Inclusions & Blemishes

Diamond Inclusions: Pinpoint | Rare Carat

Diamond pinpoint shown on GIA certificate

Pinpoint as represented on GIA report

Well hello there! Welcome to our blog post on the humble pinpoint. We are knee-deep in our quest to bring you the most important information you need in order to buy that special stone. Knowledge is power people. With that in mind, we’ve created a FOOLPROOF guide on all the most common diamond inclusions, so that you can spend less time stressing about clarity and more time enjoying this once in a lifetime experience.

What is a Pinpoint?

Pinpoints are by far the most common of all the diamond inclusions, which is totally fine, because in our opinion they can also be the least offensive on the eyes. Pinpoints – just like needles and clouds - sit in the ‘crystal’ family of inclusions. In fact, we briefly discussed them when we covered ‘clouds’, and if you were paying attention (which you darn well should have been) you will remember that a cloud was just a cluster of tiny pinpoints all sitting together kinda snug. The general rule in diamond clarity grading is that there needs to be at least three pinpoints in one location to even qualify as a cloud, so on their own, pinpoints are exceptionally difficult to spot - even under magnification:

Round diamond with a small white dot called a pinpoint circled in red

They are usually just so tiny that mostly they are not even marked on the grading certificate, and instead the person grading the diamond will pop in a comment saying something along the lines of ‘pinpoints not shown’ or similar. That way potential buyers know that there are pinpoints that are so small they weren’t even worth putting on the grading report.

If you are interested in a particular diamond and the grading report tells you it has pinpoints, don't fret. If you're worried, ask our team of gemologists for their professional opinion with regards to how those pinpoints might affect the optics/clarity of the stone in real life.

Pinpoint Diamond Inclusion FAQs

What should I ask or look for if I’m viewing a diamond with pinpoint inclusions?

Ask for clear, high-resolution photos or a video under good lighting. If you can’t spot the pinpoints even under magnification, and the diamond looks clean face-up, that’s a good sign. And if you’re still unsure—get a gemologist’s opinion for peace of mind.

If a diamond listing mentions pinpoints, should I worry about how it looks?

Usually, no. Most single or very few pinpoint inclusions are so faint that you won’t notice them with the naked eye—the diamond can still look brilliant and clean once it’s set.

When do pinpoints become a problem for appearance or clarity?

Pinpoints become worth checking if there are many of them clustered together. When three or more gather closely, they can start to behave like a “cloud,” which might soften the diamond’s brightness or make it look slightly hazy.

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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.