Scientifically, diamonds are described as metastable allotropes of carbon. However, most people would define diamonds as the most beautiful type of precious gemstones.
For hundreds of years, people have used diamonds as decorative items.
They used them in different pieces of jewelry especially in wedding rings which are still considered to be the most beautiful kind of wedding rings.
The reasons why people love diamonds are simple – they are durable, attractive, and come with an enduring value.
Even though all diamonds have characteristics like this, the truth is that they are not equal and some of them have better quality.
One of the things that are used in the process of evaluation of diamond’s quality is clarity.
Diamond clarity explained
Diamond clarity is part of the 4 Cs, the world-renowned method for evaluating the quality of diamonds.
The other grading scales include cut, carat, and color.
For those who didn’t know, diamond clarity highlights the level if blemishes/stains, flaws and/or impurities present on the surface or inside the diamond.
This is the factor that affects the sparkle and brilliance of this special gemstone.
What’s important to understand is that it is almost impossible to find a flawless diamond.
Yet, the flaws that we are talking about are usually very small, and only a person with knowledge, experience, and adequate equipment is able to determine these flaws.
Based on the level of diamond clarity, there are a few different types of diamonds.
One of the most popular types is the VVS Diamonds.
What is a VVS Diamond?
Many people are wondering what VVS stands for?
The answer is quite simple – it means Very, Very Slightly Included.
Diamond clarity scale
Obviously, these words are describing the level of blemishes and flaws in the diamond making VVS diamonds one of the best options people have in terms of clarity.
VVS diamonds come with flaws that are extremely small. These flaws are so small that even people that have experience and expertise in this field will find it difficult to spot even when they are using a powerful loupe.
That’s why it is recommended to use a microscope for this purpose. In most cases, the flaws associated with VSS diamonds are actually pinpointed.
It’s good to know that VSS diamonds are separated into two subtypes – VVS1 and VVS2.
They are the second best diamonds in terms of quality right after extremely rare flawless FL/IF diamonds.
VVS1 diamonds have flaws that are almost impossible to spot without a strong microscope.
These flaws can be seen only if the person is looking from the bottom part up.
On the other hand, VVS2 diamonds have very tiny flaws too, but they can be seen from the top of the diamond.
So, we can freely say that VVS2 diamond is almost as good as VV1 diamonds.
How much do VVS Diamonds cost?
As we already mentioned, VVS diamonds are among the best diamonds in the world.
The price of VVS diamonds depends on a few things. So, besides the diamond clarity, you have to take weight, color, shape and cut into consideration.
Generally speaking, as clarity increases, and if all other value factors are equal, diamond price per carat also increases.
As diamonds with a higher level of clarity, VVS diamonds are generally more expensive than VS (Very Slightly Included), SI(Slightly Included) and I(Included) diamonds, but cheaper than IF (Internally Flawless) diamonds.
The color of the diamond plays a very important role too.
There are five categories of colors – colorless, near colorless, faint, very light and light.
The most expensive ones are completely colorless VSS diamonds because they are extremely rare.
The vast majority of VSS diamonds found on the market are actually near colorless.
In order to save some money, many people are looking for very light and light diamonds of this kind.
The cut also has an impact on the pricing. The way the diamond is polished affects the light performance.
Generally speaking, diamonds with fine symmetry, proportions, and finish are providing the best light performance and they are more expensive than other diamonds.
Obviously, the carat weight will make the price go up or down too.
Remember that 1 carat is actually 200 mg. The heavier the diamond is, the higher price you can expect.
According to the latest statistics, a round, near colorless, one-carat VSS diamond is worth at least $4000.
Of course, the seller himself determines the price.
Which VVS diamond should I buy?
If you want to stay on the safe side and buy the best VVS diamond for the money, you should learn a few things about these special diamonds. You can also find educative material in our Diamond Education section.
First and foremost, you should think about the carat weight. After all, this is the single factor that has the most important impact on the final price. This is a matter of personal taste.
For example, if you are planning on using this gemstone as part of a wedding ring, you should think about your partner’s preferences – do they like a big gemstone or a discreet one?
This will determine whether you will get a 2.5-carat VVS diamond or a 0.5-carat VVS diamond.
Most people will say that a bigger diamond is always a better option, but that’s not the case in every situation.
If you are buying a VVS diamond as a form of investment, you should think about your budget and your long-term expectations.
As previously mentioned, VVS diamonds, just like all other types of diamonds, are available in a wide array of shapes. Yet, if you take a closer look at the market, you will notice that round VVS diamonds are dominating.
Average Price Per Carat For a Round Cut Diamond
Yet, there are many other shapes you can choose like Asscher, emerald, princess, oval, radiant, marquise, cushion, heart, and pear. Each of them provides different light performance, so take this fact into account.
