Argyle Coloured Diamonds
The mysterious beauty of pink diamonds is a captivating pleasure that will only be known by a select few. This is especially true now that the Argyle mine – the world's leading source of pink diamonds, has been exhausted. So, should the opportunity arise to see one, take it.
An Odyssey In The Outback
In the late 1980s, encouraging soil samples prompted geologists to search for diamond mines in North West Australia. After a decade of exploring kimberlite sites, they finally discovered the Argyle mines.
Located in the remote eastern Kimberley region, the Argyle mines are approximately 3,040 kilometres from Perth, the capital of Western Australia. This area is a masterpiece of nature, characterised by its rugged beauty, rocky red Earth, ancient gorges, and unique flora and fauna, all of which contribute to its captivating allure.
It is a rare occurrence for all the geological stars to align, resulting in the formation of fancy-coloured diamonds. However, this rare alignment did occur deep beneath the Matsu Ranges' rugged terrain.
The Argyle Diamond Mine remains one of history’s most important diamond discoveries, supplying approximately 90% of the world’s pink diamonds. Before the 1980s, the production of pink diamonds was sporadic and limited to regions such as India, Brazil, Africa, and Indonesia. From the commencement of production in 1983, the mine enthralled the world by producing diamonds with a depth, range and intensity of colour never seen before or since.
Only 0.1% of the twenty million carats of rough diamonds produced annually is pink, and an entire year’s worth of production of these pink treasures weighing over half a carat would fit in the palm of your hand. The mine closed in 2020, reducing the supply of pink diamonds significantly.
The Argyle Pink Jubilee
The first Argyle Pink Diamond was discovered in 1979, glinting atop an anthill. A gift of nature, this ageless treasure offered a glimpse into the ancient origins of the land.
The most famous pink diamond produced by the Argyle mine is the 'Pink Jubilee', discovered in 2012. It is the largest rough pink diamond ever found in Australia, weighing in at a hefty 12.76 carats in its rough state. The diamond was cut in Perth into an 8.01 ct Oval and found to have a major internal fault line (gletz). The owners, Rio Tinto, decided not to divide it into several smaller stones for sale but to preserve it uniquely to enjoy. They donated the stone to the Melbourne Museum, where it is on permanent display.
The Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender
To effectively market pink diamonds, Argyle adopted an innovative strategy: they selected the year's finest stones and offered them to a select group of industry members through an event known as a Tender. The inaugural Tender took place in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1985 and featured 33 diamonds with a total weight of approximately 18 carats. From 1986 to 1992, Geneva was introduced as a second location for viewing the Tender diamonds. As public interest in these diamonds grew over the years, additional cities also began to participate in the viewing events.
Since that first Tender in 1985, GIA has had the privilege of grading these rare stones.
The Beauty of Imperfection
Pink diamonds are created deep within the Earth's surface, taking up to 1.6 billion years to form. They are forged under extreme temperatures and tremendous pressure, more than 160 kilometres below the Earth's surface. Due to their rarity, beauty, and distinctive colour, pink diamonds are highly sought after, with fine examples often exceeding the value of white diamonds.
As a diamond forms and moves through the kimberlite deposit, the primary diamond source, its crystal lattice structure can become deformed. This deformation leads to the displacement of atoms, which means as all light colours pass through the stone, they are absorbed, save for pink, giving the stone its unique colour.
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