A Diamond Clarity Plot is a diagram on certain diamond grading reports that maps the approximate type, position, and relative size of inclusions and blemishes. It helps explain the clarity grade, documents the diamond’s condition, and can assist identification when reviewed with the complete grading report.
A Diamond Clarity Plot maps the approximate location and relative size of clarity characteristics found in a diamond. It also shows the type of characteristics present. Clarity plots are included in diamond grading reports to illustrate clarity characteristics and help buyers understand their diamonds rather than simply identifying clarity as a grade.
For those in the diamond industry, including gemologists, a Diamond Clarity Plot can assist in identifying characteristics that may not be fully understood from the clarity grade alone. Two diamonds may have the same clarity grade, yet their inclusion patterns can be very different. One diamond may have a crystal inclusion near the center, while another may have a feather inclusion toward the girdle.
A clarity plot is not drawn to scale, nor should it be interpreted as a photograph. It should be read as a diagram created from microscopic examination and interpreted together with the comments and other information listed in a grading report. The plot acts as a map that illustrates the condition of the diamond, supports the clarity grade, and may also help identify the diamond.
What Is a Diamond Clarity Plot?
A Diamond Clarity Plot is a diagram that shows the location of inclusions and blemishes in a diamond. Inclusions may occur internally or extend toward the surface of the diamond, while blemishes are found on the surface.
It becomes easier to interpret a plot when the principles of diamond clarity are already understood.
The diamond’s shape is normally mapped so that important characteristics can be shown in relation to its facet structure. Plotting diagrams may represent both crown and pavilion views of a diamond.
The crown view shows the diamond from the top, while the pavilion view shows the diamond from the bottom. Together, these two views make the Diamond Clarity Plot more useful when trying to understand the location of a particular inclusion or blemish.
The Diamond Clarity Plot Provides Important Information About Diamond Clarity
A Diamond Clarity Plot has three main functions.
Showing the Reason for the Clarity Grade
The first function is to help explain the reason for a diamond’s clarity grade.
A diamond’s clarity grade depends on characteristics including:
- Nature
- Size
- Number
- Position
- Relief
- Visibility of inclusions or blemishes
Professional clarity grading evaluates these characteristics under magnification.
Understanding common diamond inclusions can make the information shown on a plot easier to interpret.
Two inclusions that appear similar may affect the clarity grade differently depending on their location, prominence, size, and overall visibility.
Recording the Condition of the Diamond
The second function of a Diamond Clarity Plot is to record the stone’s condition at the time of grading.
A characteristic such as a chip, cavity, feather, or natural may be mapped to show approximately where it is located on the diamond.
This can create a useful visual reference when the physical stone is later compared with its grading documentation.
Helping With Diamond Identification
The third function is identification.
Specific characteristics can help distinguish one diamond from another. Inclusions that appear similar in size, nature, position, and relief may still affect clarity differently if one characteristic is more prominent than another.
The unique combination and placement of clarity characteristics can function like an identifying pattern for many diamonds.
Because these plots are commonly associated with certified diamonds, the physical diamond should correspond with the information documented on its grading report.
Understanding Diamond Clarity Plot Symbols
A Diamond Clarity Plot contains standardized symbols representing different clarity characteristics.
Typical plotting conventions may include:
- Most inclusions represented in red
- Naturals represented in green
- Extra facets represented in black
- Red and green used together for characteristics such as cavities, indented naturals, and knots
- Etch channels and laser drill holes represented with combinations of red and green
A key located beside the plot explains what each symbol represents.
Other characteristics may include:
- Feathers
- Clouds
- Pinpoints
- Needles
- Cavities
- Knots
- Naturals
- Extra facets
- Laser drill holes
Characteristics limited to the surface of a diamond are generally considered diamond blemishes, while characteristics located beneath the surface or reaching the surface are generally treated as inclusions.
A Diamond Clarity Plot is a diagram, and each symbol does not automatically indicate severity.
For example, the presence of a feather symbol does not automatically mean that a diamond is unstable. The location, extent, visibility, and overall clarity context of the feather must also be considered.
Crown View and Pavilion View
Crown View
In a Diamond Clarity Plot, the crown view shows the stone as viewed from the top.
The crown view is especially helpful when considering what may be observed when a diamond is viewed face up.
This becomes particularly useful when examining loose diamonds, where an examiner can inspect the stone from several angles without a jewelry setting obstructing the view.
Pavilion View
The pavilion view shows the diamond from the bottom.
