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Argyle Pink Diamonds — Australia's Rarest Treasure

Argyle pink diamonds are the most celebrated and most sought-after coloured diamonds in the world. Produced exclusively by the Argyle diamond mine in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia, they are unlike any other diamond on earth — in colour, in character, and in rarity. Since the mine's permanent closure in November 2020, the supply of new Argyle pink diamonds is gone forever. The stones that exist are all there will ever be.

At Diamond Imports, we have been working with fancy coloured diamonds, including pink diamonds, for over 45 years. We regularly source natural pink diamonds from Australian mines and other leading diamond-producing countries — including stones from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, South Africa, Russia, and Brazil — as well as sourcing Argyle-certified stones through our secondary market network.

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Natural Pink Diamonds — Australian & World Sources

While Argyle dominated global pink diamond production, a second Kimberley diamond mine — located in a similarly mineralised geological zone — produced pink diamonds of remarkable beauty, particularly noted for their warm, intense pink colour. Beyond Australia, natural pink diamonds also occur in South Africa, Russia, Brazil, and Canada.

The key factors that determine a natural pink diamond's value — regardless of origin — are the same: colour intensity grade, purity of hue, carat weight, and GIA certification confirming natural colour origin.

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What Makes Argyle Pink Diamonds Different?

Pink diamonds occur in diamond mines around the world, but the pink diamonds produced by the Argyle mine had a depth, intensity, and purity of colour that has never been matched by stones from any other source. The geological conditions unique to the Kimberley region created structural distortions in the diamond's crystal lattice that produced colours ranging from the palest blush to the most vivid, saturated raspberry pink.

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The Argyle Mine — History & Closure

The Argyle diamond mine was commissioned in 1983 by Rio Tinto in the east Kimberley. Over 37 years of operation, it produced an estimated 865 million carats of rough diamonds. At its peak, Argyle produced over 90% of the world's pink diamond supply. On 3 November 2020, mining operations ceased permanently. No new Argyle pink diamonds will ever be produced.

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The Argyle Colour Grading System

Argyle Grade	Colour Description	GIA Approximate Equivalent
P1	Fancy Vivid Pink — the most intense, purest expression	Fancy Vivid Pink
P2	Fancy Intense Pink — rich, deeply saturated colour	Fancy Intense Pink
P3	Fancy Pink — strong, clear pink colour	Fancy Pink
P4	Fancy Light Pink — clear pink, lighter saturation	Fancy Light Pink
P5–P9	Light to very light pink — delicate blush tones	Light / Very Light Pink
PP	Purplish Pink — pink with a violet or purple modifier	Fancy Purplish Pink
PR	Pink Rose — soft, rose-toned pink	Fancy Light / Fancy Pink Rose
PC	Pink Champagne — warm, peachy-pink tones	Fancy Brownish Pink

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Argyle Certification & Authentication

The Argyle Pink Diamonds Gem Identification & Authenticity Certificate

From January 2005, Argyle issued its own Gem Identification and Authenticity Certificate for pink, red, blue, and violet diamonds over a certain size. Each stone was laser inscribed with a unique lot number — visible only under magnification — delivering a chain of custody guarantee from the mine to the point of purchase.

The 2024 Gemlab Programme

From January 2024, Argyle Pink Diamonds commenced a programme working exclusively with Gemlab (Belgium) BV, who undertake an analysis process to identify pink, red, blue or violet diamonds that exhibit characteristics corresponding to those present in diamonds from the Argyle Diamond Mine.

GIA Certification

In addition to Argyle documentation, many Argyle pink diamonds also carry GIA grading reports confirming colour intensity and natural colour origin — essential for any investment-grade purchase.

What to Watch For

• Stones described as "Argyle origin" without an Argyle certificate or laser-inscribed lot number
• Treated pink diamonds — colour artificially induced by irradiation or HPHT — sold as natural Argyle pinks
• Certificates from lesser-known laboratories that do not specifically confirm natural colour and Argyle provenance
• Significantly below-market pricing — genuine Argyle pinks are rare and their market price reflects that

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Price Performance & Investment

• Pink diamond values rose 116% between 2010 and 2020, prior to the mine's closure
• In the year following closure, fancy vivid pinks rose approximately 39%
• Premium Argyle-certified pink diamond prices have seen an average annual increase of 28% since the mine's closure
• A supply reduction exceeding 90% has intensified competition among buyers, with analysts projecting continued upward price pressure over the next decade

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