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When buying a diamond, most people focus on the cut, the carat, or the sparkle. But there’s another pair of letters you’ve probably come across: VVS and EF. These clarity and color grades might seem like technical jargon at first glance, but they reveal a lot about a diamond’s true character, and even more about what kind of wearer you are.
So, what do these grades mean? And why do they matter, especially when shopping for lab grown diamonds? Let’s break it down in a way that actually makes sense.
What Is Clarity and Color in a Diamond?
Diamonds are graded on four major characteristics, famously known as the 4 Cs: cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Among them, clarity and color are often misunderstood.
- Clarity is about what’s inside the diamond, natural imperfections known as inclusions, and any blemishes on the surface.
- Color is about what’s not in the diamond, a perfect stone is colorless. The less yellow or tint it has, the higher the color grade.
Both clarity and color impact how a diamond looks to the naked eye, but also how it reflects light, handles wear over time, and retains its value.
What Does VVS Mean?
VVS stands for Very Very Slightly Included. It’s a high clarity grade on the diamond scale, sitting just below Internally Flawless (IF).
Here’s the clarity scale, from top to bottom:
- FL – Flawless
- IF – Internally Flawless
- VVS1 / VVS2 – Very, Very Slightly Included
- VS1 / VS2 – Very Slightly Included
- SI1 / SI2 – Slightly Included
- I1 / I2 / I3 – Included
A diamond with a VVS rating has tiny internal characteristics, so small that they’re invisible to the naked eye, even under 10x magnification for most people. These inclusions are typically microscopic pinpoints or clouds, not visible unless you’re a trained gemologist with a loupe.
- VVS1: Inclusions are located on the pavilion (bottom part), harder to spot even under magnification.
- VVS2: Inclusions are near the crown (top part), slightly easier to detect, but still very minor.
What Does EF Represent?
EF represents the color or body tone of the diamond. You will be able to make out the tone of the diamond from the pavilion side, which is the lower portion of the diamond below the girdle.
The color grading scale of a diamond starts from D, which means that the diamond is colourless, and goes to Z. The lower the color grade, the warmer the diamond will be.
EF stands pretty high on the color grading scale, which means that EF diamonds will be pretty much colorless. E graded diamonds will have minute traces of color detectable only by experts. F graded diamonds will have a slight color that’s still classified as colorless.
EF color diamonds appear icy white and do not display any tint, making them exceptionally desirable, especially when set in white gold or platinum settings.
Why VVS-EF Matters In Lab Grown Diamonds?
One of the biggest advantages of Lab Grown Diamonds is that they’re held to the same grading standards as mined diamonds. But here’s the twist: because they’re created in controlled environments, Lab Grown Diamonds are more likely to achieve high clarity and color ratings, like VVS-EF.
This matters for a few reasons:
1. You're Getting More Value
In the mined diamond world, VVS and EF grades are extremely rare and come with a premium price tag attached to them. With Lab Grown Diamonds, you can afford top-tier quality without top-tier prices.
A 1-carat mined diamond with VVS clarity and EF color could easily cost double or triple the price of its Lab Made counterpart, with no visible difference.
2. Better Brilliance and Sparkle
Inclusions and color can dull a diamond’s fire. When a diamond is cleaner and more colorless, light travels through it freely, creating more brilliance, more sparkle, and that unmistakable diamond dazzle.
If you’ve ever wondered why some diamonds shine more than others, clarity and color are often the hidden reasons.
3. Timelessness and Wearability
The fewer flaws a diamond has, the better it will hold up over time. Inclusions, especially larger ones, can make a stone more fragile. Colorless stones also pair better with any metal setting; yellow gold, white gold, platinum, or rose gold.
So choosing a VVS EF diamond isn’t just about looks. It’s also about longevity.
Final Thoughts: It’s More Than Just Letters
It’s easy to get caught up in all the grading scales and acronyms, but at the end of the day, it comes down to how the diamond makes you feel.
VVS clarity and EF color aren’t just letters, they’re indicators of precision, of care, and of beauty that’s as close to flawless as nature, or science, can offer.
They mean you’re wearing something rare, something crafted with intention, and something made to last.
Whether you’re celebrating a milestone, honoring someone special, or just choosing a diamond that reflects your own personality, you deserve to be educated about what those letters actually mean.
Because when the diamond is this clear, your choice becomes just as clear, too.