If you follow jewellery news, then you may have heard about the Bubble Gum Pink diamond.
The Bubble Gum pink diamond is a famous cushion-cut fancy vivid purple-pink diamond weighing 3.44 carat that literally resembles a kid’s candy treat.
It recently fetched $7.52 million at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Hong Kong.
This means its price comes down to $2.2 million a carat price breaks down to $2.2 million a carat for the gem. The ring was sold by Moussaieff a jewellery design house is unique because of the “pinkness” of its diamond dubbed the Strongest Pink.
In the past couple of years, pink diamonds have fetched record-breaking prices. This is because pink diamonds are some of the most beautiful and rare, naturally coloured diamonds.
The world of coloured diamonds is big business, but pink diamonds are especially so.
Intrigued? Here are five surprising facts about pink diamonds that will make you consider pink diamonds in a new light.
1.Pink diamonds are extremely rare and precious
While pink is a common colour for precious stones, but it is an extremely rare colour in diamonds. You will find many women sporting white diamond rings but pink diamonds are not so easily found.
Probably why prices of pink diamonds double in value every couple of years. This is because there are very few natural sources of pink diamonds. They only account for a fraction of the total production of diamonds in the world.
2. The source
The Argyle mine in Western Australia is the largest diamond producer in the world by volume. It is owned by Rio Tinto. It is at their headquarters that the rare diamonds are cut and polished and then they are available for sale via an exclusive tender. Some other countries that mine pink diamonds are South Africa, Canada, Russia and Brazil.
3. Pink diamonds are a fast depleting resource
Pink diamonds are somewhat of a geological rarity. The Argyle mine in Western Australia is the primary producer of pink diamonds.
Argyle is, in fact, responsible for more than 90 per cent of the world’s pink diamonds and yet less than 1 per cent of the total diamonds found at Argyle are pink.
However, after years of mining, Argyle is running out diamonds and they have announced that the site will close in 2020. This has led to further demand for the priced commodity. After Argyle’s closure, sourcing and buying pink diamonds will be tougher.
4. Pink diamonds are not just pink
The primary colour may be pink but they come in a variety of shades thanks to the secondary hues. Like other coloured stones they are graded using the following scale:
- Faint,
- Very light
- Light
- Fancy light
- Fancy intense
- Fancy deep
- Fancy Vivid.
They occur in a number of hues ranging from brown pink to purple pink. The naturally occurring secondary hues in pink diamonds are brown, orange and purple. There is a rather unusual combination found known as the “brownish orangey-pink” that has both brown and orange overtones.
Pink Diamond Engagement Rings
While rare and expensive, pink diamonds have found many takers of late owing to their unique feminine appeal and beauty.
Pink diamond engagement rings have been trending and if you are considering buying one, then here are some setting ideas to consider:
1. Halo setting
You can emphasize the colour and size of your pink diamond by using a halo setting of small round diamonds around it.
2. Classic three stone setting
One of the most popular choices in pink diamonds is the three stone one. Use side stones with the pink diamond in the centre to enhance its charm.
3. Cushion cut diamond ring
Use a single or double layer of small stones to your pink diamond ring in cushion cut to bring out its appeal even more. So if you have your heart set on pink diamonds, then the time is perfect to get yourself one of these beauties before they become even more expensive!