Ultimate guide to
Fancy Pink Diamonds
What are Pink Diamonds?
Natural pink diamonds are one of the rarest and most desirable Fancy Coloured Diamonds. They make up for only 0,0001% of all coloured diamonds, and the interest surrounding them, along with the price, constantly rise. Pink diamonds are also one of the most expensive coloured diamonds, thanks to their exceptional appearance and uniqueness.
They can be bought both in a form of loose diamonds for investment purposes, as well as in luxury jewellery - often as an engagement ring thanks to their romantic colour and magnificence.
The origin of Pink Diamonds
Pink diamonds, unlike other fancy coloured diamonds, are not formed as a result of impurities content in the carbon-composed diamond’s crystal lattice. The exact cause of their origin is not known. It is believed, however, that the pink colour creation occurs when a diamond is subjected to massive stress within the Earth. Such phenomenon causes distortion in the crystal lattice, which as a result of weak red light transmission, makes the diamond appear pink.
Australian Argyle Pink Diamonds
The Argyle mine in southwestern Australia was one of the largest diamond mines in the world, accounting for around 20% of the world's diamond supply. During its operation, 865 million carats of diamonds were mined there, of which only 0.1% were pink diamonds.
Before its existence, pink diamonds were found in Brazil and Africa. However, the intense colour, shades range and the constant supply of these stones from the Australian mine delighted market participants and gemologists. Mine owner, Rio Tinto, estimates that the price of the Argyle Pink Diamond has increased by 500 per cent in the past 20 years.
The closing of the mine in 2020 has made Argyle Pink Diamonds extremely rare and increasingly coveted by collectors and investors from around the world.
Pink diamonds as an investment
Coloured diamonds are not only a decoration but are also one of the safest ways of investment.
Pink diamonds, as one of the most expensive and most desirable coloured diamonds, make therefore for the best investment among the Fancy Coloured Diamonds family. Over the past 10 years, pink diamonds’ value has been constantly increasing by an average of 13.8% per year.
As previously mentioned, the most valuable pink diamonds are the Argyle Pink diamonds. Due to the Australian mine's closing, their availability on the market will be significantly limited, which over time may lead to even higher prices than expected.
Colour intensity of Pink diamonds
Pink diamonds, like other coloured diamonds, are classified according to the official hue intensity scale. However, keep in mind that no two pink diamonds will be the same. An example of that are Argyle Pink Diamonds, which hue is generally deeper than the other hues, yet still can be classified as of lower intensity. Overall, everything comes down to the perception of a given diamond and individual taste.
Fancy pink diamond hue intensity scale:
• Faint Pink
• Very Light Pink
• Light Pink
• Fancy Light Pink
• Fancy Pink
• Fancy Intense Pink
• Fancy Vivid Pink
• Fancy Deep Pink
• Fancy Dark Pink
The price of a pink diamond is evaluated according to the standard rules, the same ones as for the rest of the coloured diamonds. The more intense the hue, the more valuable the diamond is. Therefore, the most valuable pink diamond would be that of Fancy Vivid Pink colour.
So if we were to compare a Fancy Deep Pink diamond and a Fancy Intense Pink diamond with the same specification, the second one would be more valuable.
However, saturation should not be confused with tone as these are two separate characteristics that can be mistaken when grading a diamond. Thus, a dark diamond does not equal a highly saturated diamond. To read more on saturation and tone of coloured diamonds visit Fancy Coloured Diamonds.
Though not always all hues exist in all intensity levels. Pink diamonds, however, despite their rarity, can be found exhibiting all of the existing saturation levels.
Pink diamonds prices
Average wholesale prices for a pink diamond with good specifications range from $ 20,000* per carat to around $ 135,000* per carat.
Also, it is worth noting that Argyle Pink Diamond can be even up to several dozen per cent more expensive than an “ordinary” pink diamond of similar parameters.
The price of a diamond consists of many different factors such as purity, shape, cut, polish, symmetry and the presence of other complementary hues and fluorescence. The price of a pink diamond with better specifications will increase accordingly.
Average pink diamonds price ranges with the specifications:
• Clarity: VS
• Shape: Cushion
• Cut: Good
• Polish/symmetry: Very good
• Complementary hue: None
• Fluorescence: None
• Origin: Africa
All prices are per 1 carat – to get an actual diamond’s price, multiply the given price by the carat weight
*price refers to a non-Argyle diamond of 0.50 Ct weight, VS clarity, no complementary hues, cushion shape, good cut/polish/symmetry, and no fluorescence
Complementary hues of Pink diamonds
Coloured diamonds can have one, two or more hues within their structure. The dominant ones are placed at the end of the colour’s name, while the softer the existing hue, the closer it is to the front of the name. Complementary hues can exist in a few saturation levels and are labelled upon them. If both of a diamond’s hues are similarly intense, then their names remain unaltered, e.g. Fancy Orange Pink. However, if the orange hue were less visible, its name would end with the letter -y, which in this case would be Fancy Orangy Pink. To read more on the grading of coloured diamonds visit Fancy Coloured Diamonds.
