The primary inclusions listed are diamond crystals, feathers, cloud (group of pinpoint size diamond crystals), cavity, needle shaped diamond crystals and natural (part of the original skin of the diamond).  Not many people realize that the order of the inclusions as they are listed within the Key To Symbols is in direct relationship to the degree to which they affect the clarity grade assigned to the diamond.  So the clarity grade of SI-2 that the lab assigned to this diamond is based primarily on the presence of diamond crystals, then feathers, then clouds of pinpoint size diamond crystals, then the cavity, needle shaped diamond crystals and the natural.  And the extent of the inclusions should be considered to be in the same order, thus even if a plotting diagram were not present it would be reasonable to assume that the feathers within this diamond are fairly extensive because they are listed second within a list of six inclusion types.

The plotting diagram on the lab report consists of two sections, a top down view and a bottom view.  The two sections combined provide a two dimensional profile of where the inclusions within the diamond are located and the relative extent of the inclusions.  To properly align the two halves of the diamond so that a full picture of the inclusions may be considered, simply fold the lower half of the plotting diagram (right side) under the top half of the plotting diagram (left side) along the imaginary blue line that we’ve drawn down the middle to provide a visual representation so that the pink arrow pictured in the three o’clock region of the lower plotting diagram lines up with the pink arrow pictured in the nine o’clock region of the upper plotting diagram.  Then imagine that you’ve created a three dimensional model of the diamond you are considering and look at how the inclusions line up, if at all.

In this case, the feather indicated as a red diagonal line which extends along the edge of the diamond in the 6:30 region of the lower plotting diagram to the 7:30 region lines up with the feathers indicated in the five o’clock region of the upper plotting diagram.  This tells us what?  That they are the same feather and that the feather likely, but not necessarily, passes from top to bottom through the girdle edge of the stone.  There is a chance that the feather is located beneath the surface of the girdle edge, in which case it might not be that much of an issue.  However when the feather indicated in the middle of the two outer feathers indicated in the five o’clock region are taken into account – our thought is this series of feathers might combine to present a durability risk that might warrant considering another option.

The diamond crystals within the diamond are of no concern.  Diamond crystals, needle shaped diamond crystals and clouds of pinpoint size diamond crystals are simply various forms of smaller diamond crystals that were essentially trapped within a larger diamond crystal as it formed.  Diamond crystals within a diamond are kind of like tiny ice cubes within the ice cubes forming in your freezer, they are neither good nor bad, they are simply ice within an ice cube.  It is the degree of visibility and the translucency of the diamond crystals that need to be considered in direct relationship to your expectations for what is acceptable to you in terms of the visibility of inclusions within the diamond you select.

The cavity listed fourth down on the Key To Symbols which we’ve highlighted in yellow is indicated by the yellow highlight indicated in the 2:30 region of the lower plotting diagram.  A cavity in a diamond is essentially the same as a cavity in a tooth or perhaps a glass sculpture which is often referred to as a bubble.  In this instance, it appears that the cavity is located along the girdle edge of the diamond and there is a feather which extends from it into the stone as indicated by the red line which is highlighted by the green arrow.  The combination of the cavity and the feather extending out from it would certainly give us pause.  The natural is of no concern, it is simply part of the original skin of the diamond and is most likely located along the girdle edge of the stone, no worries.

It should be noted that the plotting diagrams do not indicate exactly where the inclusions may be visible within the diamond, merely where they are located.  A diamond crystal indicated within the lower half of the diamond within the center region of the eight pointed star facet pattern may very well be visible through the table facet of the diamond because it is actually located just below the table facet even though it is indicated within the lower half of the diamond.  And because the facets of a diamond are essentially tiny mirrors, an inclusion may be reflected and thus be visible in other areas of the diamond even though it is indicated in another section of the diamond because that is where it is actually located.