Argyle Pink Diamonds: A Buyer's Guide

Argyle pink diamonds come from one place: the Argyle mine in the East Kimberley, Western Australia. The mine produced over 90% of the world's pink diamonds, and it closed on 3 November 2020. No new Argyle pinks are being mined, so every Argyle pink diamond on the market today is one that has already been cut.

That makes them special. It also makes it more important to understand what you're looking at before you buy. Here's what we walk people through at the counter.

How Argyle pink diamonds are graded

Argyle pinks carry their own colour code, which is different from the D to Z scale used for white diamonds. The code has two parts.

• A number from 1 to 9 describes intensity. The lower the number, the stronger the colour. A 1 is exceptionally deep and very rare; 7 to 9 is a soft blush.
• A letter code describes the hue. PP is purplish pink, P is pink, PR is pink rose (warmer), and PC is pink champagne (pink with a champagne undertone).

So a stone graded 6PP is a mid-strength purplish pink, while 9P is a light, clean pink. You'll also see "Fancy Light Pink" (FLP) on some pieces, a description that corresponds roughly with the lighter end of the scale. Clarity is graded separately, much as it is for white diamonds.

What should come with the piece

Ask what documentation comes with the diamond, and read it. Depending on the maker, that may be an Argyle certificate, a lot number, or the maker's own certificate card listing the stones. The pink diamonds in our Pink Kimberley and Ellendale pieces are documented this way, and the details are listed on each product page.

Check that the paperwork matches the piece in front of you: the number of pink stones, their total weight and their colour grade.

Size and price

Most Argyle pinks are small. In fine jewellery they are often set as accents of a few points each (a point is one hundredth of a carat), paired with white diamonds. A single pink diamond of a carat or more is rare and priced accordingly. Two pieces that look similar can differ a great deal in price because of the colour grade, so compare grades, not just size.

A note on value

You'll read a lot about Argyle pinks as an investment. We'd rather you buy one because you love it. Prices for coloured diamonds depend on the market, and no jeweller can promise what a piece will be worth in future. What we can do is make sure you know exactly what you're buying, and arrange an insurance valuation if you need one.

Seeing them in person

Pink diamonds change with the light, and photographs rarely do them justice. You're welcome to see our Argyle pink diamond pieces at the studio at Rovera Plaza, Shop 5, 23 Cotton Tree Parade, Cotton Tree, Maroochydore QLD 4558, Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:00pm, or on a Saturday by appointment. If you'd like a piece designed around a pink diamond, book a consultation or call us on 07 5443 1955.