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EGL and G.I.A. Gem Trade Laboratory issues a diamond grading report providing great details on the diamond and offers a diagram of characteristics or flaws. It is the fingerprint that uniquely identifies that particular diamond and which could be used later to verify that diamond.
Those who purchase diamonds with an EGL or a G.I.A. Diamond Grading Report will be assured that their diamond will not be a synthetic (man-made) or clarity enhanced (fractured filled) diamond. These are the two prevalent problems facing the consumer in this high-tech era. This is better than even an investment in South Lake Tahoe real estate.
  
 

Certified Quality Diamonds at the Lowest Price on the Planet Earth
   What Diamond.com does for you. Our purpose, our promise:
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During the early 18th century, Brazil gave rise to the cushion-shaped old-mine cut, a forerunner of the modern brilliant cut. Back at the turn of the century, Marcel Tolkowsky, a member of a large and powerful gemstone family, calculated the cuts necessary to create the ideal shape. As part of his PhD thesis in mathematics, Tolkowsky considered variables such as index of refraction and covalent bond angles to describe what has become known as the brilliant cut. This work, A Study of the Reflection and Refraction of Light in Diamond, described the best proportions of a round brilliant cut, which would provide a balanced return of light (brilliance) and dispersion. There are 58 facets in a Round Brilliant
round		 The Pear cut is a popular cut that looks like a tear drop. The Pear-shaped brilliant is a combination of a Round brilliant and a Marquise cut. This is a traditional cut which is perfect for pendants, drop earrings, and many other applications. This fancy-shaped diamond has a rounded end and a single point. Many who like the look of the Round but want a fancy shape alternative choose the pear-shaped diamond. In a pear, Diamond Nexus Labs demands a well-shaped head and even shoulders with a length-to-width ratio of 1.50-1.75. The length of the gemstone creates a slimming effect on the fingers. The Pear cut has 58 facets.
pear		 The Oval-shaped brilliant is very similar to a Round except it is elliptical. It was invented by Lazare Kaplan in the early 1960s. 'Shape appeal' is very important with Oval brilliants. The Oval cut is an elliptical shape when viewed from the top. The Oval cut to a ratio of the length to the width should be about 1.5:1. If it is much greater, you will see a dark area. This is commonly called a bow tie effect. If the ratio is much less then 1.5:1, the gemstone looks like a misshapen Round. A well cut Oval gemstone can be nearly as bright as a well-cut Round brilliant shape, the angles are closer to ideal for the maximum optical effect that well cut diamonds can produce. Ovals provide a bigger surface area than a round with the same carat weight and therefore are an excellent option for those looking for the brilliance of the round but a bigger size. The Oval brilliant cut has 58 facets.
oval		 The name came from a legend of the Marquise of Pompadour that the Sun King wanted a Diamond to be polished into the shape of the mouth of the Marquise. Light passes through the back of the gemstone due to the criticality of the angles needed to reflect the gemstone being too steep. The crown cut is sometimes modified in the Marquise to form what is called a 'French Tip' where the bezel facet at the point of the gemstone is eliminated. Diamond Nexus Labs stays in the sixty percent range for this lovely cut, and to avoid extremely thin girdles. The ideal ratio of length to width should be about twice the length as the gemstone is wide (2:1 aspect ratio). The Marquise brilliant contains 58 facets.
marquise		 The Emerald cut is rectangular with cut corners. It is a step cut as opposed to a brilliant cut. Step cuts are comprised of larger facets which act like mirrors. The facets are broad with flat planes resembling the steps of a stair. That's why it is referred to as a 'step' cut. Unlike the Marquise brilliant, there is no bow-tie effect on an Emerald cut. The Emerald cut looks like a rectangle from the top, with truncated corners. These are beautiful gemstones with stepped facets; the sheen tends to be large flashes of these stepped angles on the pavilion of the gemstone. Because of the angle, size and shape of the facets, the Emerald cut shows less brilliance and fire (dispersion) than the other brilliant cut diamonds. However, the Emerald cut gemstone reveals a classic beauty and elegance not seen in other cuts. The length-to-width ratios are 1.5:1 to 1.75:1. The Emerald cut has 58 facets.
emerald		 The Barion cut was the forerunner of the Princess cut. This was a style of cutting for square or rectangular gemstones, with extra and improved faceting, so as to obtain maximum brilliance from the jewel. It was invented by Basil Watermeyer from Johannesburg. The modern Princess cut, developed by Arpad Nagy of London in 1961, was a great improvement. The Princess cut has uncut corners. It is cut square rather than as a rectangle. The Princess cut tends to be the smallest of the shapes for the same carat weight since the cut is basically an upside-down pyramid with most of the carat weight in the pavilion. Brilliant-style refers to vertical direction crown and pavilion facets instead of step-style horizontal facets. It is effectively a square version of the Round brilliant cut, and is known technically as a square modified brilliant cut, rendering more sparkle because of the extra faceting. A Princess cut has 76 facets, giving it more brilliance and fire than the round brilliant.
princess		 The Radiant cut is a beautiful combination of the classic elegance of the Emerald cut and the sparkle of the Round Brilliant. The Radiant cut is similar to the Princess cut but projects a more rectangular outline and has blocked corners like those of an Emerald cut. The cutting is a combination of the step-cutting of the Emerald cut diamond with some triangular faceting of the Round Brilliant cut. The Radiant cut is dramatic as a solitaire but also looks great paired with side staging stones such as Baguettes, Trillions, or Princess shapes. A Radiant cut gemstone should be set with special prongs to hold the blocked corners securely.
radiant		 The Asscher cut diamond was developed in 1902 by the Asscher Brothers of Holland. It is a stepped square cut, often called the 'square emerald cut' and like an emerald cut, the Asscher has cropped corners. Until recently, very few stores carried Asscher cut diamonds. But the Asscher cut has rapidly gained popularity as it was featured on the television show 'Sex & and the City' and stars such as Kate Hudson have received Asscher-cuts as engagement rings. Due to the increased popularity, more and more stores are carrying this fashionable cut -- however, the range of diamonds tends to be smaller than for other more common cuts.
asscher		 The Trillion cut is a dazzling and versatile gemstone shape. One of the more unusual cuts, the Trillion displays a very sharp brilliance or fire when the gemstone is cut to the correct depth allowing good scintillation. Trillions are triangular in shape, usually with truncated corners, with a variety of facets. They can be used in earrings, solitaires, wedding bands, necklaces, bracelets, and pendants. Actually, the Trillion can replace the standard shape anywhere, adding its unique style, fire and brilliance to create excitement. Trillion have a more modern cut are based upon a brilliant style cut. The fire and beauty of this cut is spectacular. The Trillion cut has a large well-proportioned surface area. This feature results in a 'big look' as compared to the body weight of the other cuts. A one-carat Trillion jewel looks as large as a one-and-a-half carat Round gemstone. A Trillion cut is an equilateral triangle with 50 facets.
trilliant
For each of these diamond shapes, the ideal cut is the one giving off the greatest brilliance.
Ideal Cut loose diamonds are our specialty.
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Many jewelry stores and websites sell diamonds without showing the customer an independant certification so they can exaggerate the quality. This is especially true of diamonds set in rings since then it is hard to measure the carat weight, color and clarity. Then you paid way too much.

