Category: Diamond

11 Carats of Diamond carved into a Pumpkin

How was the Pumpkin diamond discovered?

The Pumpkin Diamond was found in South Africa in the 1990s. As far as we can tell, the diamond was first discovered by a farmer. Unlikely he was a Pumpkin farmer!

The diamond in the 11.0cts of rough was a prominent brown colour with only flashes of orange. Once cut and polished into the Cushion Modified Brilliant, it weighed 5.54cts. The polished Diamond, described as strong vivid orange in colour.

Subsequently, the orange diamond sold the day before Halloween in 1998. The buyer, Ronald Winston, (president and CEO) of Harry Winston, named the incredible stone the Pumpkin Diamond. This fancy vivid orange diamond sold for 1.3 million! 

Winston designed a setting for it, with two smaller, crescent-shaped white diamonds on either side. It was valued at more than $3 million.

The Pumpkin diamond and other extraordinary diamonds

This collection of extraordinary gem diamonds was on temporary display at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, during Summer 2003. Counter-clockwise from center, the 203.04 ct De Beers Millennium Star (courtesy of De Beers LV), the 59.60 ct Fancy Vivid pink Steinmetz Pink (courtesy of Steinmetz Group), the 27.64 ct Fancy Vivid blue Heart of Eternity (courtesy of a private collector), 5.54 ct Fancy Vivid orange Pumpkin (courtesy of Harry Winston Inc.), the 5.11 ct Fancy red Moussaieff Red (courtesy of House of Moussaieff), the 5.51 ct Fancy Deep blue-green Ocean Dream (courtesy of Cora Diamond Corp.), and the 101.29 ct Fancy Vivid yellow Allnatt (courtesy of SIBA Corp.). Photo by Chip Clark, courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution. Article and image credit by John M. King and James E. Shigley 

Article and Images Credit GIA ‘AN IMPORTANT EXHIBITION OF SEVEN RARE GEM DIAMONDS’ 

Whatever happened to the Pumpkin diamond?

Once cut, the Pumpkin diamond went into a ring between two white diamonds. Actress Halle Berry loaned the stunning piece to wear at the 2002 Academy Awards. Interestingly, she won an Oscar for best actress that night. In 2003, the Pumpkin was removed from its setting and featured in the Smithsonian’s The Splendor of Diamonds exhibit that showcased seven of the world’s most rare and valuable coloured diamonds. It was the only orange diamond included in the exhibition.

The largest vivid orange coloured diamond

The Pumpkin diamond remains the largest  fancy vivid orange-coloured diamond ever examined by the gemological institute of america. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation, the diamond emitted moderate orange fluorescence to long-wave UV. In addition, weak-to-moderate orange fluorescence to short-wave UV. Furthermore, after turning off the UV lamp, observers noted a weak yellow phosphorescence.

The diamond itself presents cloud-like and needle-like inclusions. However, a lack of information exists about the clarity grade. This is due to the most recent buyer in 2005 remaining anonymous. 

The post The Pumpkin Diamond – 11 Carats of Rough – Halloween Carved Pumpkin appeared first on Serendipity Diamonds Blog.

Unlike other gem cuts, cushions have more than one popular type of cut: the Modified Brilliant Cut and the Antique Cushion Cut, also known as the Old Mine Cut. Modified brilliant cushion cuts have always been one of the top five most popular options for engagement rings, but in the last year, antique cushions have slowly been moving their way up.

What are pink diamonds?

Pink diamonds fall into an entirely different category from regular white diamonds. In fact, their value sets them apart owing to their incredible rarity. Their colours range from pink and purple through to red in an incredible array of variations in tone and hue.

Gemstone collectors and investors, jewellery lovers and connoisseurs all covet the rare beauty of their natural fancy colour.

We believe their attraction is not just because of rarity and value, but their association with the colour, long associated with timeless romance and passion.

Why are some diamonds pink?

Pink diamonds possibly owe their colouration to a mysterious structural deformation within the diamond. Although the exact reason still remains a subject for debate.

Some believe the colour is an effect caused by heat and pressure over thousands of years—the result of lattice defects in the arrangement of the atoms within the diamond crystal.

How incredible to think that such a rare and valuable characteristic occurs as a result of a defect in the matrix of the diamond?

