Australian Pink Diamonds from the Argyle Mine
Australian pink diamonds from the argyle mine are the rarest and most sort after diamonds in the world!
The Argyle Mine
The Argyle mine situated in the Kimberley region in Western Australia was opened in 1983 and operated for 37 years before its’ closure at the end of 2020. During this time more than 865 million carats of rough diamonds were produced despite 90% of the world’s supply of pink diamond’s coming out of the Argyle mine, surprisingly only 1% of the mine’s output was pink. The Argyle mine was the largest supplier of natural-coloured diamonds – including white, champagne, cognac, blue, violet, and the highly-coveted pink & red diamonds.
Pink diamonds can be found in other countries like India, Canada, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa however they do not come close to the colour and beauty of an Australian pink diamond from the Argyle Mine. Since the closure of the Argyle Mine, the pink diamond has become one of the rarest and most sort after natural wonders of the world.
Once closure of the mine has finished, the land will be returned to the traditional owners as the custodians of country, for activities such as cattle grazing, tourism, cultural use, agriculture, and native food production.
Important Factors: Hue, Tone and Saturation
Hue is the dominant colour of the diamond; tone is the amount of light or darkness in the diamond; and saturation is the strength of the hue. The more intense the colour, the rare and valuable the diamond.
For fancy-coloured diamonds, the ‘C’ for colour typically outweighs the other three ‘Cs’ of clarity, cut and carat weight when it comes to grading and value, particularly in the case of pink diamonds, whose value increases along with the intensity of colour.
The presence of colour in pink diamonds remains a mystery, but it is certain that it is not derived from a predominant trace element or impurity. In the case of Australian pink diamonds from the Argyle Mine, it is thought that extraordinary pressure more than 160 kilometres below ground raised the diamonds to the surface and it has been proven that the twist in the crystal lattice is present in all pink diamonds, refracting light and producing colour. Levels of nitrogen also are important, with lower levels favouring pink colours.
Fancy red is the most coveted colour and only a handful ever see the light of day. Less than 3% of all tender diamonds have received a Red GIA classification
While clarity and carat weight ordinarily impact on the value of white diamonds, these characteristics are less of a consideration in the value determination of pink diamonds, with the focus instead being on colour and cut.
Every pink diamond that is 0.15 carat or greater is laser-inscribed with a unique identification number visible only under magnification and is issued with a gem identification and authenticity document.
Are Pink Diamonds an Investment?
We are often asked if diamonds are a worthwhile investment, and in the case of Australian pink diamonds from the Argyle Mine, the answer is yes. Due to closure of the Argyle Mine in 2020, the supply of their pink diamonds has begun to decrease meaning that demand has skyrocketed.
The My Jewellery Shop Range
We have a beautiful selection available online & in-store of ready-to-wear pink diamond rings, earrings and necklaces.
We specialise in custom designs and have helped many clients source and set their loose pink diamonds into bespoke designs.