“IN ANOTHER DECADE THE ARGYLE PINK DIAMOND™ WILL EMERGE AS THE NEW FABERGÉ EGG, THE THING JEWELLERY MYTHS ARE MADE OF.”
Vivienne Becker, International Jewellery Historian, 2015
From the moment that they were first unearthed in Western Australia in 1983, Argyle Pink Diamonds™ have been recognised for their breathtaking beauty – and for their extraordinary rarity.
Of approximately 15 million carats of rough diamonds produced at the Argyle Diamond Mine each year, less than 1% were pink. The mine accounted for more than 90% of the world’s supply of pink diamonds. With the mine now closed, and no other known source consistently producing diamonds of the same spectrum of colour, Argyle Pink Diamonds ™ remain among the rarest diamonds in the world.
No other mine in history has produced diamonds with the depth and intensity of colour seen at the iconic Argyle Diamond Mine. From soft pinks and vivid reds, to rare blue-violet hues, Argyle Diamonds™ reflect the rich colours of the spectacular sunsets and landscapes of Western Australia’s remote East Kimberly region.
Of all diamond colours, pinks are the most intriguing. Unlike other coloured diamonds, the phenomena of pink diamonds is yet to be discovered.
One of world’s greatest mysteries, it is thought that the colour is created by a twist within the atomic lattice during formation, the result of immense heat and pressure beneath the Earth’s surface - a fabulous fluke of nature.
Seldom seen, but of equal wonder, are the mesmerising blue-violet Argyle Diamonds™. A testament to their extraordinary rarity, only a handful were ever presented in the history of the Argyle Pink Diamonds Signature Tender™.
The Argyle Diamond Mine is the only known source of hydrogen-rich violet stones and the uniquely potent cornflower hues.
Red is revered as the ultimate colour for an Argyle Pink Diamond™, with just 35 diamonds presented with this grade in the history of the Argyle Pink Diamonds Signature Tender™.
Past Red Tender diamonds have achieved iconic status in the global diamond industry. Some have been set into priceless pieces of jewellery and given as a gift of love, while others remain unset, preserved in their purest state as cherished collectables and heirlooms.
Their value is determined by three factors including hue, tone and saturation.
Hue is the dominant colour of the diamond. Sometimes there are modifying colours or tints that affect hue. For example, a Purplish Pink graded diamond has the dominant colour of pink with the modifying tint of purple.
Tone is the amount of lightness or darkness in the diamond. The range of tone extends from light to dark.
Saturation refers to the strength or intensity of the colour. It ranges from light pastel shades through to intense and vivid colours. The more intense or saturated the colour, the rarer and more valuable the diamond.
So unique is the colour palette of Argyle Pink Diamonds™, that a proprietary colour grading system was created by the company’s team of expert graders in the early 1980’s. This internationally recognised system is used to assess the diamonds based on hue (dominant colour) and saturation (strength or intensity of hue)..
After in-house grading, each Argyle Pink Diamonds™ Tender diamond is submitted to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) for grading. The GIA grades pink diamonds by both colour and clarity, with colour categories ranging from Faint Pink through to the rarest colours such as Fancy Deep Pink and Fancy Red.
Please note: As each Argyle Pink Diamond™ is unique, the images shown are representatives of a range, and the colour will vary within the categories. Please refer to the Additional APD Colour Grades ListingAdditional APD Colour Grades Listing for colours not represented on this colour chart.
