As a long-time advocate for people with disabilities, I have used the word “inclusion” innumerable times. It has been my life’s work to lend my voice to those who have no voice of their own, to encourage autonomy, self-determination, to teach effective, respectful communication so that people with disabilities can enjoy equal access to a greater quality of life. This has been achieved through authoring course curricula, public speaking, classroom instruction, activism, and blogging. I have given speeches on the steps of a state capital, and presented disability awareness workshops for corporate, community, and caregiver education. Throughout, I have brought attention to issues such as workplace diversity and societal access and inclusion. Today, though, I am going to use the word inclusion in a whole new way – as it applies to jewelry. Specifically, how the word inclusion is used to describe characteristics of gemstones.
Gemstones are produced under myriad conditions, whether heat, the presence of water, volcanic activity, pressure, and so on. As a result, a gemstone may be either compromised or enhanced by the presence of other minerals as the crystals form. A diamond, for example, is a gem that is subject to the most extreme conditions imaginable in order to become the glittering, coveted gem we know it to be. It is because of these extreme conditions that the vast majority of diamonds have flaws. these flaws are called inclusions.
An inclusion in a diamond is not necessarily a bad thing. inclusions can be so infinitesimal that they cannot be seen with the naked eye, in which case the diamonds are said to be “eye-clean.” Inclusions can serve as identifying marks, which can be useful when sorting or categorizing a stone. An inclusion can also help to determine a diamond’s authenticity, as truly flawless diamonds are so rare that most jewelers have never seen one. Inclusions can be tiny pinpoints, cavities, or cracks. They can be spots of carbon or other impurities that were present in the material as it was crystallizing. There may be any combination of inclusions that are large, microscopic, or found in quantity.
When an inclusion affects the structure of the diamond, for example, if it is a cavity or crack, this affects the quality. A diamond may be determined to be industrial grade, or unsuitable for jewelry, especially if the inclusion creates clouding or discoloration, or if the inclusion could interfere with the structural integrity of a stone, such as to cause fracturing or chipping. Since most diamond jewelry sold at retail is eye-clean, a ten times magnification instrument has typically been used to view inclusions. Today, technology has been introduced that enables both professionals and consumers to view a 360 degree hi resolution image of a diamond, so that every flaw can be seen.
There is a specific nomenclature associated with how inclusions in a diamond are recorded. The number of inclusions is identified with the number, 1, 2, etc. based upon how many are visible. A diamond can be included, slightly included, or very slightly included, and these variations are noted as I, S, or VS. If a diamond has one large inclusion, this might be represented by I1. Multiple inclusions that can be seen under magnification is graded as S2, or S3, depending upon how many are visible, of course. If a stone has a very tiny or microscopic inclusion, the stone may be graded as VVS 1, for “very very slightly included.” This basic explanation is only a small part of the way diamonds are graded, as the color, cut, and carat weight are also taken into consideration. As you may have already guessed, the type and number of inclusions in a diamond is indicative of the clarity of a gem, which is one of the “four C’s” of a diamond, the famous marketing scheme used by retailers to assist consumers in calculating the most diamond they can afford. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is one of the authorities of the gem world that has created a detailed grading system for gemologists and other jewelry professionals that can be complex and sophisticated, but available to any consumer who would like to know more about how to grade a diamond. You can go to the GIA web site here.
Because the determination of a gemstone quality can be just a bit subjective, you can see how a rating system is an important part of understanding the value of a gem. Diamonds are not the only stones that contain inclusions. In fact, many gems do, and some of the inclusions are actually a beautiful aspect of their character. For example, turquoise is often found along with the mineral copper, and a turquoise stone with visible flecks of copper throughout is gorgeous. Lapis Lazuli is prized for its highly saturated royal blue color, and sometimes it is found flecked with pyrite, which adds a bit of golden sparkle. In neither case does the presence of inclusions devalue the stone. On the other hand, it is so difficult to find emeralds with that iconic deep green hue, in part because a great deal of other mineral matter is prevalent throughout the gem that separating the gem material from the inclusions can sometimes result in very tiny specimens. It is the presence of the inclusions that turn an emerald green stone into one that can look almost black.
It’s amazing, isn’t it, that a word in one context can mean something utterly different in another context? The word “inclusion” is a perfect example. So, when shopping for gems, don’t forget to include questions about inclusions. It just goes to show that flaws can be beautiful! I say, be inclusive, include lots of gems in your jewelry collection, and sparkle on!
Laura