Pink gemstones are prized for their unusual, appealing color. Within the vast range of colored gemstones out there, pink shades are some of the most popular for creating jewelry for any occasion.
Pink covers a whole range of tones and shades. Think of all the pinks you see around day to day, from nearly nude to pale blush pinks, hot pinks to striking fuschias… all the way to the most intense shades that look almost red.
Pink gemstones are an increasingly popular choice for all kinds of jewelry. Incredibly versatile, pink toned gemstones look brilliant set in all kinds of different metals.
Traditional choices of gold or silver would work well with pink gemstones, as well as rose gold, platinum and even steel.
[toc]What Are the Most Popular Pink Colored Gemstones?
1. Pink diamonds
These are the most popular pink gemstones in the world. Pink diamonds are some of the very rarest natural colored diamonds and they’re highly valued because of it.
In fact, people are so mesmerized by pink diamonds that they’ll get a whole lot of attention later on in this pink gemstones piece.
First, we’ll take a detailed tour through some of the other most popular pink gemstones; then we’ll revisit the most sought after of them all.
Right, back to the list…
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2. Pink sapphires
Diamonds are the hardest substance known to man, but sapphires really aren’t far behind (a 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness, to diamond’s top rating of 10).
These hardy gems are also very popular, especially in their rarer pink variety. As you might imagine, the bolder pink shades are the most sought after, but buyers also snap up subtler, more baby pink colors.
If you’re looking for a gorgeous pink gemstone purchase that won’t be quite so hard on your savings, pink sapphires could be a great option for you.
Still prized for their high quality, sapphires carry a much lower price tag than diamonds. Rest assured, they’ll still look every bit the glamorous part!
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4. Morganite
Morganite has a very interesting set of relatives. If you’re totally unlike any of the rest of your family, you’ll definitely get where morganite is coming from.
You’d never guess it from its pinkish hues, but morganite is closely related to gemstones such as aquamarines and emeralds. Not quite peas in a pod, but there you have it!
This intriguing connection explains another name that morganite goes by: pink emerald.
Once again (this is already becoming a predictable theme, right?) it’s the brightest, most intense shades of pink that make for the most popular morganites.
Jewelry set with morganite gemstones has a pretty long life span, if you give it the proper tender loving care it needs.
A reasonable cleaning and maintenance routine will make sure that your morganite jewelry stays in tip top condition, just like you (and your jewels) deserve.
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5. Pink topaz
If you’re looking for some serious bling for your rings, pink topaz might just be the right way to go.
These gemstones pack a punch: they have an exquisite, glass-like quality that gives them a really stellar shine. However, natural pink topaz gemstones are an incredibly rare find.
Most of these gemstones that you’ll see on the market are likely to have had their color synthetically enhanced in a laboratory.
It’s possible to artificially enhance topaz stones with less vibrant colors to give them a more attractive pink shade.
Watch out for this when you’re browsing: you’ll want to know exactly where your chosen stone has come from, and what treatments it might have had, before you decide on a purchase price.
Jewelers and dealers should be able to provide all this information for you, if it’s not already stated on the label.
In terms of natural pink topaz stones, these are most likely to hail from Brazil.
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6. Pink tourmaline
Similar to the pink topaz we’ve just looked at, pink tourmalines often have their color synthetically enhanced through lab treatments.
Tourmalines tend to rank lower on the clarity scale – clarity being one of the four Cs used to grade gemstone quality: that’s clarity, cut, color and carat.
The clarity level is affected by the flaws that occur naturally in a gemstone. The technical term for flaws on the inside of the gemstone is inclusions. If the flaws are on the surface of the gemstone, they’re technically referred to as blemishes.
So, pink tourmalines quite often do have internal flaws, or inclusions. Unlike other gemstones, jewelers don’t mind using pink tourmalines with multiple inclusions.
As long as the overall intensity of the color isn’t affected, pink tourmalines with internal flaws are still used in jewelry pieces.
This contributes to making pink tourmalines some of the more affordable pink gemstones on the list.
So, if you’re looking for a less expensive pink gemstone option, pink tourmalines are most definitely worth browsing.
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7. Pink spinel
For a long while, spinels weren’t actually recognized as their own, separate category of gemstone.
Pink spinels were often mistaken for pink sapphires, even rubies. While spinels do come in a range of different color varieties, it’s the pink toned stones that are some of the most popular for jewelry.
Spinels don’t tend to carry any inclusions. The ones that do are pretty interesting, though.
With pink spinels, their inclusions can actually increase the appeal of the gemstone, rather than making them a less attractive prospect.
