Inclusions & Blemishes

Diamond Inclusions: Knot | Rare Carat

Diamond knot shown on GIA certificate

Knot as represented on GIA report

What is a Knot?

‘KNOT’ to sound overly alarmist here (I couldn’t help myself), but knots are bad news.

Knots are caused when a 'crystal' reaches the surface of a diamond. The difference between a knot and a crystal though is that a crystal rarely distorts the stone's shape or causes durability issues.

Not only are knots usually pretty visible within the stone (and it mightn’t even take a magnifier to see them either), but they also negatively impact the overall durability of a diamond.

Round diamond with a red circle around a black crystal reaching the surface

This is an extreme example, but still. Knots can’t keep to themselves. They widen. They fracture. They crack. If the remaining crystal falls out, the knot can leave a huge cavity behind. Trust us, just avoid them.

Dr. Rian Mulcahy
Dr. Rian Mulcahy
Rian is officially a Diamond PhD - just ping us if you’d like to read her fascinating 200-page thesis, titled Facets of Value: An Investigation into the Formation of Worth in the Diamond Market. She has consulted various firms all along the pipeline, from the rough diamond market to the recycled diamond industry. She holds an MA in Globalisation and Development from University College Cork and a PhD in the Sociology of Diamond Valuation from the London School of Economics.