Updated 27 September 2026
VVS stands for very, very slightly included. It is one of the highest clarity grades a diamond can carry: its inclusions are so small that a trained grader struggles to find them at ten times magnification, and they are invisible to the eye. VVS1 is a touch cleaner than VVS2. Every Nivara diamond is VVS in clarity and E in colour.
What does VVS mean?
Almost every diamond, mined or lab grown, carries tiny traces of how it formed: pinpoints, feathers or specks of carbon, called inclusions. Clarity grades how many there are, how big, and how easy they are to see. VVS, very, very slightly included, is the grade for diamonds whose inclusions are so slight that a trained grader has difficulty finding them at ten times magnification. To the eye, a VVS diamond is simply clean.
Where VVS sits on the clarity scale
| Grade | Name | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| FL, IF | Flawless and internally flawless | Nothing inside the stone visible at 10x |
| VVS1, VVS2 | Very, very slightly included | Inclusions so slight a skilled grader struggles to find them at 10x |
| VS1, VS2 | Very slightly included | Minor inclusions visible at 10x, usually not to the eye |
| SI1, SI2 | Slightly included | Noticeable at 10x, sometimes visible to the eye |
| I1, I2, I3 | Included | Obvious at 10x, can affect brilliance |
Only flawless and internally flawless sit above VVS, and those grades are rare in any diamond.
VVS1 vs VVS2: can you see the difference?
No, not without a loupe. VVS1 inclusions are extremely difficult to see at ten times magnification; VVS2 inclusions are very difficult. The distinction matters to a grader, who is judging the size, number and position of pinpoints. Worn on a hand, a VVS1 and a VVS2 diamond look identical.
VVS or VS: what changes?
VS diamonds have minor inclusions that are usually invisible to the eye in smaller stones. They can start to show in larger diamonds, and in step cuts like emerald and asscher, whose long open facets act like a window into the stone. VVS takes the question away at any size and any shape. It is one reason we chose it as our single standard.
Does clarity change how a diamond sparkles?
Not at VVS. Sparkle comes mostly from cut: the angles and proportions that decide how light enters a diamond and returns to your eye. Clarity only dulls a diamond when inclusions are large enough to block light, which happens in the lowest grades. That is why every Nivara diamond is ideal cut as well as VVS, and ships with a light performance report that measures its brightness, fire and contrast.
You will also see VVS used for other stones
Clarity grades were written for diamonds, but the letters are now used loosely for other stones too, including moissanite. The grade that counts is the one on an independent report for a diamond. Check the report number on igi.org, and match it to the number laser inscribed on the stone. Our guide to reading and verifying an IGI certificate shows how.
The Nivara standard: VVS E, on every diamond
At Nivara there is one standard and every diamond meets it: VVS clarity, E colour, ideal cut, chosen by our gemologists and IGI certified. There is no lower tier. A Nivara VVS E diamond is ₹50,000 per carat, with the gold and setting added, the same for everyone. The price guide shows how it adds up.
Amara six prong solitaire, from around ₹1,47,500. A round solitaire in six prongs on a band set with diamonds, 1.84 carat in all, every stone VVS E.
Thea Sunmist solitaire studs, from around ₹79,000. Two round solitaires with 1.06 carat between them, VVS E.
See solitaires, or book a private viewing and look at a VVS diamond under a loupe yourself.
To see these ideas in real pieces, browse our lab grown diamond jewellery, all made in 14K or 18K gold with IGI certified diamonds.
What comes with every piece
- One diamond standard, whatever the budget: VVS clarity, E colour, ideal cut.
- IGI certification, and on solitaires the report number laser inscribed on the stone, so the paper and the diamond are one.
- 14k or 18k BIS hallmarked gold.
- A lifetime exchange at 100% of the current gold and diamond value, and a lifetime buyback at 100% gold and 85% diamond value.
- Lifetime polishing, cleaning and prong tightening, for as long as the piece is worn.
Clarity is half the standard; for the other half, see our diamond colour chart, D to Z.
Frequently asked questions
What does VVS mean in diamonds?
VVS means very, very slightly included. It is a clarity grade for diamonds whose tiny inclusions are difficult for a trained grader to see even at ten times magnification, and invisible to the naked eye. It sits just below flawless and internally flawless on the clarity scale.
Is VVS1 better than VVS2?
VVS1 is graded slightly higher than VVS2, because its inclusions are even harder to find at ten times magnification. The difference exists only under a grader's loupe; to the eye, VVS1 and VVS2 diamonds look the same. Both are among the cleanest diamonds you can buy.
Can you see inclusions in a VVS diamond?
No, not with the naked eye. VVS inclusions are pinpoint sized and difficult to locate even for a trained grader at ten times magnification. That is why VVS diamonds look perfectly clean in any light, whatever the shape or size of the stone.
Is a VVS diamond better than a VS diamond?
A VVS diamond is cleaner. VS diamonds have minor inclusions that are usually invisible to the eye in smaller stones, but they can show in larger stones and in step cuts like emerald and asscher, whose open facets reveal more. VVS removes the question at any size. Every Nivara diamond is VVS.
Are all lab grown diamonds VVS?
No. Lab grown diamonds are graded on the same clarity scale as mined diamonds and come in every grade, from flawless to included. Nivara uses one standard for every diamond it sets: VVS clarity, E colour, ideal cut, each IGI certified.
