The branding of unique diamond cuts for market differentiation continues as the diamond industry evolves to combat bad publicity from conflict diamonds and accomodate new mine sources. Last week the 13.42 carat “American Star” diamond stopped over in a Orinda, California jewelry store on its tour to drum up publicity for the EightStar Diamond Company. EightStar’s story begins with the invention of the “firescope” by a Japanese diamond merchant. Designed to measure how much light leaks out the wrong sides of a cut diamond, the firescope was not a popular tool as it clearly illustrates imperfections in many an expertly cut diamond. EightStar was founded to produce and market diamonds cut to such perfection that a firescope shows no leakage of light. The eight-rayed pattern revealed by the firescope on a perfect diamond inspired the company name. After initially concentrating on the Japanese market, EightStar began focusing its U.S. operations, sending American cutters to train in Japan and, after the conflict diamond issues arose, deciding to buy all their gems weighing under two carats from Canadian mines. They paid a visit to TechTV last year. Priced at $2.4 million, the American Star had no takers in Orinda, but publicity for scientifically perfect diamonds so near to Sili Valley can only help business.