What E-F color and VS clarity mean on a pavé diamond charm

The diamonds on our charms are E to F color and VS clarity. In GIA's terms, E and F sit in the colorless range, and VS means very slightly included: the tiny marks inside are minor and seen only with effort under magnification. On a pavé charm, many small stones are matched, so the surface reads as even sparkle.

What the letters and numbers mean

Both are GIA's standard scales. GIA grades color by comparing a stone with master stones under controlled lighting. For clarity, it describes VS inclusions as seen with effort and characterizes them as minor. Many inclusions, it notes, are not visible to the naked eye. See GIA's pages on diamond color and diamond clarity, and its guide to the D-to-Z scale.

What pavé is

Pavé, from the French for paved, is a setting in which many small diamonds sit close together, held by tiny beads of metal. The stones cover the surface like a pavement, so the piece sparkles all over instead of from one center stone.

Many of our charms use it. The Glittering Hamsa Charm is covered in pavé diamonds, and the Guardian Scarab Charm is fully encrusted.

Why small stones are matched

On a pavé charm no single diamond is the point. What you see is the whole surface. If one stone looks warmer or cloudier than its neighbors, your eye finds it. This is why the stones are chosen for color and clarity together. Our craftsmanship page says stones for pavé and micro-pavé are selected and precisely matched for a consistent finish.

Color and clarity are two of the four Cs. The others are cut and carat weight. On small stones, cut and the quality of the setting do a great deal of the work, so the grades describe the stones, and the rest of the sparkle comes from how they are cut and set.

Natural or lab-grown

Our craftsmanship page says natural diamonds are standard across the collections, with lab-grown diamonds available upon request. If this matters to you, say so in the note for the goldsmith in the builder, or write to atelier@ilenejoy.com before you order.

Pavé charms, with live prices

Prices are for 14K yellow gold in Small, as of 19 October 2026. They follow the daily gold rate.

Some pieces carry only a few accent stones. The product page for each describes what is set.

How to read a pavé piece in a picture

1. Look for evenness. The sparkle should be uniform across the surface, with no patches that look duller.
2. Look at the edges. The metal that holds the stones should be neat and small.
3. Compare gold colors. Diamonds look slightly different in yellow, rose and white settings. In the builder you can change the metal of any charm and look again.
4. Remember what a preview is. The builder preview is "a creative visualization, not an exact representation." It shows color, size and placement. It does not show individual stones.

For how to tell fine jewelry from fashion jewelry, read fine vs fashion jewelry: how to tell. For what the gold itself is, read solid gold vs vermeil vs gold-filled vs plated and 14k or 18k: choosing your gold. For terms such as pavé and bail, see the charm jewelry glossary.

Put a pavé charm on a chain

1. Open Design your own and choose Design a necklace or Design a bracelet.
2. Pick a chain, a link weight and a gold, then tap a charm.
3. Drag it into place, change its size and gold, and look at the On model view.

Open the necklace builder or the bracelet builder, or read how to design your own charm necklace. We confirm every detail with you after you order. Each piece is made to order at our Los Angeles bench in 2 to 4 weeks.

About Ilene Joy

Ilene Joy has designed jewelry since 1996. Ilene designed jewelry for the last three seasons of Sex and the City, as WWD reported in February 2019. She relaunched the label that year with her daughter, Rae Scheer, and Vogue covered the launch. Zoë Kravitz, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Jennifer Lawrence, Sienna Miller, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Taylor Swift, Emily Blunt, Emily Ratajkowski and Candice Swanepoel have worn Ilene Joy: see who wears Ilene Joy. Every design you build is made to order at our Los Angeles bench in 2 to 4 weeks. More on who Ilene Joy is and the press coverage.