Many specialists in this field agree that the diamond cut is more important than anything else in VSS diamonds. They point out that the cut determines the sparkle of every diamond.
So, even though VVS diamonds (both VVS1 and VVS2) have an excellent level of clarity, in case their cut is not good, they will look unattractive.
On the other hand, in case the diamond cut is proper, the light will radiate in the best possible way.
Very often, diamond graders are classifying VSS diamonds as poor/fair, good, very good and ideal in terms of cuts.
Obviously, if you have the money, you should opt for the best cut.
We have already mentioned the color, but we will have to provide even more information about this factor. As we all know, the human eye notices the color of gemstones right away.
In fact, many people find the colors of diamonds to be the best part about them.
But, what every potential buyer should know is that the color of the diamond is actually the extent of lack of color in the object.
To put it in simple words, if the VSS diamond has less color, it will have a better color grade.
There is a special grading list that determines the color of diamonds and it goes from D to Z.
D is an absolutely colorless diamond and it will take time and money to find a diamond like this. E and F are colorless, G and H are near colorless, as well as I and J and K and Z have noticeable colors.
If you want the best return on investment select a diamond between G and J. If you want to he best, buy a D to F diamond.
Finally, those looking for a high-quality VVS diamond must focus on diamonds with certificates.
A certificate of this kind which is often called a diamond quality document or grading report is a document made by professional gemologists.
This means that the diamond that you are looking at has exactly the same properties as advertised.
VVS and VS clarity explained
Many people are still confused when they look at VVS and VS diamonds.
What’s even more interesting is that they believe that these diamonds are the same. But, they are wrong and every diamond grader can confirm this.
Very Slightly included diamonds or VS diamonds also come in two subtypes – VS1 and VS2.
As expected, they have a very small number of inclusions that are visible when you are using a magnifier that has at least 10x magnification power.
The main difference between VS and VVS diamonds is that the first ones have imperfections that can be spotted more easily.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can notice them right away. We are still talking about very small blemishes and imperfections.
Yet, we can’t forget that VVS diamonds’ imperfections are even smaller.
As previously said, in some cases, people need more powerful magnification to notice these imperfections.
Besides the size of imperfections, most VS diamonds also have more imperfections. Keep in mind that this is not a rule. When the experts are determining the quality of diamond clarity, they take either the size or the number of imperfections.
What every potential buyer should know is that you can’t see imperfections in VVS or VS diamonds with a naked eye.
It takes an experienced professional and adequate equipment to find these flaws.
As a result of their higher clarity, VVS diamonds are usually more expensive than VS diamonds.
We have already highlighted the fact that there are a few other factors that contribute to the formation of the final price like the cut or the carat weight.
It is possible to find VS diamonds that are more expensive than VVS diamonds.
Should I invest in VVS diamonds?
The simple answer is YES.
Every type of diamond gives you a chance for a valuable investment.
Yet, investing in VVS diamonds is the best idea because they are very rare and they provide the best value for the price. People that are investing in these commodities can confirm that VVS diamonds promise great return on investment.
There are a few other reasons why people would want to invest in VVS diamonds.
For starters, these diamonds have proven to be very liquid. In other words, you can turn this kind of diamond into cash almost anywhere in the world. You may not be able to buy things in stores or online, but collectors and jewelers will be glad to buy a gemstone like this.
The other reason why someone would want to invest in VVS diamonds is their durability.
Environmental changes, weather elements, pollutants – none of these things can affect the quality of VVS diamonds.
They, just like other diamonds, are the hardest stones on our planet.
You can’t break them with a mild force. You need powerful tools to cut and shape diamonds.
The free market shapes the price of different commodities.
However, it looks like VVS diamonds remain unaffected by major turbulence in the world of finances.
This is quite logical because VVS diamonds, and other types of diamonds, are controlled by a global price report in an indirect way. It’s the well-known Rapaport Diamond Price Report.
Here is where you can find the market price on a weekly level of every kind of diamond. What we are trying to say is that the price of diamonds is more or less the same around the globe.
Diamonds are rare gemstones and VVS diamonds are among the rarest.
Only 2% of the cut diamonds come with more than one carat.
This is a very small number knowing that the interest in this special type of diamonds is very high.
With VVS diamonds you can expect to avoid possible recession, collapses and financial crisis on an international level.
Similar to real estate and gold, diamonds will not only keep their value, but they will probably boost their value in the long run.
Any downfalls in bonds and stocks are not affecting the price of diamonds at least not directly.
Needless to say, maintaining a diamond like this is a very simple task. Finally, VVS diamonds look amazing.
We hope that this VVS diamond guide will help you learn more about these diamonds and make the right decision.
I love diamonds like every woman does, but I like to go beyond and research the topic to the ground.