister pearls ...

 


Blemishes
Abrasions: tiny nicks on facet junctions or the culet; caused by wear or coming in contact with other diamonds.

Blemishes: The term blemish is used when the diamond has scratches or marks on the external area of the stone.

Blemishes
Now we move onto the Flaws that show up on the outside or surface of the stone.
Knot ...

Blemishes and other surface features: In this category are chips, scratches, knicks and abrasions, as well as attributes of the faceting or lapidary process such as degree of polish, or shape and placement of facets.

Blemishes are external impurities or marks on the surface of a diamond, and typically appear as a scratch imperceptible to the naked eye.

Small blemishes on pearls are somewhat inevitable, however, any serious surface damage, imperfection, or intrusion such as a crack or chip in the nacre should be cause for concern as these conditions will affect the longevity of the pearl, ...

Subtle blemishes and tiny marks are part of a pearl's natural texture and proof of its genuine origin. These blemishes result from sea particles that drift into the oyster and brush against the pearl as it forms.

Polish: Blemishes that don't count against the clarity of a diamond when it is being graded.

The absence of blemishes (spots, pimples, cracks) or discoloration on the pearl's surface.
Cleavage
The breaking of stones along lines of weakness related to the stones internal atomic structure.

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No inclusions or blemishes of any sort under 10x magnification when observed by an experienced grader.
IF =
INTERNALLY FLAWLESS ...

Clean: Absence of blemishes on a pearl's surface.
Color: An evaluation of quality used to describe the color of a pearl.
Collar: A pearl necklace that is 10 to 13 inches in length.

Clarity:An industry term describing the number and density of inclusions and blemishes within a diamond or gemstone. See our Education section regarding the 4 C's for detailed information.

Blemishes can include disfiguring spots, bumps, pits and cracks on the surface of a pearl. The fewer blemishes on the surface of a pearl, the more valuable it will be.

>F (Flawless) Total absence of inclusions and total absence of minor surface blemishes (with 10X magnification).
>IF (Internally Flawless) Total absence of inclusions and presence of very minor surface blemishes (with 10X magnification).

IF (internally flawless) - Only minor surface blemishes but no internal inclusions visible to a trained eye under 10x magnification.

This is based on the blemishes present in them, the nature of the blemishes and also how these blemishes absorb and reflect color. Diamond has Nitrogen atoms as the main impurity. The common concentration of this impurity is 0.1 %.

Lasering dissipates the internal blemishes within the diamond and can improve the stones clarity but it also leaves a visible conduit line within the diamond.

pits/blemishes on surface). Some pearl suppliers use "A", "B" and "C" grades, where "A" represents the highest lustre and/or the highest surface quality. Thus, a pearl rated "AA" would have high lustre and surface quality.

Clarity and transparency of a gemstone are primarily affected by blemishes and inclusions.

While these are blemishes, they might also be regarded as a sign of skilled cutting; the presence of a natural reflects the cutter's ability to design a beautiful polished gem, ...

It is these inclusions or blemishes that give each diamond its own unique fingerprint, making your particular diamond truly yours.

Surface quality signifies the presence or absence of physical blemishes or flaws.

Polish: Refers to any blemishes on the surface of the diamond which are not significant enough to affect the clarity grade of the diamond.

Flawless - The recommended term for a diamond without external or internal flaws or blemishes of any description when viewed by a trained eye under efficient illumination and under a corrected magnifier of not less than ten power; ...

While the presence of these clarity characteristics (inclusions and blemishes) do lower the clarity grade of a diamond, they can also be viewed as proof of a diamond's identity.

Surface: The amount of blemishes a pearl has. The fewer blemishes, the more valuable the pearl is. To find pearls without blemishes is rare, and these pearls are extremely expensive.

It is rare to find a diamond with no blemishes and therefore it makes that kind of diamond more rare. The more rare a diamond, the more the diamond is worth. Therefore a diamond with little or no blemishes is worth more than one with marks.

Common inclusions and blemishes, as they are represented on the GIA diamond plot, are illustrated below. GIA uses the color green for surface blemishes, and red for internal inclusions.

The surface of a cultured pearl should be relatively clear of blemishes, pockmarks and pits. Since cultured pearls are grown inside an oyster, it's very rare to find a completely blemish-free pearl.

Lustre can drown out pearl blemishes the same way brilliance can drown out diamond flaws. Just as someone will often need a microscope to see diamond flaws, they will often have to peer at a pearl close up to see its blemishes.

Clarity characteristics are classified as inclusions (internal) or blemishes (external). The size, number, position, nature, and color or relief of characteristics determine the clarity grade.

