A Bruise Inclusion in Diamond is a small impact-related clarity characteristic accompanied by tiny root-like feathers extending into the stone. It commonly appears near facet junctions. Its importance depends on size, location, associated fractures, visibility, clarity grade, and whether the affected area may face pressure during setting or wear.
A Bruise Inclusion in Diamond is a clarity characteristic represented by roots that extend into a diamond and are caused by an impact or pressure. Usually, these occur at facet junctions. Small surface cracks may also be associated with bruises. A buyer must determine if a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond is of concern and evaluate its location in relation to other inclusions.
Bruises are of concern to both the diamond manufacturer and retail buyer, and to the wholesale sourcing team, because the buyer makes the final decision based on the context in which the bruise occurs. Other factors that influence the significance of a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond are its size, and if it is located in an area that is visible or covered by facets. In order to fully evaluate the impact of a bruise, the other characteristics of a diamond must be analyzed, as well as the setting and diamond report.
What Is a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond?
A Bruise Inclusion in Diamond is defined by a tiny, confined area of impact or pressure, and small roots that extend from the impact point or pressure point. If a diamond has been scored or abraded on the surface, that area would not be classified as a Bruise Inclusion.
This feature is minor, and may only be seen with 10x magnification. It may look like a small impact point, with extremely fine branching lines. These may be located either within or surrounding the impact point. The appearance of a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond may vary and depends on the size, location, and relief of the bruise, along with how the adjacent facets reflect light. Sometimes bruises may appear as a small impact point with very fine feathers, or crack-like structures.
In order to make comparisons, readers may wish to examine a few instances of diamond inclusions, so as to enlighten their understanding with regards to some of the clarity characteristics.
What Causes a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond?
Bruising is caused by pressure or an impact that occurs after the diamond has finished growing and after it has been cut. This may occur during the final stage of the cutting process. An impact may also occur against an extremely vulnerable area of the diamond. This may be caused by either carelessness on the part of the cutter, or the material used for support may collapse.
Most clarity characteristics of diamonds are determined during the growth and shaping of the stone. There are, however, a few clarity characteristics, like bruising, that occur post polish. These need to be taken into consideration when evaluating a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond. Is the inclusion at a facet junction? Is it near the edge?
The location is particularly important when the affected area sits close to the diamond girdle, because an exposed edge may require closer inspection.
Importance of Bruise Inclusion in Diamond to Diamond Clarity
The IGL (International Gemological Laboratories) have established guidelines for evaluating diamond clarity. The guidelines incorporate the size, number, location, relief and nature of clarity characteristics. Bruise Inclusion in Diamond characteristics reflect on the final clarity grade of a diamond at conventional or standard magnification. A clarity characteristic that is small and placed on the edge may not negatively affect the diamond as much as a larger characteristic that is placed in a more visually important area.
To understand diamond grading more clearly, see diamond clarity and associated diamond clarity grades. Knowledge of these grades can help one understand why different diamond clarity grades can be awarded to stones with the same inclusion.
There are many other factors that should be taken into account in addition to the name of the inclusion when evaluating a diamond. Some factors are prominence and location of the inclusion, the overall transparency and if the stone is functional for the intended purpose.
For additional clarity comparison context, the Medium article on diamond clarity comparison provides guidance on the assessment of diamond clarity beyond inclusion name.
Bruise Inclusion in Diamond vs Feather vs Chip
Bruise, feather and chip all refer to some sort of break or a damage that occurred to a diamond over time and they are not similar to each other.
| Basic Characteristic | Meaning | Typical Position | Main Evaluation Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruise | Small area with tiny feathers | Impact damage near a facet junction | Extent and location of associated fractures |
| Feather | A break or a separation within a diamond | Surface or internal | Size, visibility and orientation |
| Chip | A shallow opening, usually at edge of a facet junction | Edge or facet junction | Vulnerability of the area and surface loss |
A reader who wants to compare fracture type features in more detail can review diamond feather inclusion and diamond chip. It can be misleading if one attempts to compare a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond to a large feather or a missing piece of diamond.
How to Evaluate a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond
When evaluating a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond, a contextual check is usually more meaningful and misleading checks based on the name of the inclusion are common.
1. Check the Clarity Grade
Diamonds with high clarity grades usually have bruises that are not apparent to the naked eye. However, an individual review is always necessary.
The presence of a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond should therefore be considered together with the overall clarity grade rather than being judged by the inclusion name alone.
2. Review the Clarity Plot
The diamond clarity plot places bruises in relation to the girdle, crown and pavilion of the diamond, as well as relative to facet junctions. The plot may also help determine if bruises are of an internal nature.
When reviewing a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond, the plot can help the buyer understand where the feature occurs in relation to the rest of the stone.
3. Inspect Magnified Imagery
Bruise inclusions in diamonds may be described with pictures or videos. Look for an impact point and feathers that are apulate (considered “tipped”). Think about if the feature appears to be isolated or may be connected to other internal breaks in the diamond.
Magnified imagery is particularly useful for a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond because the feature may be too small to assess accurately with the naked eye.
4. Consider Exposed Placement
The concern of a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond depends on if the location is exposed. A Bruise Inclusion in a protected region of a diamond may not be of concern like an inclusion that is located at an exposed edge or corner.
5. Compare the Setting Design
For a jeweler, design of prongs and other settings may place pressure on a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond, or, conversely, may protect the Bruise Inclusion from pressure. The jeweler must be aware of the location of a Bruise Inclusion before designing or making a setting.
