Pink Diamond: The rarest and most precious diamond
Naturally formed, pink diamonds are among the rarest and most precious diamonds available today. One thing is certain: Walking out of a jewelry store with a sparkling pink diamond ring is very different from another stone mined from somewhere beneath the Earth's surface.
We all have a general idea of where diamonds come from, but few people know the details of how these gemstones are formed. When it comes to pink diamonds, this information is relatively recent and remains strangely mysterious. Although there are many scientific theories about the birth of pink diamonds, the final conclusions remain undetermined.
VOCABULARY OF DIAMOND FORMATION
Crystal lattice: three-dimensional symmetrical arrangement of atoms within a crystal.
Particle: refers to tiny separate particles or presents itself in the form of such particles.
Kimberlite: igneous rock containing diamonds
Loupe: small simple magnifying device used to see small details up close.
First, let's talk about the creation of an ordinary, clear or white diamond. All diamonds are formed in the Earth's mantle, the area between the Earth's crust and its overheated core. In the mantle, carbon atoms are crushed. When the temperature reaches 1100 degrees Celsius and the pressure exceeds the weight of 4,000 adult men, the magic begins. Diamonds are found in a type of rock called kimberlite. Kimberlite carries the diamonds on its way to the Earth's surface. Elle moves in a kimberlite chimney that also carries magma. Once on the surface, these materials cool and harden. So diamonds are hidden deep within these rocks. Although this process is easy to explain, we are always blown away by pink diamonds, these magical gifts from the Earth's surface. While man-made colored diamonds are treated every day, pink diamonds are 100% natural.
Birth of colored diamonds
Colored diamonds are made exactly the same way as ordinary non-colored diamonds, with one difference. During the creation of a diamond, foreign particles can get trapped under its surface. The chemical process being modified during crystallization, the result is also modified. And that's how colored diamonds are born!
Colored diamonds get their color depending on the minerals and particles involved in the crystallization process. Different minerals and intensity levels play a role in the result of the diamond's color. Each situation produces a different colored diamond. Beautiful colored diamonds, including pink diamonds, are created this way. The exact composition of the minerals that give pink diamonds their beautiful hue remains a mystery. Using a magnifying glass, experts have determined that tiny amounts of hydrogen and nitrogen are present inside the diamond's crystalline lattice structure. They also concluded that pink diamonds owe their color to a very rare process that occurs during their formation. However, the exact science remains undetermined. The mystery of the origin of these beautiful gems gives them a special quality, making them even more desirable and valuable. They are true gifts from nature! With a history as astonishing as it is unexpected.
LET'S TALK ABOUT COLORS NOW
Brown, red, and pink diamonds all belong to the same color family. The combination of intense heat and pressure allows these magnificent gemstones to be obtained. While it is still in the clutches of the earth, the crystalline network is disrupted. It is thought that the diamond absorbs green light and reflects a pink hue.
However, the world of gemology is very divided on the origin of the pink coloration. There was a time when scientists thought that an impurity was the cause of the diamond's pink coloration. To verify this, they used a mass spectrometer, a machine that shakes the diamond and analyzes the chemical structure of its atoms. It turned out that pink diamonds had an unusual boron content, a mineral thought to be the cause of the coloration.
This is the first time scientists have been able to identify the exact cause of a diamond's color. It turns out that pink diamonds are not only beautiful, but also valuable scientific discoveries. The discovery of boron in pink diamonds has allowed for further research into the formation of this mineral and why it gives some diamonds a different color. Scientists hope that by studying the properties of boron in the pink diamond, they will be able to better understand the formation of other colored diamonds. In addition, this discovery could lead to technology that can distinguish real diamonds from imitations.
The research team also determined that boron is primarily found in pink diamonds from Australian mines. This result could help diamond miners identify the regions most likely to produce pink diamonds and, ultimately, increase production.
They also discovered that pink diamonds are not entirely pink, but have several areas that alternate between pink and clear. This phenomenon gives the entire diamond its pink appearance. The most common theory is that the coloring of the pink diamond is due to exposure to extraordinary pressure during its formation.
Pink diamonds belong to a family of diamonds called "Fancy Color Diamonds". This is the general name given to any diamond that displays any type of color.
EVALUATION OF THE COLOR OF PINK DIAMONDS
All colored diamonds, including pink diamonds, are evaluated based on three elements:
The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has a color grading system used to evaluate the quality of colored diamonds, including pink diamonds. The GIA scale ranges from Faint to Fancy Vivid and represents the intensity of the diamond's hue. The higher the grade, the more intense and vivid the hue. In the GIA scale, diamonds are ranked in order of importance. Color D is considered a perfectly white diamond. The scale then descends to light pink, which is the lightest shade of pink, and to vivid pink, which is the most intense.
When grading pink diamonds, experts take into consideration many factors such as hue, saturation, and tone. The hue is determined by examining the primary and secondary colors. Saturation is determined by analyzing the colors that make up the diamond and comparing them to the GIA color grading scale. Saturation is determined by analyzing the uniformity of the color distribution in the diamond. The more evenly the colors are distributed, the higher the degree of saturation. Tone refers to the degree of darkness or lightness of a pink diamond on a scale of 0 to 10. A tone color grade of 0 corresponds to the lightest shade and 10 to the darkest shade. The combination of these three elements determines the overall color grade of a pink diamond, which allows buyers to make informed decisions when purchasing a diamond.
THE VALUE OF A PINK DIAMOND
THE COLOR
The purer the pink color of the diamond, the more valuable the diamond is.
In principle, the more intense the pink, the higher the purity, the higher the price. These rules apply to all fancy colored diamonds: the brighter the color, the higher the value of the diamond.
The intensity of the diamond's color is measured on a scale of 1 to 10. When evaluating a colored diamond, a jeweler or diamond dealer may describe it as "Fancy Vivid" or "Fancy Intense". A colored diamond can also be described as a "6" or a "9" depending on the most accurate description of the diamond's color intensity.
Clarity
In order to analyze the purity of the diamond, it is examined using a powerful microscope called a "loupe". Pink diamonds, like all colored diamonds and ordinary diamonds, are graded on a scale from "flawless" to "included". The goal is to determine whether the diamond has incisions on the surface or inside.
Only 7% of pink diamonds are considered to be of high purity. This is due to the initial formation of pink diamonds, which result exclusively from a deformation.
Fun facts about pink diamonds
A pink diamond can cost up to ten times more than a colorless diamond. Australia is the largest shopping center for the exploitation of pink diamonds. The largest pink diamond weighs 186 carats.
If the Argyle mines in Australia provide the best quality of the 90 to 95% of pink diamonds found on global commercial markets, they are also found in India, South Africa and Brazil. The closer the diamond is to an intense red color, the more it is considered precious. In fact, the red diamond is considered the rarest of all colored diamonds.
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