Clarity is a term used to describe the absence or presence of flaws (blemishes or inclusions) inside or on the surface of a diamond. Inclusions (inside the diamond) may take the form of crystals, cracks, clouds, growth lines, and cavities.

The independent grading report that comes with every diamond we sell shows a diagram indicating the characteristics of your diamond, including any inclusions or blemishes your diamond may have and where they appear.

There are basically two things to think about when evaluating the clarity of a diamond - inclusions and blemishes. Inclusions are flaws inside the diamond and blemishes are those on the surface.

F1 (Flawless) - is the term used by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) clarity grade to describe a magnificent diamond totally free of blemishes or "inclusions" under 10x magnification.

Some of the most common blemishes are:
Nicks, Scratches and Abrasions
Natural: A portion of the diamond's rough or original surface left on a polished stone, usually at the girdle.

The stone has some external blemishes.
Flawless, meaning that the stone was examined under a microscope of at least 40x magnification, and no inclusions were seen and stone has no external blemishes.

Because cultured pearls are grown naturally from oysters in nature, it is rare to find a pearl whose surface is free from any type of blemish. Blemishes can include disfiguring spots, bumps, pits, and cracks on the surface of a pearl.

Internally Flawless
(I.F) No internal blemishes are visible under 10X magnification.
Very Very Small Inclusions
(V.V.S) Very difficult to locate external blemishes or inclustions under 10X magnification.

A diamond may have inclusions or blemishes, which are internal and external imperfections. The fewer the flaws the higher the market value of a diamond.

Examples of blemishes include pits, nicks, scratches, chips or even an extra facet where none should be. A blemish is an imperfection on the outside of a diamond or gemstone, which differs from an inclusion.

Gemstones are graded on a scale from Flawless (no inclusions or blemishes visible under 10x magnification) to Included (eye visible inclusions or blemishes). If other factors are equal, flawless stones are most valuable.

A quality evaluation category used to describe the amount of blemishes on the surface of a pearl or cultured pearl. Surface descriptions range from clean (no visible blemishes) to heavily blemished.
Surface magnification ...

Pearls are graded according to shape, orient, luster, cleanliness, and color. Blemishes on the surface of Pearls may have a large effect the quality and value of a Pearl depending on the size and type of blemishes.

A gemstone's relative freedom from inclusions and blemishes. Sometimes called purity.
Cleavage
A break in a diamond which is parallel to the diamonds crystal planes. A cleavage may be caused by internal strain or a sharp blow.

Flawless: A diamond without any blemishes or imperfections as seen under 10x magnification.
Fluorescence: Under different rays, ultraviolet, cathode, or x-ray some diamonds fluoresces different colors.

Clarity Characteristic: The collective term for inclusions and blemishes.
Cloud: Minor inclusions clustered within a diamond.
Color: Color tones of a diamond that are graded on a scale of D (colorless) to Z (yellow/brown).

A term used to describe a diamond that is totally void in external or internal flaws or blemishes of any kind, as seen by a trained eye with a 10X magnifier, under ideal lighting conditions.

Surface: A quality evaluation of the amount of blemishes on a pearl, ranging from clean to heavily blemished.
Synthetic: Any gemstone grown in a lab. They are "real" gemstones, but they are not "real" diamonds, rubies, etc.

Clarity Grade: The assessment of inclusions (internal characteristics) and blemishes (external characteristics) visible under 10x magnifiers.
Clarity Characteristics: The description of any internal and/or external characteristics, if present.

The loupe makes internal flaws and surface blemishes more apparent and allows you to assess color, cut, and other aspects of the stone.

The finish of a piece of metal when it has been cleaned of unwanted blemishes and uneven edges or surfaces
punches
Hardened steel tools used to decorate, texture, or form metal ...

Clarity grading evaluates the effects of blemishes (external flaws) and inclusions (internal characteristics). Factors such as size, number, location, type, and contrast all modify the clarity grade of a gemstone.

IF Internally flawless. Under 10x magnification no inclusions can be detected. This excludes blemishes which are imperfections on the surface of the diamond.
igneous A volcanic rock as in the diamond bearing kimberlite.
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Blemishes (very slightly blemished, very blemished, etc.)
Matching (good, fair, very good, etc.)
Drilled (non drilled, full drilled, half drilled)
Setting (peg, prong, strung knotted, strung unknotted, etc.) ...

There are two types of pearls - natural and cultured - which are judged by their luster, absence of blemishes, color, size and shape (round, irregular, baroque, pear, drop or button).

A blemish is a flaw on the external portion of a gemstone. Typically, blemishes are superficial nicks or scratches.
BLUE DIAMOND ...

Whether a polished diamond has a good surface, free of blemishes, is a quality factor.
Surface Graining ...

See also: Blemish, Jewel, Color, Diamond, Jewelry