6. Compare Like for Like
When sourcing diamonds of the same size, shape and clarity for B2B parcels, compare stones. When judging a parcel, do not consider a single Bruise. To fully assess a parcel, all loose stones must be examined.
Loose diamonds are preferred over mounted diamonds for inspection, as all of the edges and facets are accessible. This allows a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond to be viewed in relation to the complete edge and facet structure.
Are Bruise Inclusions in Diamonds Bad?
Not all bruise inclusions make a diamond weak. As previously mentioned, diamonds have the second highest hardness and toughness of all minerals and are very resistant to scratching. They can, however, still break or chip with enough force.
Whether or not a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond is of practical concern is dependent on a number of things, mainly the location and association of other breaks and feathers, and if it is located at an exposed region that is subject to future damage.
It may be unnecessary to consider a small Bruise during an inspection, unless it is located at the girdle or the junction of two facets. If a shopper is concerned with edge damage, they should review diamond chipping prevention for more information.
Can Bruise Inclusion in Diamond Affect Value?
When a diamond has an inclusion that affects value, it is usually indirect or by other factors. For example, a bruise can affect value indirectly if it weakens the diamond, if it results in a lower clarity grade, if the buyer does not want a bruised diamond, or if the bruise is visible to the naked eye.
There isn’t a specific discount for bruise inclusions. Two diamonds with the same named clarity characteristic may vary significantly in size, location, shape, grade and appearance.
For the same reasons, it is usually inadequate to analyze the value of a stone by looking at a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond alone. Cut, certification, carat weight, color, the market and other factors should also be assessed.
Buyers looking at certified diamonds should see the stones for themselves as opposed to relying on the certifications.
Bruise Inclusion in Diamond: B2B Inspection Guidance
For wholesale buyers, if consistency is not observed in a parcel, like a gem bag of stones, a minor well-located bruise may be acceptable. However, if the majority of the stones have edge related features, that may indicate how the gemstones were handled and/or sorted, and should be investigated.
A complete inspection of a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond should capture the clarity grade, the location and type of inclusions, the visual severity, the dimensions of the stone, and if the feature is visible face-up.
For fancy shapes, corners and points may also need additional inspection as the geometry may alter the location of the risk of impact. For this reason, when evaluating clarity of fancy shape diamonds, buyers should consider the location of the inclusions and shape and the desired settings of the diamond.
Lepdo Diamonds, a manufacturer of lab grown diamonds in Surat, India, has seen more orders for commercial inventory from existing and new customers. This increase is also supported with their aggressive expansion of their manufacturing capacity.
For commercial orders, it is not important if a diamond has a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond, but does the diamond meet the agreed requirements for the jewelry program.
Common Mistakes When Interpreting a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond
One of the mistakes is that bruise inclusions are all the same and another is that the position of an inclusion is of no importance. Also, buyers may consider a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond to be a chip inclusion, overlook associated feathers, or assume a plotted symbol represents the inclusion’s exact size and position.
It’s worth noting that diamond grading reports specify only the results of that grading, and should not be a primary basis for a buying decision. When making a buying decision, several other factors, including the appearance of the stone face-up and edge condition, and what type of setting the stone is to be set in, should be taken into consideration.
Readers who are interested in examining diamond inclusions should see problematic diamond inclusions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bruise Inclusion in Diamond
1. Can a Bruise Always Be Seen to the Naked Eye in a Diamond?
Not always. Inclusions of bruises in a diamond can be very minute and may not always be visible to the naked eye. The presence of a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond, however, will depend on size and relief of the inclusion, its location and the condition of the observer.
2. Will a Bruise Be Reflected in the Diamond Grading Report?
Yes. A bruise will be reflected in the report, if it is pertinent to the clarity assessment. The report should be read with 5-7 times magnification, and not to take the place of an evaluation of the stone.
A Bruise Inclusion in Diamond should therefore be interpreted with both the grading information and actual examination of the stone.
3. Is a Bruise the Same as a Feather?
No, a bruise is an impact area which is generally associated with feathers. The trade term, ‘feather’, is a break or a separation in a gem and can be associated with bruising.
4. Is a Bruise the Same as a Chip?
A chip is a break in the surface of the diamond and a bruise is an impact area with associated feathers. Both can be found at or near the edges and facet junctions.
5. Will a Buyer Always Reject a Diamond with a Bruise?
Not always. The location, clarity grade and the severity of the Bruise Inclusion in Diamond must be analyzed along with the intended use of the diamond. In some cases, a slight bruise may be ignored.
6. Can a Setting Protect a Bruised Area?
This may be at the discretion of the jeweler. A jeweler may be able to protect a vulnerable area, but setting a prong over a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond is risky, as it may cause fracturing or may affect other areas of the stone.
7. What is the Most Important Inspection Step?
An approach that may be useful is to include a grading report and do a visual inspection. Location and feathering may be used to describe a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond and explain why a diamond deserves additional justification.
Practical Takeaways for Bruise Inclusion in Diamond
A Bruise Inclusion in Diamond is the result of an external impact and has a small affected area, with root like feathers extending into the stone. It is not always an automatic rejection feature. The correct assessment for bruise inclusion is the combination of clarity grade, location, size, and associated features.
For B2B buyers, the condition of one stone may not be important, compared to the condition of the remaining stones in the parcel. For a Bruise Inclusion in Diamond, it is important to note its presence and to compare it to the other stones, so the sourcing team can determine if it is an isolated minor feature or a repeated quality concern.
In this case, it would be better to evaluate all of the stones rather than name the inclusion. A Bruise Inclusion in Diamond should always be considered in context with the stone, its clarity, its setting, and the condition of the overall parcel.
