The unique and patented eight-sided shape offers greater brilliance and sparkle due to the additional 24 facets, Zales officials said. Each facet increases the amount of light reflected through the top of the diamond, creating radiant brilliance. Pamela Romano, president of Zales Jewelers, described the Zales diamond as having "a truly breathtaking sparkle."

"The Zales diamond is a jewel that's been 76 years in the making and we're excited to debut it in all Zales stores this year," Romano said.

Each diamond comes with certification from the International Gemological Institute (IGI), which evaluates the color, cut, clarity and carat weight of a Zales diamond and provides an independent appraisal of every stone. The diamond's unique certification number is laser-inscribed on the stone.

In addition, GemEx Systems provides light performance analysis, which explains how well the Zales diamond reflects white light and colored light. Also, Gemprint certification furnishes an optical signature, or "fingerprint," by electronically scanning the diamond's individual reflective light patterns, then storing the information in a database in case of loss or theft.

"Buying a diamond is a major purchase, and we want our customers to feel they're getting a high-quality diamond with all the documentation to back it up," Romano said. "We want our customers to have complete confidence in their diamond purchase."

The Zales diamond is showcased in a wooden octagonal case with an engraved jeweler's loupe in a velvet pouch to inspect the certification number. Prices for the branded diamond begin at $2,999 for a half-carat stone and increase to $19,999 for a 2-carat diamond.

The Zales diamond can be purchased at any of the 2,300 Zales retail locations throughout the United States, Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico, or through the Zales.com Web site. For more information, visit Zales online at www.zalecorp.com.