​The legacy of Argyle's pink diamonds is significant in the world of luxury, investment, and fine jewelry. Many collectors and investors consider Argyle pink diamonds to be among the most valuable and collectible gemstones due to their rarity and the fact that no other mine currently produces pink diamonds of the same quality and quantity.

 

The Argyle pink diamond color grading system is often denoted using a combination of letters and numbers, which help to classify the diamond based on its hue, tone, and saturation. The Argyle mine (located in Western Australia) produced some of the rarest pink diamonds in the world before it closed in 2020.

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The Argyle Pink Diamond Color Scale:
The color grading of Argyle pink diamonds typically follows a letter-number system.

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Here’s a breakdown:

Letter Grading System (Hues):
"P" stands for Pink, which is the dominant color for these diamonds.
"Purplish Pink": Sometimes used to describe pink diamonds with a notable purplish tint.
"Red Pink": Refers to a pink diamond with a distinct red undertone, rarer and often more valuable.

Number Grading (Saturation):
The number system (usually 1-9 or 1-10) indicates the intensity or saturation of the color, with 1 being the lightest or least saturated and 9 or 10 being the most vivid and intense.

Full Color Grading Example:
The grading would be something like:

P-1: Light pink with low saturation
P-2: Medium pink with moderate saturation
P-3 to P-4: Strong pink, more vibrant saturation
P-5 to P-7: Deep pink, very vivid saturation
P-8 to P-10: Rare, intense pink with exceptional depth of color, often commanding the highest price.

Special Color Types:
"Red Pink" diamonds may be classified similarly but can have an additional designation, like "P-R," which indicates that it has a red undertone. Red diamonds are particularly rare and are often graded with higher numbers due to their rarity and color depth.

Additional Notes:
Fancy Intensity or Fancy Vivid: These terms are used when referring to diamonds that fall into the most vivid and saturated color categories.
Purplish-pink diamonds may sometimes be indicated with a "PP" or "P-P" to suggest the color's secondary tone.

Example Grading Breakdown:
P-1: Very light pink
P-2: Light pink
P-3: Medium pink
P-4: Strong pink
P-5: Vivid pink
P-6 to P-7: Intense pink
P-8 to P-10: Deep, highly saturated pink

Color Rarity:
The most rare and sought-after Argyle pink diamonds typically fall into the P-7 and P-9 categories, especially those that have additional hues of red or purple.
The Argyle diamond color scale is unique to the Argyle mine's production, and many collectors and investors closely track these diamonds for their rarity and value.

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