VVS2 Clarity Diamond Guide: What It Means, How It Looks and What It Costs

What does VVS2 clarity mean in a diamond?

Clarity is the grade for how free a diamond is of internal features, called inclusions, and surface marks, called blemishes. It is one of the four grading factors set out in our guide to the 4Cs of diamond grading. VVS2 stands for Very, Very Slightly Included, level 2. Under GIA's definitions, inclusions in a VVS diamond are so slight that a skilled grader finds them difficult to see at 10x magnification. At VVS1 they are extremely difficult to see; at VVS2 they are very difficult to see.

That 10x figure is the standard. Graders use a loupe (a small hand magnifier) or a microscope set to ten times magnification, and a feature that can only be found at higher power does not count towards the grade. So a VVS2 grade tells you that a trained person, with good light and the right tool, had to search for what is inside the stone. Nobody finds it with the naked eye.

Typical VVS2 inclusions are tiny pinpoints (minute crystals that look like specks of light), a faint cloud (a cluster of pinpoints), a very short needle, a small feather (a hairline internal break) near the girdle, or a little internal graining. Graders weigh five factors for each feature: size, number, position, nature and relief (how much it contrasts with the diamond around it). A single pinpoint under the table, the large flat facet on top, can push a stone from VVS1 to VVS2, while the same pinpoint tucked near the girdle might not.

For the full ladder and how graders decide between neighbouring grades, see clarity grades from FL to I3, explained. Words like feather, cloud and girdle are also defined in our A–Z jewellery glossary.

Where does VVS2 sit on the GIA clarity scale?

GIA's scale has 11 grades in six groups. VVS2 is the lower of the two VVS grades, which puts it firmly in the top tier but still a clear step short of flawless. This table shows what a grader sees at each level, and whether you would ever notice it yourself.

One step above sits VVS1, the grade one step cleaner, and above that the rare flawless and internally flawless grades. Below VVS2 come VS1 clarity, the next grade down and VS2, the most widely chosen eye-clean grade, then the SI grades, including SI2, where eye-cleanness depends on the individual stone, and finally the included grades, I1 to I3.

Grading involves judgement. Two labs, or two graders at the same lab, can place a borderline stone at VVS2 or at VS1. That is one reason to rely on an independent report from a lab such as GIA or IGI, and to read the plotting diagram (the map of inclusions on the report) rather than the grade alone.

Can you see inclusions in a VVS2 diamond?

No. At a normal viewing distance of about 25–30 cm, a VVS2 diamond looks exactly like a flawless one. It also looks the same as a VS1 and, in brilliant cuts, almost every VS2. Put a VVS2 and a VS2 of the same cut and colour side by side on a tray and most people, including many people in the trade, cannot pick which is which without a loupe.

Clarity at this level has no effect on sparkle either. Inclusions this small are far too tiny to block or scatter light in any way you could notice. Brilliance (white light returned to your eye), fire (flashes of colour) and scintillation (the sparkle as the stone moves) come from the cut proportions. A well-cut VS2 will outshine a poorly cut VVS2 every time.

Even under a loupe, VVS2 inclusions take some finding. They are often easier to see from the pavilion (the underside) than through the crown, and a grader may need to tilt the stone and work through reflections before spotting a pinpoint. The plotting diagram on the report shows you where to look, usually as small red or green marks.

VVS1 vs VVS2 vs VS1: what is the real difference?

The grades either side of VVS2 differ mainly in how hard a grader works to find the inclusions, not in anything you can see. This comparison puts the four neighbouring grades side by side, using a 1 carat round brilliant as the reference.

Between VVS1 and VVS2 the difference is often just position: the same tiny pinpoint might be graded VVS1 if it is only visible from the pavilion and VVS2 if it shows through the crown. Between VVS2 and VS1, the inclusions are a little larger or more numerous, but still nowhere near visible. For most buyers the meaningful line is lower down, between VS2 and SI1, where an inclusion can start to show in some shapes.

Does a VVS2 diamond look different in different shapes?

Shape matters a great deal for clarity, but it matters most at the lower grades. Brilliant cuts (round, oval, pear, cushion and similar) have many small triangular and kite-shaped facets that break light into busy patterns and hide small inclusions well. Step cuts (emerald and Asscher) have long, parallel facets and a large open table, often described as a hall-of-mirrors look, and that clear window shows inclusions far more readily.

A VVS2 emerald cut diamond is one of the few cases where the higher grade does something for you, because you can be confident nothing will appear in that open table, whatever the light. Our clarity advice for Asscher cuts goes into step-cut inclusions in detail, and the colour and clarity pairings for every shape page sets out sensible grades shape by shape.

Do not confuse the emerald cut with the emerald gemstone. Emeralds are expected to contain inclusions and are graded quite differently; that is covered in how emerald inclusions and oiling work.

