Natural pink diamonds are highly fascinating due to their rarity and breathtaking beauty. These coloured diamonds are magnificent additions to any collection, which is exactly why it’s no news that they also make an excellent investment, especially those with much rarer characteristics.
With their scarcity and the enigma surrounding their geological components, pink diamonds are the third-rarest variety of diamonds, after red and blue diamonds. The formation of the colour pink in pink diamonds has been the subject of numerous theories. With so much mystery surrounding the discovery and availability of these diamonds, keep reading to learn the origins and intricacies of these exquisite gems.
- Pink Diamonds: History And Source
There aren’t many mines in the world that produce this priceless stone. However, even in these mines, it takes tons of stone to extract just two or three pink diamonds due to their extreme rarity. India was the first nation in the world to manufacture pink diamonds, according to history. The pink gem was initially uncovered in Kollur Mine in Andhra Pradesh. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Brazil, India, and Borneo produced considerable quantities of pink diamonds; but today, they only generate a little of the gem.
However, since 1985, a large percentage of the world’s pink diamond source can be largely traced to Australia, specifically the Argyle Mine in Western Australia, which accounted for over 90% of all pink diamond production in the world prior to its closure. Despite the impressive percentile of diamond production, more than 80% of the diamonds mined at Argyle are brown, 16% are yellow, and 2% are white, while pink diamonds make up a minuscule fraction below 0.1%.
In addition to Australia, pink diamonds have been discovered in other nations in Africa, Asia, America, and Europe. Diamond-producing countries like Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Siberia, Canada, and Tanzania are also among the countries where these rare gems are still mined.
- Pink Diamonds: Famous Historical Pieces
Although a few pink diamonds have taken centre stage over the years, these four are among the most astonishing because of their size and uniqueness.
- The Daria-i-Noor: Also spelt Darya-ye Noor, this is the largest cut diamond in the world with a staggering 182 carats and is one of the most famous and exquisite pink diamonds of all time.
- The Star of the South: This magnificent light-pinkish-brown gemstone discovered in Brazil weighs 128.48 carats, although experts think it once weighed 254.5 carats at the time of discovery.
- The Noor-ul-Ain: This is a 60-carat brilliant-cut pink diamond, also known as the ‘light of the eye.’ This is thought to have been found in India’s Golconda mines.
- The Pink Star: Once known as the Steinmetz pink diamond, this is a massive 59.6-carat, oval-shaped, vibrant-pink diamond that was shaped and polished from a 132.5-carat raw diamond that was extracted from a South African mine. This fancy vivid-pink gem currently holds the record for the most costly gemstone sold at auction.
- Pink Diamonds: How Rare Are They?
A naturally fancy-coloured diamond is reportedly found in around 1 out of every 10,000 carats, which helps to put their rarity into perspective; alternatively, lab-grown diamonds Australia offer a sustainable and more available option. Hence, fancy-coloured diamonds make up about 0.01% of the total diamond supply. The majority of these fall under the category of more commonly used hues, such as yellow and champagne. The far more magnificent hues, such as pink, blue, and red, follow. To illustrate how rare pink diamonds are, just 1 carat out of every 1 million that the mine produces in raw diamonds is acceptable for sale.
- Pink Diamonds: Color Range
Pink diamonds are under the umbrella of ‘coloured diamonds,’ the collective term for all diamonds of any colour. Pink diamonds’ colour origins remain unknown, while we do know how coloured diamonds acquire their colour. For instance, yellow diamonds are coloured by nitrogen, blue diamonds are coloured by traces of boron, and green diamonds are tinted by the displacement of their carbon atoms. The most common theory of how pink diamonds are formed holds that when a diamond is pressed against the Earth’s surface, its structural flaw, which results in deformation, is what gives it its colour. As a result of this defect, the stone absorbs light differently and emits a pink tint.
Origins aside, pink diamonds are also graded for the intensity of the hue, which ranges from faint to very light, to light to fancy intense, to fancy deep to fancy vivid. As with other diamonds, the more intense the colour, the more expensive the product. As a result, a naturally pink diamond that is rated as fancy vivid pink and a rich pure pink colour is significantly more valuable than a fancy pink diamond. Additionally, secondary colours are frequently found in pink diamonds. Orange, brown, and purple are the most typical modifying hues. Most vendors would list their colours as orange pink, brown pink, and purple pink.
- Pink Diamonds: Market Value
Understanding a diamond’s value begins with grading it according to a carat, cut, clarity, and colour. The same goes for pink diamonds. However, no price list can state that an X-carat pink diamond would cost Y-amount, because no two pink diamonds are alike.
As stated earlier, pink diamonds, which may cost 20 times more than their white counterparts, are among the most precious coloured diamonds. The Argyle Mine estimates that the price of a one-carat pink diamond can range from $100,000 to $1 million depending on its form, cut, and clarity. Bear in mind that secondary colours can have a significant impact on both value and cost. For instance, a brown-pink variation is easier to find and maybe more reasonably priced, while a rarer purple-pink variation can cost more.
Concern over the availability of these gems has grown in recent years, leading to a rapid jump in demand and price. Every remaining piece’s value has climbed steadily, year after year, outperforming other investment ventures like real estate and securities considerably. Factors such as the closure of the Argyle Mine, which was the largest producer of pink diamonds, also contributed to the significant spike. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the appreciation will only keep growing as a result of the overwhelming demand.
Conclusion
Conclusively, pink diamonds are exquisite precious gemstones. They are actual collection pieces, not just pieces of jewellery, and they merit being shown because their worth will only rise over time. For astute investors, it also presents a great investment opportunity. After which, you can just sit back and watch as the value of your diamond asset rises.