The Argyle diamond grading system

Origin and the Argyle Mine

Ninety per cent of the World’s pink diamonds originate from the Argyle Mine in the Kimberly region of Western Australia.

A large proportion of their production included other (non-fancy) colours such as white, brown and champagne. The mine opened in 1983 and operated for 37 years. Finally, it closed in November 2020.

Are pink diamonds rare?

Interestingly, just 0.1 per cent of the Argyle mine’s operations produced pink diamonds. For this reason, they make up some of the rarest diamonds in the World along with other naturally fancy coloured diamonds.

A natural pink rough diamond. Image courtesy of Petra Diamonds.

Tenders and sealed bids

Each year, an Annual Argyle Pink Diamond Tender takes place. This invitation-only event attracts master jewellers around the world since it began in 1984. Held yearly, the event unveils a selection of fifty to sixty diamonds shown at private viewings across the World. Bidders place sealed silent bids for specific diamonds above a reserve price applied to each stone.

Argyle diamond tender, courtesy of Rio Tinto

The importance of shape and cut

Pink diamonds take around 3-4 times longer to cut than white diamonds. Surprisingly, their colour can be either intensified or lost through the shape chosen. For this reason, expert cutters give careful consideration to the size and shape of each polished diamond.

GIA pink colour descriptions

The following chart shows different descriptions for a GIA certified stone.  

Argyle diamond engagement rings

Each year, clients approach us for help with fancy coloured diamond jewellery. `As a result, we advise clients on their own specific situation. For example, some clients approach us to set their own diamonds. At other times, clients ask us to source the diamond and to create a complete ring.

Many chosen designs come from our existing collection of engagement rings. Other styles come from our bespoke jewellery design service.

Our image shows the GIA diamond certificate and Argyle certificate for the same diamond. Please note certificate numbers have been obscured for privacy reasons.

Argyle pink diamond ring from our bespoke engagement rings collection.

Notice that the diamond certificates include the GIA description. At the same time, they feature the Argyle colour reference to the diamond. In short, Very light pink according to GIA. At the same time, 9 PR – Pink Rosé as described by Argyle. To illustrate this, our video below shows the subtle shade of pink noticeable once set into the finished ring.

Alternative gemstones for engagement rings

Let’s face it, not everyone can afford a natural fancy coloured diamond. For this reason, we receive requests for more affordable gemstones. But, many buyers want a gemstone with a hardness like diamond. For this reason, we recommend Sapphire. To be precise, Pink Sapphire. Basically, we match a precious gemstone to the desired colour of an expensive pink diamond.

Interestingly, our most popular alternative offers a similar hardness to diamond. As a result, it is suitable for engagement rings. Pink Sapphire offers many people a deeper colour. Pink Sapphires often have a purplish-pink colour. Sapphires come in all shapes and sizes, with a greater availability at a more affordable price.

Other gemstone suggestions include Morganite, another diamond with a distinctive pink colour. Morganite, a variety of Beryl continues to gain popularity. Morganite often features in Rose Gold or Platinum settings. But, unlike Pink Sapphire, Morganite often features more of a peachy-pink colour. In contrast, Pink Sapphires offer more of a purplish-pink colour.

Morganite makes a beautiful alternative to a pink diamond. For example, here we show a Cushion-shaped example of Morganite, alongside a Platinum halo ring design.

Man-made pink diamonds

Our most recent alternative to natural pink diamonds originates in the laboratory instead of below ground. We now provide lab grown pink diamonds in different hues at a fraction of the cost of a natural pink diamond. Please contact us for more help on this new service. Our example below shows one of our stock diamonds, 0.95 carats in weight, provided with certification and identical in appearance to a natural intense pink diamond.

Pink diamond engagement rings

For many buyers, a pink diamond engagement ring exceeds any realistic budget for a ring design. For this reason, a lab-grown pink diamond engagement ring makes sense and falls within a realistic budget for many buyers. One of our recent showroom designs, created for our ready-made ring collection, featured the above pink diamond set into a Platinum ring. In addition to the centre diamond, small white brilliant cut diamonds added contrast. View the Blush pink diamond engagement ring online.

The post Pink Diamonds: A Beginner’s Guide to Argyle Pink Diamonds appeared first on Serendipity Diamonds Blog.