Interesting, right? This inclusion phenomenon is known as asterism. Stones that exhibit asterism are shaped and polished using a technique that means they end up reflecting and refracting light in a particular way.
This playful interaction creates star shaped reflections and refractions when light hits these stones’ surfaces. Because of this mysterious, beautiful characteristic, spinels with asterism are some of the most valued.
Pink spinel is quite an affordable option, so this colored gemstone is a popular choice for jewelry pieces. But, there is something you should keep an eye out for: spinels are very sensitive to heat.
Expose your pink spinel ring to heat sources and the color may start to fade over time. Watch out for this if you’re cooking – make sure you take over your spinel jewelry beforehand!
8. Rhodocrosite
Unlike the pink gemstones we’ve looked at so far, rhodocrosite ranks much lower down on the Mohs scale.
With only a 3.5 – 4 Mohs hardness rating, rhodocrosite are quite vulnerable to scratches and other damage.
Because of that, jewelers won’t tend to make all types of jewelry out of rhodocrosite. Jewelers will favor rhodocrosite for necklaces, brooches and earrings, over rings and bracelets.
If the rhodocrosite were set in rings and bracelets, it would be worn and torn before you knew it. Keep it further out of harm’s way in jewelry pieces that are less likely to get scratched; then, your rhodocrosite will keep its gorgeous pinkish look for a good long while.
Like the other gemstones we’ve seen, rhodocrosite occurs in a wide range of pinkish hues.
From blush pinks to intense reddish gemstones, rhodocrosite could be a great option, whatever you’re looking for.
9. Pink rhodolite garnet
These pink gemstones are part of a wider pinkish to red family: garnets. Garnets actually come in all kinds of colors, but the red variety is probably the best known of all.
In fact, the name garnet comes from the Latin granatus, which means ‘seed-like’. The Romans thought these little gems looked just like the seeds that are inside pomegranates.
10. Pink chalcedony
Quite a few of the pink gemstones we’re looking at here have a glass-like look to their shine.
Pink chalcedony is a bit of a different case. Instead of a glassy sheen, this gemstone has more of a wax-like, cloudy appearance.
This characteristic gives pink chalcedony a smoother, softer overall look. Pink chalcedony is widespread in jewelry, as it’s a gemstone that’s easy to get hold of and that’s pretty hardy.
Chalcedony isn’t very susceptible to damage and it’s also got a super stable internal structure. This last characteristic also makes it a popular choice for delicate, pink-toned carvings.
11. Pink zircon
Zircon is an interesting gemstone. While far less expensive, zircon is actually the natural gemstone that comes closest to diamond in terms of its captivating sparkle.
This is because of zircon’s brilliance, the technical term for the way a gemstone interacts with light – that’s what gives them their sparkle. Gemstones are often cut to deliberately enhance their unique sparkle, and zircon is no exception to the rule.
A brilliant cut is often used to shape zircon. Yep, you guessed it: the brilliant cut is specifically designed to make the most of a gemstone’s natural brilliance.
You might think the name zircon is kind of familiar – be careful of confusing it with cubic zirconia. While the names are very similar, zircon and cubic zirconia are very different substances.
Zircon is a natural gemstone in its own right, while cubic zirconia is a low price, entirely synthetic diamond mock up.
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So, those are a few of the popular pink gemstones around. Pink diamonds, though, have a particular appeal to many gemstone browsers.
The beauty of these pink gemstones means they deserve a special mention. So, let’s take a proper look at them in general, as well as some of the most impressive and valuable pink diamonds in history.
Pink Diamonds
Pink diamonds are some of the rarest fancy diamonds in the world. “Fancy” is the technical term used to describe natural diamonds that aren’t colorless.
Diamonds form naturally in a whole range of colors: red, orange, yellow, blue, green, black and brown.
Colorless diamonds are much more widely available, and they’re still hands down the most popular choice for jewelry – especially in that all-important engagement ring market.
If we’re talking fancy diamonds, though, the pink variety does seem to have a special charm.
Pink diamonds are incredibly rare. A one carat fancy pink diamond is usually priced at around $100, 000. A breathtaking appearance, and an appropriately breathtaking price tag!
While diamonds can be found the world over, diamond sites tend to be color-coded.
This is because it’s usually the mineral profile of the earth that affects what color diamonds are formed in a certain location.
For example, high levels of boron in the earth will produce naturally blue diamonds. But, it’s actually a bit of a puzzle where pink diamonds get their tint from.
Rather than any sort of mineral addition to the diamond, experts believe the pink color comes from extreme pressure during the formation process.
