Pink Diamonds
Sourcing and Provenance
Few gemstones rival the extraordinary beauty and rarity of a pink diamond - formed over billions of years and once sourced almost exclusively from the now-closed Argyle Mine in Australia, each stone is a true natural wonder.
Pink Diamonds
Sourcing and Provenance
Few gemstones rival the extraordinary beauty and rarity of a pink diamond - formed over billions of years and once sourced almost exclusively from the now-closed Argyle Mine in Australia, each stone is a true natural wonder.
Pink Diamonds
Sourcing and Provenance
Few gemstones rival the extraordinary beauty and rarity of a pink diamond - formed over billions of years and once sourced almost exclusively from the now-closed Argyle Mine in Australia, each stone is a true natural wonder.
From Deep Within the Earth
The sacred birthplace of the renowned Argyle Pink Diamond is in a remote corner of Western Australia’s East Kimberley region, 3,040 kilometres from the city of Perth. Nestled amidst the iconic red terrain are ancient gorges, expansive waterways, and astonishing native flora and fauna. It is a landscape without comparison, and it was here that Argyle Pink Diamonds were first formed, under extreme temperatures and tremendous pressure more than 160 kilometres below the Earth’s surface.
Although the first Argyle Pink Diamond was only discovered in 1979, the diamonds themselves were born more than 1.6 billion years ago, forged under extreme conditions and pressure.
Although the first Argyle Pink Diamond was only discovered in 1979, the diamonds themselves were born more than 1.6 billion years ago, forged under extreme conditions and pressure.
The Argyle Diamond Mine
Prior to the 1980s, pink diamond production was sporadic, limited to small finds in India, Brazil, Africa, and Indonesia. Everything changed with the commencement of production at the Argyle Diamond Mine in 1983. Even then, less than 1% of its total output was pink, and of those, only 50 to 70 stones each year were considered exceptional enough to feature in the renowned Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender – one of the most exclusive diamond sales in the world. For stones over 1 carat, the annual production was small enough to fit into a single glass of champagne.
Mining here was a challenge of both size and complexity. Operations began with alluvial mining, moved to open-pit mining in 1985, and finally went underground in 2013 to access diamonds resting more than half a kilometre beneath the surface.
Mining here was a challenge of both size and complexity. Operations began with alluvial mining, moved to open-pit mining in 1985, and finally went underground in 2013 to access diamonds resting more than half a kilometre beneath the surface.
What makes pink diamonds so rare is how they are formed, which is still somewhat of a mystery. They’ve also only been found in certain places – really only Argyle in Australia – and there will never be another source, which makes them incredibly special. Not only are they some of the most beautiful and extraordinary stones in the world, they’re also investment pieces, with the value of pinks rising about 10–15% each year.
Jody Wainwright, Boodles Managing Director
Factors of Colour ~
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 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.
The more intense the colour, the rarer and more valuable the diamond.
Pink Colour Chart
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.
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.
The Pink Diamond Journey
The Mystery of Pinks
No one knows exactly why pink diamonds are pink. It’s believed to be due to a twisting within the stone as it formed – but quite why this results in their unique hue is still unclear. Many scientists attribute it to extreme underground pressure creating a phenomenon called “plastic deformation” – a process that causes the diamonds to reflect pink light. Most diamonds do not survive this process, turning out brown rather than pink, and those that do are often small or highly included.
Rarity
Pink diamonds are therefore quite literally a gift from nature, and fewer than 1 in 100,000 diamonds are pink. By nature of their complex molecular structure, pink diamonds take three to four times longer to polish than white diamonds.
Argyle Pinks
It is estimated that 90% of the world’s supply of pink diamonds came from the Argyle Mine prior to its closure in 2020. Boodles was honoured to be selected as part of the Argyle Select Atelier Programme in 2014, handpicking important pink diamonds directly from the mine before its closure. Most of these treasures have not yet been made into jewellery, leaving scope for many more extraordinary designs to come.
Provenance and Craftsmanship
From the moment they were unearthed, each Argyle Pink Diamond over 0.08cts was laser-inscribed with a unique lot number and accompanied by a report and provenance certificate, ensuring they could be traced directly from the Argyle Mine. This careful custodianship continued through the hands of the world’s finest diamond artisans, into the trusted network of suppliers, and finally into Boodles showrooms.
These diamonds can therefore be part of our ‘Peace of Mined’ collection, meaning we can trace the stones from the moment they are mined until their arrival in a Boodles showroom.
Exclusively at Boodles
At Boodles, we pride ourselves on being the definitive destination for pink diamonds worldwide. Our jewellery designs combine exceptional gemstones with intricate craftsmanship to create pieces that highlight the character of each stone - and, in doing so, tell their own unique story.
Explore Pink Diamond Designs
From delicate blush tones to vivid rose hues, each of our pink diamond creations is crafted to celebrate rarity and beauty. These exceptional designs showcase some of the rarest gemstones on earth – sourced from the now-closed Argyle Mine in Western Australia and handpicked by Boodles for their exceptional colour and character.
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