Diamond.com promises to ensure you receive precisely what’s been represented, all carefully documented, along with your beautiful new diamond. What better way to receive the diamond of your dreams. And since you've invested at a fraction of the price (you don’t have to pay the “middle man”), you can take pride in taking advantage of a great bargain.

Every diamond from Diamond.com comes with a GIA or EGL Grading Report (sometimes called a Certificate). Why is this important? You have the assurance from the diamond industry's most trusted resource that your diamond is genuine and exactly the one that you are investing in.

GIA Grading Report (old style)

GIA Diamond Grading Report™ serves as the international gem and jewelry industry's benchmark credentials.

GIA Diamond Grading Report

Beginning January 1, 2000, the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory issued a "new generation" of diamond grading report forms.

GIA Diamond Dossier

Many smaller diamonds are certified with the GIA Diamond Dossier® which does not have a needlepoint map, but these are always laser inscribed.
You know they sparkle and some have lots of fire. You know they're just about every girl's best friend. But what is it that makes diamonds so uniquely valuable? Diamonds are the very hardest natural substance that's known to mankind. That, along with their brilliance, have made diamonds the universal symbol of enduring love, like flowers in Santa Rosa.

In the year 1477, Austria's Archduke Maximilian as a sign of their engagement, presented a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy. He put it on the third finger of her left hand (probably because it fit nicely there) then took her to his lakefront south lake tahoe real estate lakefront house. She of course accepted his proposal of marriage, and the diamond engagement ring began a tradition.
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