Revered the world over for their captivating palette, pink diamonds are as scarce as they are sought after.
For almost four decades, the Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia has been the virtual sole source of the world’s supply of rare pink diamonds, yet this precious yield accounted for less than 1% of the mine’s total production. Having exhausted economic production, the Argyle Diamond Mine unearthed the very last of its spectacular bounty on November 3, 2020. This momentous event shines focus on the absolute rarity of Argyle’s iconic Tender diamonds, of which around less than 100 remain to be showcased in the final Argyle Pink Diamonds Tenders. It is this truly limited supply that underscores the unique prestige of an Argyle pink diamond.
No other mine in the world has produced diamonds with a depth and intensity of colour than the Argyle Diamond Mine. The diamonds unearthed here reflect the full range of hues found in the vivid and colourfully saturated sunsets and landscapes of Western Australia’s east Kimberley 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 Earth’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 equally intriguing are the mesmerising blue and violet diamonds that range in colour from serene pools of lilac to vibrant cornflower blue and electrifying flashes of violet. A testament to their extraordinary rarity, but a handful have been presented in the last three decades of the Argyle Pink Diamonds 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 grade for an Argyle pink diamond, with just 35 diamonds in the history of the Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender having achieved this coveted colour grading.
Past Red Tender diamonds have gone on to claim iconic reputations in the global diamond industry. Some have been set into priceless pieces of jewellery and given as a gift of love, while others sit in vaults as investments or cherished heirlooms.
While white diamonds are evaluated using clarity and carat weight, the main considerations for Argyle pink diamonds are colour and cut. 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 modifier of purple.
Tone is the amount of lightness or darkness in the diamond. The range of tone extends from light to dark.
Saturation is the strength or intensity of the hue. The saturation of light in diamonds can vary from the light pastel to intense and vivid. 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 the 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.
White
9pp
8pp
7pp
6pp
5pp
4pp
3pp
2pp
1pp
White
9p
8p
7p
6p
5p
4p
3p
2p
1p
White
9pr
8pr
7pr
6pr
5pr
4pr
3pr
2pr
1pr
PC1
PC2
PC3
BL1
BL2
BL3
Purplish Red
Red
Please note: As each Argyle pink diamond is unique, the images shown are representative of a range and the colour will vary within the categories. Please refer to the Additional APD Colour Grades Listing for colours not represented on this colour chart.
