The Argyle Diamond Mine was located in a remote corner of Western Australia’s East Kimberley region, 3,040 kilometres from the state’s capital, Perth.
An ancient treasure, Argyle Pink Diamonds™ were created approximately 1.8 billion years ago, during the formation of the Nuna supercontinent. Deep beneath the Earth’s surface, the immense heat and pressure of the colliding continental plates caused a ‘twist’ in the crystal lattice of each Argyle Pink Diamond™, producing their iconic pink and red colours. When the Nuna supercontintent later broke apart, creating the extraordinary landscape of the now East Kimberley, the resultant volcanic eruptions brought these hidden jewels tantalisingly close to the surface.
The first Argyle Pink Diamond™ was then discovered in 1979, glinting on top of an anthill, a sparkling secret set among the red earth and expansive gorges of a remote wilderness.
The Argyle Diamond Mine remains one of the most significant diamond discoveries in history. Before production began at the mine in 1983, pink diamonds were found sporadically in India, Brazil, Africa and Indonesia. However, from the moment that operations began at Argyle, the mine became known for producing diamonds with a depth, range and intensity of colour unlike anything seen before.
“PINK DIAMONDS ARE AMONG THE MOST INTRIGUING AND HIGHLY VALUED GEMS IN THE WORLD, BOTH BECAUSE OF THEIR RICHNESS OF COLOUR AND THEIR RARITY.”
Dr James E. Shigley, Gemological Institute of America (GIA), 2009
Unearthing diamonds from the vastly remote Western Australian terrain was a challenge both in size and complexity. Established using alluvial mining methods, the Argyle Diamond Mine transitioned to an open pit mine in 1985, subsequently moving underground in 2013 in order to access diamonds resting more than 0.5 kilometres beneath the Earth’s surface.
The Argyle Diamond Mine celebrated its final day of mining on 3 November 2020. Work then commenced to carefully and respectfully rehabilitate the site in a process called closure execution. The principal works are scheduled to be completed in 2026, and will be followed by a projected monitoring and maintenance period of at least 10 years.
Hectares of land rehabilitated.
Tonnes of steel sent off site for recycling
Kilograms of seed collected for revegetation.
Argyle Pink Diamonds™ are coveted for their rarity and revered for their exquisite beauty. An entire year’s production of polished Argyle Pink Diamonds™ over one carat could fit in the palm of one’s hand. With the Argyle Diamond Mine ceasing operations in November 2020, and no other known source of comparable gems, Argyle Pink Diamonds™ have ascended to the realms of legend.
Beyond the exceptional aesthetic beauty of an Argyle Pink Diamond™, is an equally esteemed story of provenance.
Diligently tracked from the moment of discovery through to the completion of polishing, pursuant to an audited chain of custody programme, each Argyle Pink Diamond™ over eight points (0.08cts) was assigned a unique lot number by the mine. This unique identifier was laser inscribed on the diamond, visible only under magnification, and printed on accompanying documentation.
Together, the inscription and accompanying documentation provide an enduring means of authentication, tracing the diamond back to the Argyle Diamond Mine.
This provenance is an important part of what makes each Argyle Pink Diamond™ so distinctive, giving every stone its own documented identity and history.
Argyle Pink Diamonds™ were responsibly sourced under the standards of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), of which the operator of the Argyle Diamond Mine, Rio Tinto, was a founding member. In 2017, Argyle Pink Diamonds™ also received the Butterfly Mark accreditation from Positive Luxury, recognising its approach to sustainability and responsible practices across the supply chain.
Each polished Argyle Pink Diamond™ represents a momentous feat of nature, science and craftsmanship. By nature of their complex molecular structure, pink diamonds typically take up three to four times longer to polish than their white diamond equivalents.
For over three decades, the rarest pink, red and blue rough specimens above 0.20 carats were transformed into polished masterpieces at a state-of-the-art cutting and polishing facility operated by Argyle Pink Diamonds™ in Perth, Western Australia.
Steering this meticulous journey was a small group of master diamond artisans who applied their passion and mastery to bring to life each diamond’s innate beauty and exceptional brilliance. Once polished, each rare Argyle Pink Diamond™ was colour graded according to our internationally recognised and proprietary grading system.
