The Journey of a Pink Diamond: From Mine to Masterpiece
The pink diamond story began around 1.3 billion years ago. And it’s a story that will be told over and over again, captivating generations to come.
Every pink diamond starts its life buried deep within the earth, and ends in exquisite pink diamond pieces that round up luxury, beauty and history all at once.
The mining process of pink diamonds
Natural beauties, found on our doorstep
Pink diamond mines: The journey begins
One of the rarest diamond colours, pink diamonds are found in a select few mines around the world.
Around 90% of the planet’s supply comes from the now-closed Argyle mine in East Kimberley, Western Australia. This region gifts us some of the world’s rarest pink diamonds, which are naturally more vibrant in colour than those found in other locations, such as Russia, South Africa, Brazil and Canada.
The Argyle mine is one of the industry’s most notable discoveries and a testament to what the land of Australia is capable of.
Extraction Techniques
Unearthing diamonds from the Argyle mine is a challenge in both size and complexity.
Pink diamond mining is carried out by alluvial methods, a form of mining that uncovers stones that have been transported by natural forces, such as water or wind.
In fact, a volcanic eruption that took place around 1.3 billion years ago is likely to be what brought the molten diamonds up from the earth’s mantle.
In 1985, the Argyle mine became an open pit mine, where rock was drilled and blasted before being loaded out by shovels and trucks. It moved underground in 2013 so diamonds more than 0.5km below the surface could be accessed.
The mine closed for good in November 2020.
Sustainability in pink diamond mining
While all mining is harmful to the environment, Australia’s modern diamond industry has taken steps to introduce more sustainable and socially responsible processes.
Today, all diamond mining has to follow regulations that protect the environment and the people working in the sector.
There’s also more clarity around the entire pink diamond lifecycle. From the moment a rough diamond is unearthed to the second it goes on sale, you can know exactly how your own special treasure made its way to you.
Pink diamond cutting & polishing
The composition of a pink diamond makes it difficult to cut. So, the polishing and cutting process has to call in exceptional talent, tools and techniques.
Thanks to their complicated structure, it takes around 3-4 times longer to cut a pink diamond compared to a white diamond. (It once took 8 polishers 20 months to cut one famous pink diamond, the Pink Star Diamond!)
Since the cutting process can either intensify or reduce the colour, experts have to carefully consider the shape and facets of a pink diamond. Skilled craftspeople use precision-cutting techniques to enhance the diamond’s brilliance, and they use specialised spinning wheels to cut the stones.
The creation of exquisite pink diamond pieces
A collaboration between diamond cutters, jewellery designers and craftspeople at Pink Kimberley.
1. Take a look at the pink diamond’s journey, from raw stone to one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery.
2. Rough stones are unearthed from the mines.
3. Gemologists carry out tests. They grade diamonds by colour, from very intense to light blush. They also look at any secondary colours, or “modifiers” present, which are usually orange, purple or brown.
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4. Skilled craftspeople carry out the pink diamond cutting and polishing process. They hide or remove inclusions, shape the diamond, and create facets to enhance its brilliance.
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5. Jewellery design takes place via computer-aided design (CAD) program that creates a 3D model.
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6. The perfect loose diamonds are chosen, along with the setting. Craftspeople use techniques such as casting or metalworking to shape the metal.
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6. Our skilled jewellers set the diamond. They may use a prong, bezel or channel setting, depending on the jewellery’s design and the size and shape of the diamond.
The rarity and value of Pink Diamonds
Value that goes beyond carat counting.
Only 0.1% of the world’s diamonds are coloured. Their beauty and rarity in nature make fancy-coloured diamonds, on the whole, highly sought-after.
Red diamonds are the rarest of all, with only 20-30 estimated to exist on the entire planet. They’re followed by blue diamonds and pink diamonds. Although comparable in rarity, pink diamonds tend to be more expensive than blue, because of a high demand for their romantic colour and the mystery that shrouds the formation of that colour.
What we do know is that a very specific set of events has to take place to achieve the colour of pink diamonds. Stones are subjected to the forces of colliding tectonic plates that twist their crystal lattices. Just the right amount of twisting creates pink stones. A little too much twisting and the stones turn brown.
The rarity of pink diamonds has become even more apparent since the closure of the Argyle mine shut off the source of 90% of the planet’s supply. Ongoing searches are in place to find new sources.
So, stone size aside, what factors influence the value of pink diamonds?
Colour - Hue and intensity
Clarity - More flawless diamonds are more valuable
Origin - Diamonds from certain regions are more highly prized
Rarity - Rare diamonds are more valuable
Demand - Like all markets, demand drives up price
Explore the exceptional journey of a pink diamond
Each pink diamond has its own incredible story to tell before it becomes a piece of jewellery you can wear.
At Pink Kimberley, we have access to the iconic pink diamonds that come from the Argyle mine. We’re proud to stock some of the world’s richest and most naturally beautiful pink diamonds.
Discover the newest pieces to complete the story of one of these precious gems.
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