In the case of pink diamonds, the most common secondary hues are brown, orange and purple. The hue that is most often found in the company of pink is a brown hue, that, due to its high popularity, holds the lowest value. Orange hue, on the other hand, can beautifully enhance and give an exceptional, slightly warmer tone to a pink diamond. The most desirable complementary hue is then purple, which adds a unique touch to a diamond and is relatively rare, resulting in a higher value.
Complementary hues, as one of many factors, also affect the price of a diamond. Usually, truly pink diamonds are the ones that are the rarest and, therefore, the most expensive. For instance, a Fancy Brownish Pink diamond or a Fancy Orangy Pink diamond would be significantly cheaper than a similar Fancy Pink diamond with no additional secondary hues.
Pink diamonds in engagement rings
Choosing an engagement ring these days, where the choice is truly immense, can be quite a challenge. The rings are available in various combinations, which consist of the type of diamond, as well as the setting in which it was placed.
Such settings differ not only in shapes but also in colours, which in the case of coloured diamonds may affect the appearance of a given diamond. Pink diamonds set in white, yellow or rose gold will then, accordingly, give a ring a different perception.
White gold gives the pink hue a certain subtlety and, at the same time, emphasizes the colour of a diamond through a delicate contrast. Such combination intensifies the pink diamond's cool tones, which creates a unique and youthful appearance.
Yellow gold enhances the pink hue’s warm tones and gives it a unique, radiant look. Such colour combination creates an exceptionally refined and timeless option while maintaining the essence of the ring.
Rose gold amazingly highlights the pink diamonds' extraordinary tones, thus enriching their hues and emphasizing them. Such a combination creates a unique appearance due to the rarity of this type of ring for a special occasion, that is engagement.
Famous Natural Pink Diamonds
• The Pink Star Diamond
This pink diamond, also known as The Steinmetz Pink, holds the title of the most expensive pink diamond and the second most expensive coloured diamond. It weighs 59.6 Ct, making it the largest pink diamond of Fancy Vivid intensity and IF clarity. In 2013, it was auctioned at the Sotheby's auction for $ 83.2 million, a record price at the time, but due to the buyer's default on payment, it was returned back to Sotheby's. Then in 2017, it was finally sold to Choi Tai Fook Enterprises for $ 71.2 million.
• The Graff Pink Diamond
Before The Pink Star Diamond, this 24.78 Ct pink diamond held the place of the most expensive diamond sold at an auction. In 2010, it was bought at Sotheby's for $ 46.2 million by jeweller Laurance Graff, who named it "The Graff Pink." Its Fancy Intense Pink colour and extraordinary carat weight make it one of the 2% most unique diamonds in the world.
• The Darya-ye-Noor Pink Diamond
The name of this pink diamond translates to "Sea of Light". It is one of the largest diamonds in the world, weighing an extraordinary 182 Ct. Its unique light pink hue is extremely rare in the case of pink diamonds. Nowadays, this diamond remains a part of the Iranian Crown Jewels and is considered the oldest out of them.
The name of this pink diamond translates to "Sea of Light". It is one of the largest diamonds in the world, weighing an extraordinary 182 Ct. Its unique light pink hue is extremely rare in the case of pink diamonds. Nowadays, this diamond remains a part of the Iranian Crown Jewels and is considered the oldest out of them.
• The Noor-ul-Ain Pink Diamond
Its name translates to "The Light of the Eye". The diamond itself, weighing 60 Ct, is classified as one of the largest pink diamonds. It was cut from the same 400 Ct rough diamond as The Darya-ye-Noor Diamond. The Noor-ul-Ain Diamond also belongs to the collection of Iranian Crown Jewels, where it was embedded as the central stone in a tiara of the same name.
Its name translates to "The Light of the Eye". The diamond itself, weighing 60 Ct, is classified as one of the largest pink diamonds. It was cut from the same 400 Ct rough diamond as The Darya-ye-Noor Diamond. The Noor-ul-Ain Diamond also belongs to the collection of Iranian Crown Jewels, where it was embedded as the central stone in a tiara of the same name.
• The Martian Pink Diamond
This beautiful pink diamond, weighing 12.04 Ct, is one of the rarest pink diamonds. The colour intensity of this round diamond is classified as Fancy Intense Pink. The previous owner bought it from jeweller Harry Winston in 1976, when US cosmonauts first landed on Mars, hence its name. In 2012, it was put up for auction again, where its price was estimated at $ 8-10 million, but then it was sold to an anonymous buyer for an incredible $ 17.4 million.
This beautiful pink diamond, weighing 12.04 Ct, is one of the rarest pink diamonds. The colour intensity of this round diamond is classified as Fancy Intense Pink. The previous owner bought it from jeweller Harry Winston in 1976, when US cosmonauts first landed on Mars, hence its name. In 2012, it was put up for auction again, where its price was estimated at $ 8-10 million, but then it was sold to an anonymous buyer for an incredible $ 17.4 million.
