Rian here - we’ve written these clarity grade articles for you to get the nitty gritty on each diamond clarity grade. You can also get the big picture: view our page on the diamond clarity scale or read more posts in diamonds 101 about specific diamond clarity grades. Enjoy!
The Details About VS2 Clarity Diamonds
VS2 is often seen as the holy grail of diamond clarity. Not so included as to be noticeable to the naked eye, while just included enough to cost far less that its fancy counterparts up the scale.
VS2 Inclusions
While the inclusions are slightly easier to detect than in a VS1 (there could be more of them, and in more prominent locations), VS2 is most of the time still eye-clean and so you are not likely to get any nasty surprises.
As I said with VS1 in the previous post, the types of inclusions in this range are generally fairly innocuous in that you will rarely find a VS2 with a large black spot in the middle of the table. That said, it is absolutely crucial that you don’t just quickly look at the diamond plot on the grading report, and make your decision based on that. The truth is, the plot will not tell you the whole story.
VS2 and Fancy Cuts
Finally, a note on fancy cuts – specifically step cuts such as emerald and asscher cut diamonds. VS2 really is as low as you should be going with these beauties. It is simply not worth your money to buy a stunning emerald cut diamond only to find a nasty inclusion sitting there looking back at you, taunting you with its grossness. Same can be said for those larger stones – stick at VS2 or above to make 100% sure you’re not going to get a dud.
If you are planning to buy a round diamond of about 1 carat however, I would even suggest taking a look at a few SI1 clarity stones before making your final decision, as you would be surprised what hidden gems you can find in that range.