These high pressure levels within the earth are strong enough to have an effect on the internal structure of the diamond as it forms.
The diamond is gradually compressed over time during its formation process, eventually producing a naturally pink diamond.
This process is technically known as plastic deformation.
Where are they found?
Rare, natural pink diamonds are found in a few locations worldwide.
Back in the 17th century, India was an important source of natural pink diamonds.
Nowadays, these pink gems are usually found in far-flung locations such as Tanzania, Canada, South Africa, Siberia, Russia and Brazil.
But, most pink diamonds come from the Argyle Mine, Western Australia. Opened in the 1980s, the Argyle Mine is now responsible for a huge majority of global diamond production.
The most famous, breathtaking pink diamonds in the world
The Pink Martian
An American jeweler named Harry Winston sold this high quality pink diamond onto its next owner in the year 1976.
That same year, scientists in the USA blasted a satellite up to Mars. That inspired the Pink Martian’s new, space-age name.
The Pink Martian is cut in one of the most popular shapes for diamonds, the round brilliant cut.
Maximizing the diamond’s sparkle, brilliant cuts are the most popular by far for engagement ring settings. It would be some engagement ring with the Pink Martian as its centre-piece, though!
The Unique Pink
This pink hued diamond is famous for its intense, striking color. Larger than the Pink Martian by a good few carats, the Unique Pink weighs in at 15.38 carats.
The Unique Pink is cut in an elegant pear shape and is thought to be one of the highest-valued intense pink diamonds ever to be auctioned, reaching over $31 million in 2016.
The Hortensia Diamond
Name after a former Queen Hortense of Holland, this pink diamond is highly unusual. It’s got a glaring flaw: a real chasm of a crack that spreads all the way across the diamond.
Nevertheless, the Hortensia Diamond is still very famous for its striking orange-pink tone. This pink diamond once formed part of the French Crown Jewels and it’s now kept in pride of place at the iconic Louvre Museum in Paris.
The Darya-ye Noor
The name of this incredible pink diamond translates as “Sea of Light”. Weighing in at a major 182 carats, this gem is a real phenomenon.
Research carried out by gemstone experts based in Iran has suggested that the Darya-ye Noor might actually be just half of a much larger, original gemstone.
Throughout its history, this pink diamond has passed down through generations of Indian Mughal emperors and is now an exceptional jewel in the Iranian royal collection.
The Graff Pink
According to the specialists at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), this stunning pink diamond is within the top 1 to 2% of all diamonds in terms of purity.
That’s quite the accolade.
Interestingly, the American jewel expert Harry Winston – the guy we first came across with the Pink Martian – crops up again here.
Winston kept this pink diamond for decades, before he finally decided to auction it off almost a 10 years ago.
The diamond was then purchased by Laurence Graff, a diamond connoisseur who’s come to be the stuff of legend.
Over the years, Graff’s penchant for these precious gems has earned him the title of “The King of Bling”.
When Graff purchased this spectacular pink diamond back in 2010, it got the name it’s kept today.
Graff bought the pink diamond at the most expensive price for a diamond ever seen at the time: an enormous $46.2 million.
But Graff wasn’t just happy to settle for having the most valuable diamond in the world in his impressive collection.
He had big plans for the Pink Graff: he had ambitious ideas to work on its cut, color and clarity.
Working on these 3 facets of diamond quality, Graff wanted to take this pink diamond to even greater heights.
Working with gemstone experts, Graff planned to intensify the Pink Graff’s pink tone by cutting the gemstone in new ways.
At the same time, the experts were able to using the latest developments in gemstone technology to perfect the Pink Graff, removing some of the surface flaws known as blemishes.
So, there we have some of the most famous pink diamonds in the world, and a fraction of their intriguing, globalized histories.
But how do these pink gems go down in auction houses? For anyone who’s really interested in the allure and value of diamonds, that sure is an interesting topic.
So, let’s dive in. Christie’s seems like the right place to start, don’t you think?
Headline-hitting Pink Diamonds Auctioned at Christie’s
1. The Pink Martian
The stats
Carat weight: 12.04 carats
Auctioned at: $17,395,728
Year of sale: 2012
Aaaand it’s back to Mr. Harry Winston for round three. With its new name inspired by historical events, the Pink Martian has made history in its own right.
As we saw earlier, pink diamonds quite often contain other shades of color. Orange, purple, brown, gray… all are possible, to various degrees.
The purer their true pink color, the higher the value of pink diamonds.
The Pink Martian is a textbook example of a pure pink: there’s not even a hint of another, contributing color in this gemstone’s structure.
