Pink Diamonds | Buying Guide | Prices, Color, Rarity

PINK DIAMONDS

High profile pink diamonds have led several auctions in recent years. The 24.78 carat “Graff Pink” diamond sold at Sotheby’s for $46 million on November 16, 2010. In May 2011 Sotheby’s sold another large pink diamond for $10.84 million, a 10.99 carat fancy intense pink. While natural pink diamonds are costly and rare, pink diamonds of varying carat weights, hues and saturations are available.

(Image Source: Sotheby’s)

The Graff Pink

A fancy intense pink, the 24.78 carat “Graff Pink” sold at Sotheby’s for $46 million on November 16, 2010.

What are Pink Diamonds?

There is still a little mystery surrounding the cause of color in pink diamonds. The color is generally thought to be caused by colored graining, which results from structural irregularities in combination with an impurity. Distortions in the crystal structure are thought to be the cause of color for 99.5% of pink diamonds. Australia’s Argyle Diamond Mine produces most of the world’s pink diamonds, which are sold at the annual Pink Tender.

 

Are Pink Diamonds Rare?

Pink diamonds come in a spectrum of shades. The GIA grades pink diamonds as follows:

• Faint
• Very Light
• Light
• Fancy Light
• Fancy
• Fancy Intense
• Fancy Vivid, Fancy Deep, or Fancy Dark

 

Image courtesy of GIA

Common secondary colors in pink diamonds include brownish pink, orangish pink, and purplish pink. As is the case with all fancy color diamonds, pure pink colors are the most prized and thus the most expensive, particularly those which are heavily saturated with a rich color. Certain modifiers can create highly desirable diamonds and though more common, paler pinks are still rare and coveted in the diamond world. Natural fancy pinks are appreciably rare regardless of secondary colors and are priced accordingly.

 

Are Pink Diamonds Rare?

Natural, pink diamonds have been in high demand for the last two decades, and this rise in popularity has caused a rise in price. Aside from red diamonds (the rarest and most valuable fancy color), high-quality pink diamonds command the highest prices. Over 90% of the world’s pink diamonds are found in the Argyle mine, but less than 1% of the mine’s output is comprised of pink diamonds.

 

Pink Diamond Gallery

(Image Source: Sotheby’s)
10.09 carat fancy vivid purple-pink diamond ring

 

(Image Source: PS Member, kenny)
.27ct fancy deep purplish pink diamond

 

(Image Source: SmallSparkle)
pink diamond halo ring

 

(Image Source: Christie’s)
4.03ct and 4.01ct fancy pink diamond earrings

(Image Source: Sotheby’s
5 carat orangy-pink diamond

 

(Image Source: Sotheby’s
10.99 carat fancy intense pink diamond

 

(Image Source: CNW Group/The Marquis Group)
Largest pink diamond mined in Canada, a 2.75 carat light pink.

Learn more about Fancy Color Diamonds

Have more questions about fancy color diamonds? Click on the links below or visit our Fancy Color Diamond Guide.

What is a fancy color? How are fancy colors graded?

What causes color in diamonds? Fancy diamond color and price?

Last updated on: March 22, 2021

Fancy Colored Diamond Guide Topics:

Fancy Colored Diamond Introduction, Yellow Diamonds, Brown Diamonds, Pink Diamonds, Blue Diamonds, Green Diamonds, Black Diamonds, Red Diamonds, Orange Diamonds