Skip to main content
  • Services
  • Financing
Tena's Fine Diamonds & Jewelry
  • Diamonds
  • Engagement Rings
  • Watches
  • Jewelry
    • Engagement Rings
    • Rings
      • Sterling Silver & Other Metal Rings
      • Diamond Engagement Rings
      • Diamond Rings
      • Anniversary Bands
      • Ring Guards & Enhancers
      • Gents Rings
      • Semi-Mounts
      • Colored Stone Rings
      • Wedding Bands (Gold, Titanium & Tungsten & Other Rings Without Stones)
    • Earrings
      • Diamond Earrings
      • Colored Stone Earrings
      • Gold Earrings
      • Sterling Silver & Other Metals Earrings
    • Pendants
      • Colored Stone Pendants
      • Diamond Pendants
      • Sterling Silver & Other Metal Pendants/Necklaces
    • Necklaces
    • Cultured Pearl Jewelry
    • Bracelets
      • Diamond Bracelets
      • Colored Stone Bracelets
      • Gold Bracelets
      • Sterling Silver & Other Metal Bracelets
    • Other Jewelry
      • Gents Jewelry
      • Gold Pins
    • Charms
      • Sterling Silver Charms & Slides
      • Gold Charms & Slides
    • Watches
      • Ladies Watches
      • Men's Watches
    • Children's Jewelry
    • Sale Items
  • Designers
    • A. Jaffe
    • Add-A-Pearl
    • Allison Kaufman
    • Belle Etoile
    • Benchmark
    • Bulova
    • Charles Garnier Paris
    • Citizen
    • Colore | SG
    • Fana
    • Gabriel & Co
    • Gems One
    • Goldman Kolber
    • Honora
    • IDD
    • Imperial Pearls
    • John Hardy
    • Kaspar & Esh
    • Kendra Scott
    • Kiddie Kraft
    • Lafonn Jewelry
    • Leslie's
    • Midas
    • Overnight
    • Pandora
    • Raymond Weil
    • Rembrandt Charms
    • Romance Diamond
    • Royal Chain
    • Salisbury Fine Metal Artisans
    • Seiko
    • Shy Creation
    • Southern Gates
    • Stuller
    • Vahan
  • Estate Jewelry
  • About
    • About Us
    • Events
    • Social Media
    • Our Blog
    • Meet Our Staff
    • Reviews
    • Our Services
    • Create a Wish List
    • Financing
    • Jewelry Insurance
    • Pray for Rain
  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Diamonds

Learn About Diamonds

The Four Cs of Diamonds

Our Four C's of Diamonds guide can help you decide on the most important factors when shopping for a diamond.

  • Carat
  • Cut
  • Color
  • Clarity

The Carat Weight

The word carat derives from the word carob, a Mediterranean seed, which has an extremely consistent weight for measuring. The greater the carat weight, the rarer, and more valuable the diamond becomes. Five metric carats weighs exactly 1 gram.

Some people want the largest diamond possible. If size is a priority, we at Tena's Fine Diamonds and Jewelry can help you classify the proper cut, color and clarity to fit your budget economically, and fit your jewelry beautifully. Many of our engagement rings can fit diamonds up to 5.00 carats, but each ring has different size constraints based on its size and the type of setting. Prong settings can be manipulated to fit virtually any size diamond, but tension-set diamonds and bezel set diamonds have more limitations on size.

The Cut

The true definition of cut is the quality of the proportions and symmetry of the diamond. Your diamond's proportions make a vast difference on how brightly your diamond shines. An 'ideal cut' diamond is one that allows the maximum amount of light to return through the top of the diamond, which takes into consideration the depth, table size, crown height and angle, girdle thickness and more. Our diamond professionals will be happy to assist you in selecting the best diamond cut.

After a rough diamond is mined, it is evaluated to determine its best possible cut, in order to maintain the maximum clarity, color, and carat weight. The term 'cut' is often confused with diamond 'shape', such as round brilliant or princess cut.

Excellent

This is the rarest cut grade and reflects the most light.

Very Good

This cut grade reflects nearly as much light as an Excellent cut grade, but for a lower price.

Good

This cut grade reflects most of the light that enters the diamond, but not as much as a Very Good cut grade.

Fair

This cut grade may appear dull or even glassy, and is very inexpensive.

Poor

This cut grade is not carried by Tena's Fine Diamonds and Jewelry and is typically not recommended.

Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Not carried by Tena's Fine Diamonds and Jewelry

MORE DIAMONDS

The Color

Color is one of the more noticeable attributes of a diamond and has a heavy impact on the price of the stone. Diamonds range from colorless to yellow or light brown, and are sometimes found in a spectrum of fancy colors, including yellow, blue, and even red diamonds. The less color, the rarer the diamond. After 'Z' on the color scale, diamonds become fancy yellow, which cost more because of their rarity.

Z-N
M-K
Noticeable Color
J
I
H
G
Near Colorless
F
E
D
Colorless
Z-N
M-K
J
I
H
G
F
E
D
Noticeable Color
Near Colorless
Colorless

The Clarity

Diamonds are composed of mostly carbon. During the heating process, other elements become trapped inside, giving each diamond its own unique fingerprint. These inclusions help identify the clarity of your diamond. All diamonds are viewed through a 10x magnification lens by diamond graders.

Flawless

No inclusions or blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.

Internally Flawless

No inclusions and only blemishes are visible to a skilled grader.

Very Very Slightly Included

Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see.

Very Slightly Included

Inclusions are clearly visible but can be characterized as minor.

Slightly Included

Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader.

Included

Inclusions are obvious and may affect transparency and brilliance.

FFlawless
IFInternally Flawless
VVS1
VVS2
Very Very Slightly Included
VS1
VS2
Very Slightly Included
SI1
SI2
Slightly Included
I1
I2
I3
Included

MORE DIAMONDS

Shop Loose Diamonds

Athens Location
283 East Clayton Street
Athens, GA 30601
(706) 543-3473
Store Information
Elberton Location
6 S. Oliver Street
Elberton, GA 30635
(706) 283-9381
Store Information
Hartwell Location
14 N. Forest Avenue
Hartwell, GA 30643
(706) 376-2776
Store Information
Washington Location
13 W. Robert Toombs Avenue
Washington, GA 30673
(706) 678-2614
Store Information
Main Menu
  • Home
  • Diamonds
  • Engagement Rings
  • Jewelry Collections
  • Premium Collections
  • Premium Services
  • Contact
Brands
  • Gabriel & Co.
  • Hearts on Fire
  • John Hardy
  • Raymond Weil
  • Pandora
  • Southern Gates
  • Charles Garnier
  • Vahan
 
  • A. Jaffe
  • Imperial
  • Belle e'Toile
  • Royal Chain
  • Rembrandt
  • Bulova
  • Seiko
  • Kendra Scott
Subscribe

Enter your email to get notified about sales and new products.

FINANCING AND SPECIAL RATES AVAILABLE WITH APPROVED CREDIT

    © 2023 Tena's Fine Diamonds and Jewelry. All Rights Reserved. Website designed, maintained, and hosted by Punchmark. Accessibility Statement.