When that information was disclosed, it caused quite the stir. Auctioned in 2012, the Pink Martian doubled its lower estimate value when it actually went under the hammer.
2. Fancy Vivid Pear-Shaped Diamond
The stats
Carat weight: 9.14 carats
Auctioned at: $18,174,632
Year of sale: 2016
The Geological Institute of America (GIA) assessed this pear-shaped beauty to be well within its highest grade of color quality.
This particular gemstone isn’t just 1 in a million, it’s more like 1 in 10 million: that’s the miniscule number of fancy colored diamonds that are of high enough quality to make it into this top category.
3. The Perfect Pink
The stats
Carat weight: 14.23 carats
Auctioned at: $23,165,968
Year of sale: 2010
The sale of the Perfect Pink revealed interesting movements in the gemstone market in Asia.
Sold in the Christie’s Hong Kong auction room, the Perfect Pink was bought for 30% higher than its starting upper estimate. This was interpreted as a sure sign of the increasingly popularity of colored diamonds in the Asian market.
The Perfect Pink’s chic, angular shape may well have contributed to its considerable appeal, too.
Square and rectangular cut diamonds are increasingly popular nowadays, as they’re a less traditional, modern twist on more traditional diamond cuts.
4. The Sweet Josephine
The stats
Carat weight: 16.08 carats
Auctioned at: $28,523,925
Year of sale: 2015
Back in 2015, this stunning pink diamond sold for millions more than its original estimates.
When the new owner took charge of this diamond, it was renamed after his young daughter.
5. The Pink Promise
The stats
Carat weight: 14.93 carats
Auctioned at: $32,480,500
Year of sale: 2017
The Pink Promise is a global record breaker. Back when it was auctioned in 2017, the Pink Promise set a new precedent for price per carat, the highest for any pink diamond ever seen before.
Expert jewelers have worked consistently on this stone to upgrade it to the highest quality grade possible.
Carefully taking off the parts of the diamond with internal flaws, specialists gradually perfected this pink stone.
Now, it’s officially classified under the Fancy Vivid category, the best possible ranking for pink colored fancy diamonds.
6. The Princie
The stats
Carat weight: 34.65 carats
Auctioned at: $39,323,750
Year of sale: 2013
This priciest of all the pinks is originally from India. This stone came to light close to three centuries back and has since traveled all over the world.
Thinking of choosing a pink diamond in jewelry for a special someone?
Why not? Pink diamonds are rare and gorgeous.
They might express your loved one’s personality and taste in jewelry way better than any traditional, colorless diamond ever would.
Pink diamonds are especially rare
Pink diamonds are some of the most sought after fancy diamonds out there.
They are a truly rare find, especially if you’re looking for a purely pink tone.
Fancy diamonds get their color during the formation process. Mineral substances present in the earth get involved and alter the eventual color of the fully formed gemstone.
This natural process means all kinds of colors are possible, and also a whole range of different shades within those color categories.
Pink diamonds cover the palest of light pink, to darker pink stones with such an intense color that they look almost red.
You might also see pink diamonds with purple tones, gray notes or orange elements to their color; there are even fancy pink diamonds with a noticeable browner shade.
All these diamonds still come under the fancy pink category. While these unique coloring combinations do make these gemstones attractive and unusual, you might just have your heart set on a purely pink diamond.
The rarest of all, pure pink diamonds with no other contributing colors, are a real rare find.
These pink beauties really do say “romance”
How long have pink and red shades been associated with love and romance? Forever, that’s how long.
If you’re looking for something that’s going to last a whole lot longer than roses, why not choose a pink diamond for your special someone?
Don’t underestimate the importance of standing out from the crowd
Pink diamonds are some of the rarest fancy colored diamonds on earth. If you’re looking to make a really special statement, a pink diamond might be the perfect way to do it.
Gorgeous in all kinds of jewelry pieces, and a stylish choice for a striking engagement ring, your pink diamond jewelry will certainly make waves wherever it goes.
What’s more, we know that pink diamonds are still a bit of a mystery. Experts still aren’t quite sure exactly how they actually get their captivating color.
If your loved one is a bit of an enigma too, a pink diamond could be the perfect choice for jewelry that really shows off their personality.
And last, but definitely not least…
Pink diamonds are incredibly beautiful
Pink diamonds have an undeniable allure. From delicate blush tones to striking pinks, pink diamonds really do make for an eye-catching accessory.
While pink diamonds are undeniably the most popular of all the pink gemstones, the whole range of pink gemstones we’ve seen will make a real statement. Simply choose the right one for you!
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