What to Look out For in an Included Diamond

For those who are new to the world of diamonds and diamond quality, carbon-based gemstones, which are the most popular in the world, are measured according to the 4Cs: which measure diamond quality according to their colour, carat, cut and clarity. These key factors breakdown into a variety of specifics: that range in terms of quality and price.

When it comes to diamond clarity, the gemstone is graded according to a scale that extends from internally flawless (IF) the highest in clarity scales, to Included diamonds (I), which break down into a number of levels which shall get into. In this Education page, we will analyse included diamonds which are technically the lowest quality grade in the diamond world. However, that does not mean they are of no value, as we shall see.

What are Included Diamonds (I) 

Included diamonds feature the lowest level in the diamond clarity scales and are known by the acronym ‘I’. Included diamonds are gemstones that feature the highest number of inclusions and external blemishes in relation to other diamonds that make up the clarity grade. In addition to featuring a high number of inclusions, Included diamonds also tend to feature a concentration of a varied number of inclusions.

If you haven’t seen our Education page on diamond inclusions clarified, we lay out the main features of diamond inclusions: the main types, the differences, and how they affect diamond quality. Here will simply point out that diamonds fall under the Include grade feature in pretty much all of the main inclusion types: knots, cavities, dents, clouds, external chips etc.

The key factor that sets included diamonds apart from the rest, including the Slightly Included diamond grade of stones (S1 and S2) which sit just above included diamonds, is that inclusions that are present in this grade of diamonds are clearly visible to the naked eye. With included diamonds, there is no need for 10x magnification to determine the presence and extent of inclusions in this gemstone.

Differences between I1, I2 and I3 Diamonds

When it comes to included diamonds those who fall into the I grade are not all made equally. Thus Included diamonds break down into three sub-grades. With each increasing number, the quality of the diamond with respect to diamond grade declines progressively. The highest grade in the Included range of diamonds is the I1. Which features the least amount of inclusions internally, and relatively few blemishes externally. This is followed by I2 which features a slightly higher number of inclusions but can be passable as low-budget gemstones. I3 diamonds are considered low quality and are generally not a favoured gemstone option. However, all three Include grades of diamonds feature noticeable inclusions. There are no eye-clean diamonds to be found in this range.

An important consideration when considering Included diamonds (I) is that there is a significant price difference between I1 and I2 diamonds. With almost a third of the percentage drop in price. This is interesting since the price difference between a Slightly Included (SI2) diamond and an Included diamond (I) is smaller than the difference between an Included diamond grade (I1) and the second (I2). Often close to $ 1000.

Included Diamonds who is It For?

Included diamonds owing to the high number of inclusions are generally not valued highly in the world of gemstones. This is due to a number of factors. First diamond jeweller companies, which trade in high-quality jewellery items like diamond engagement rings and necklaces tend to establish a premium standard when it comes to the kind of gemstones that adopt. And generally, this tends to exclude Included diamonds.

And this tends to be an across-the-board rejection. All three sub-grades that makeup included diamonds generally do not feature in the diamond selection menu when it comes to either individual gemstone purchase options or as a part of a pre-made engagement ring design.

Top jewellery companies when it comes to their range of diamonds tend to limit themselves to the Slightly Included (S1 and S2) diamond clarity grade. And even individual diamond purchases tend to feature in the higher clarity levels. So the question is: does the market exist for included diamonds? To what kind of customer is this diamond clarity grade meant?

Well, the simple answer is that included diamonds are the best budget option for those seeking a diamond gemstone or even diamond jewellery. In practice, those considering Included diamonds as their option, are advised to I1 grade, the first sub category in included range. I2 and especially I3 are not great options. In fact, some even consider I3 included diamonds as useful only for industrial use.

What to Look for When Buying Included Diamonds

First off if you are in the market for a top-quality engagement ring, then included diamonds are not going to be a great option. In fact, you will struggle to find top jewellers who will sell included diamonds individually or as a part of top quality engagement ring. So if you are in the market for a gemstone quality diamond, then you are better off avoiding I-grade diamonds.

Included diamonds are generally a budget option, but even at this level, included diamonds come with their set of problems. Included diamonds, particularly at I3 grade feature larger inclusions which affect the integrity of the stone that could sometimes lead to major chipping or potential breaks.

However, if you are planning to go for high inclusion stones such as those found in the Included (I) range of diamonds, then you might opt for larger stones, which tend to become lower in cost at this clarity range, and also look to gemstone cut, that is not prone to overly showcasing the inner clarity of the stone. Such as emerald, Asscher and trillion cuts which are not the best at masking inclusions in the stone.

Those who wish to opt for include included diamonds in their choice of engagement rings, might want to use them as a side or accent stones. But once again getting these types of stones to be adopted in the main gemstone inventories of jewellery companies is rare. Hence it is best that buyers seek to stay away from them if possible.