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
The Argyle Diamond Mine was nestled in the remote eastern Kimberley region of Western Australia, a breathtaking 3,000 km from Perth, the state's capital. This area is a masterpiece of nature's artistry, with its rugged beauty, rocky red Earth, ancient gorges, and unique flora and fauna, all contributing to its unique allure.
It is a rare occurrence for all the geological stars to align, resulting in the formation of fancy-coloured diamonds. Yet they did, deep below the rugged terrain of the Matsu Ranges in Australia's East Kimberley region.
The Argyle mine was the location of the world's most prolific source of pink diamonds. Though pink diamonds accounted for just 1% of the discoveries at the mine, the output is believed to represent close to 90% of all pink diamonds ever found, with other lesser-known sources in India, South Africa, Canada and Brazil accounting for the remaining 10%. Following closure of the Argyle mine in 2020 the popularity of its pink diamonds skyrocketed as collectors sought to make investment purchases before supplies ran dry.
The Beauty of Imperfection
Pink diamonds are created deep within the Earth's surface, taking up to 1.8 billion years to form. They are highly coveted for their rarity, beauty, and unique colour, with fine examples often surpassing 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.
The Argyle mine closed in 2020, and when it did, the popularity of its pink diamonds skyrocketed as collectors sought to make investment purchases before supplies ran dry.
Cut For Colour
The perfect cut can further intensify nature’s ambitions, making the beauty of pink diamonds an exquisite combination of both science and art. The unique stress in the crystal structure that gives these stones their colour also gives them their Achilles heel: they are hard to cut and polish. The invisible stresses within the stone can lead to them shattering during cutting, making finished examples a testament to the skill of the stone cutters.
The Argyle Pink Jubilee
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.
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