Some characteristics can be easier to understand when viewed in relation to the pavilion facets and girdle area.
Depending on the viewing direction, something that appears close to the girdle in the crown view may look different when studied from the pavilion.
For this reason, both views should be considered together.
A Diamond Clarity Plot shows where plotted clarity characteristics are located and what type they are. This is useful when analyzing a loose diamond because an examiner can rotate the physical stone and compare what is seen under magnification with both diagram views.
Diamond Clarity Plot vs Diamond Clarity Grade
A Diamond Clarity Plot and a diamond clarity grade provide different types of information.
A clarity grade provides an overall summary of the clarity condition of the diamond.
A plot shows specific clarity characteristics and their locations.
Understanding diamond clarity grades can prevent buyers from treating a plot as though it were itself a clarity grade.
For example, if a diamond receives a VS2 grade, the grade alone does not tell the buyer whether the grade-setting characteristic is:
- A crystal
- A feather
- An inclusion near the edge
- A small inclusion
- A combination of several characteristics
- Another clarity feature
To understand this more precisely, the Diamond Clarity Plot should be reviewed.
Two diamonds with the same clarity grade may therefore have different plots and different appearances.
The plot should support the grade, but it should not replace professional grading. Clarity evaluation considers multiple factors and is performed under controlled magnification.
Are All Inclusions Shown on the Plot?
No. Not every inclusion has to appear on a Diamond Clarity Plot.
Some characteristics may be:
- Widespread
- Faint
- Too minor to support the grade
- Unnecessary for identification
- Better explained in report comments
This means a buyer should not make assumptions about a diamond based only on the number of characteristics visible on the plot.
The purpose of the plot is to show clarity characteristics that are important to grading, disclosure, condition, or identification.
It is not intended to provide a complete microscopic description of everything inside the diamond.
How to Evaluate a Diamond Clarity Plot
1. Verify That the Plot Belongs to the Diamond
Make sure the Diamond Clarity Plot corresponds with the physical stone.
Check:
- Report number
- Shape
- Measurements
- Carat information
- Laser inscription, where applicable
Start by reviewing the diamond grading report and confirming that the documented information corresponds with the diamond being examined.
A clarity plot is meaningful only when it belongs to the correct grading report and physical stone.
2. Read the Clarity Grade First
Do not begin by judging every individual mark on the plot.
First understand the clarity grade.
The grade is based on the presence, size, visibility, location, nature, and number of inclusions and blemishes.
The same type of inclusion can have a different effect on the final grade if it is larger, more visible, more centrally located, or present in greater numbers.
3. Identify Important Characteristics
Locate the symbol key and review the comments.
Note whether a characteristic is:
- Under the table
- Near the girdle
- Surface reaching
- Near a corner or point
- Concentrated in one area
- Distributed throughout the stone
The position of the characteristic may be as important as the type.
4. Compare the Plot Under Magnification
A professional diamond loupe or gemological microscope can help a trained examiner locate the mapped characteristics.
A Diamond Clarity Plot records characteristics in their approximate position and form, while magnified examination allows the physical characteristic to be observed directly.
5. Separate Visibility From Durability
An inclusion may be easy to locate under magnification but may not be visible to the naked eye.
Another feature may appear visually minor but require closer attention because it is near a corner, edge, girdle, or surface.
Visibility and durability are therefore separate considerations.
6. Read the Comments
Always read the comments section before evaluating the plot.
Some characteristics may be described in the comments rather than drawn on the diagram.
Ignoring the comments can lead to an incomplete interpretation of the Diamond Clarity Plot.
7. Review the Entire Report
Learning how to read a diamond certificate prevents the plot from being interpreted in isolation.
A grading report should be reviewed as one continuous quality record.
Diamond Shape and Inclusion Visibility
The appearance of inclusions can vary between different diamond shapes.
The effect of inclusion placement depends partly on the way a stone reflects light.
Brilliant-style faceting creates reflected patterned light, while step cuts create broader and more open visual patterns.
A Diamond Clarity Plot for fancy shape diamonds should therefore be interpreted while considering the actual facet arrangement and viewing behavior of the shape.
The same applies to unusual faceting used in unique cut diamonds.
The plot tells the examiner where to look for a characteristic, but the diamond’s optical behavior affects how noticeable that characteristic appears when the stone is viewed face up.
How Clarity Plots Apply to Fancy Color Diamonds
Clarity plots can also apply to fancy color diamonds.
The purpose of the plot remains the same: to record important characteristics related to clarity and assist in documenting the stone.