What colour and metal suit a VVS2 clarity diamond?

Colour is far easier to see than clarity. A one-grade drop in colour can sometimes be noticed side by side; a one-grade drop from VVS2 to VS1 cannot. So if you are paying for VVS2, it usually makes sense for the colour to be in a similar top tier, otherwise you are spending on a quality nobody will see while accepting one that people might.

• Platinum or white gold: D–F colour pairs naturally with VVS2 for an all-round top-tier stone; G–H is a sensible balance.
• Yellow or rose gold: the warm metal makes I–J colour look white, so a VVS2 grade adds little; VS1–VS2 is the usual partner.
• Step cuts in white metal: F–G colour with VVS2 or VS1 keeps the open table clean and bright.
• Larger stones (2 ct+): inclusions are physically bigger at any grade, so VVS2 or VS1 adds a margin of safety.

Our page on whether to put colour or clarity first explains the trade-off with examples at each budget.

Clarity does not change how a diamond should be set. A VVS2 still needs claws or a bezel suited to its shape, such as a V-claw on a pear or heart point. Claws can hide an inclusion near the girdle, which is a useful trick at SI grades but makes no practical difference at VVS2.

How much does a VVS2 clarity diamond cost in Australia?

For natural diamonds, each step up the clarity scale adds to the price, and the jump from VS2 to VVS2 is commonly somewhere around 10–30% at the same carat, colour and cut. The step grows with size and with top colours, because large, clean, colourless natural stones are the rarest combination of all. These ranges give a broad idea for a 1 carat round.

These are approximate ranges only; prices move with the market and with the exact stone. Lab-grown diamonds cost much less than natural at every grade, and the gap between clarity grades is much smaller, often a few hundred dollars, because the growing process produces a high share of clean stones. That changes the maths: a VVS2 lab-grown diamond can be a small upgrade, whereas a VVS2 natural diamond is a real step in budget.

Are lab-grown VVS2 diamonds common?

Yes. Lab-grown diamonds are real diamond, with the same hardness (10 on the Mohs scale) and refractive index (about 2.42) as natural, but grown in a laboratory rather than mined. They are made by two main methods: HPHT (high pressure, high temperature) and CVD (chemical vapour deposition). A large share of lab-grown stones on the market grade in the VVS and VS range.

Their inclusions look different from natural ones. HPHT stones can contain small metallic flux inclusions left from the growth process, and CVD stones can show dark pinpoints of non-diamond carbon or faint growth lines. At VVS2 these are just as hard to find at 10x as a natural pinpoint. Our page on the clarity grades lab-grown diamonds usually reach explains what to expect from each method.

Most lab-grown diamonds sold in Australia come with IGI reports, which state that the stone is laboratory-grown and often note the growth method and any post-growth treatment. Reporting styles for lab-grown stones differ between labs, so compare reports from the same lab where you can.

Clarity enhancement is rare at this level. Treatments such as laser drilling and fracture filling are used on lower-grade stones to hide or lighten visible inclusions; see how laser drilling and fracture filling work. Any treatment must be disclosed; laser drilling is noted on a grading report, and GIA will not grade fracture-filled diamonds.

When is VVS2 clarity the smart pick?

Raj's view across the counter is simple: VVS2 is never a bad grade, but it is not always good value. It is the smart pick when the extra clarity either protects something you can see or costs very little.

• Step cuts: emerald and Asscher cuts from about 1.5 ct, where the open table leaves nowhere for an inclusion to hide.
• Top colours: D–F stones in platinum or white gold, where a matching top-tier clarity keeps the stone consistent.
• Larger stones: 2 ct and above, where inclusions are physically larger at any grade.
• Lab-grown diamonds: when the step from VS2 to VVS2 is only a small amount.
• Peace of mind: if you know you will look at your diamond under a loupe, or simply want a stone that is clean under scrutiny.

It is usually not the smart pick for a natural round or oval under about 1.5 ct, for a warm I–J stone in yellow gold, or on a tight budget where the same money could buy a better cut or a larger stone. Our deeper look at whether VVS clarity is worth the extra cost runs through real comparisons.

How do you check a VVS2 diamond before you buy?

1. Read the report. Confirm the clarity grade, the lab (GIA or IGI), and whether the diamond is natural or lab-grown.
2. Check the plot. Look at the plotting diagram and the key to symbols, and note where each inclusion sits.
3. Compare with the grade below. View the VVS2 beside a VS1 or VS2 of the same shape and colour, and decide whether you can see any difference.
4. Weigh up the price step. Work out the dollar difference to the next grade down and what that money could do for cut or carat.
5. Check for treatments. Make sure the report shows no clarity enhancement, and for lab-grown stones note any post-growth treatment.
6. Prioritise cut. Choose an excellent or ideal cut first; clarity at this level will not make up for weak proportions.