However, for a fancy color diamond, clarity exists within a broader grading context.
Other considerations may include:
- Color distribution
- Color orientation
- Shape
- Cutting style
- Color origin
- Color grade
For this reason, a Diamond Clarity Plot should be treated as one part of the complete grading report rather than the only basis of a buying decision.
Common Mistakes People Make With Diamond Clarity Plots
Treating Every Symbol the Same
Not all symbols have the same meaning or impact.
The placement and type of a symbol help communicate what characteristic is present, but a plotted symbol does not communicate the entire grading effect on its own.
Assuming a Clean Plot Means Eye Clean
A clean-looking Diamond Clarity Plot does not automatically mean a diamond is eye clean.
Factors affecting eye cleanliness can include:
- Actual inclusion visibility
- Lighting
- Viewing distance
- Faceting style
- Diamond size
- Observer eyesight
The physical stone still needs to be evaluated.
Ignoring Report Comments
Characteristics mentioned in the comments may not always be drawn on the plot.
Ignoring report comments can therefore cause important grading information to be missed.
Comparing Shapes as Though They Behave Identically
Step cuts, brilliant cuts, and fancy shapes may display inclusions differently because of their different facet arrangements and reflections.
A clarity characteristic that is noticeable in one shape may be less obvious in another.
Treating the Plot as the Entire Report
A grading report may also include:
- Color
- Carat weight
- Measurements
- Cut information
- Polish
- Symmetry
- Fluorescence
- Proportions
- Comments
- Inscriptions
The Diamond Clarity Plot is one part of that broader grading record.
B2B and Wholesale Significance
A Diamond Clarity Plot can help wholesale diamond buyers determine whether stones with the same stated clarity grade have comparable inclusion positions and practical appearances.
This may be useful when:
- Building calibrated parcels
- Matching multiple stones
- Selecting center stones
- Reviewing certified inventory
- Checking report-to-stone consistency
- Screening stones for particular jewelry designs
- Comparing diamonds within the same clarity grade
A Diamond Clarity Plot becomes particularly relevant when two diamonds appear the same on a spreadsheet but look different under magnification.
Lepdo Diamonds is a lab-grown diamond manufacturer and B2B supplier located in Surat, India.
In a B2B context, the clarity plot can help with report-to-stone verification, although it should be considered together with dimensional checks, grading consistency, physical inspection, matching requirements, and the intended jewelry application.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is a Diamond Clarity Plot the Same as a Clarity Chart?
No.
A diamond clarity chart explains grading categories such as FL, IF, VVS, VS, SI, and I.
A Diamond Clarity Plot illustrates the clarity characteristics of one specific diamond and shows approximately where those characteristics are located.
2. Can a Clarity Plot Identify a Diamond?
Yes, it can help with identification.
The inclusion pattern, report number, measurements, laser inscription, shape, and other identifying information may be used together when matching a physical diamond with its grading documentation.
3. Are Inclusions Always Shown in Red?
Not always.
Most inclusions on commonly used plotting diagrams are represented in red, while other types of characteristics may appear in green, black, or combinations of red and green.
Always read the key provided with the report.
4. Does a Large Symbol Mean the Diamond Is Bad?
No.
A plot symbol represents a characteristic, but the impact on clarity depends on factors including its nature, size, number, position, relief, and visibility.
A symbol should never be judged without context.
5. Can I Judge Eye Cleanliness From a Plot Alone?
No.
A Diamond Clarity Plot can help locate inclusions, but eye cleanliness requires directly viewing the physical diamond under suitable lighting and viewing conditions.
6. Why Does the Report Mention Something That Is Not Plotted?
There are several reasons.
A characteristic may be widespread, faint, minor, unnecessary for identification, or better communicated through the comments section.
Not every microscopic feature must appear on the plot.
Practical Takeaways
A Diamond Clarity Plot is most helpful when it is treated as a map rather than as a separate grade.
It can help with:
- Locating important inclusions and blemishes
- Supporting the assigned clarity grade
- Creating a record of the condition of the stone
- Assisting report-to-stone identification
- Comparing diamonds within the same clarity grade
- Supporting jewelry-business inspection and quality assurance
When reading a Diamond Clarity Plot, buyers should also review the clarity grade, comments, measurements, report verification details, and the physical diamond itself.
For trade buyers, one of the most useful functions of a Diamond Clarity Plot is comparison. It can reveal differences in inclusion placement that influence visual appearance, setting decisions, parcel matching, and quality control even when several diamonds carry the same clarity grade.
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