"The Queen" — a 3.16-carat fancy vivid pink diamond — has secured its place in history as the largest gem ever to receive a 1P grade from Argyle Pink Diamonds™. This achievement not only underscores its beauty but also sets a new benchmark in the world of rare gemstones.
The Queen's remarkable 1P grade reflects the pinnacle of Argyle’s proprietary color scale. While the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) provides broad color classifications, Argyle developed its own system to capture the extraordinary range and saturation unique to its pink diamonds.
Stones are first sorted by hue — purplish pink (PP), pink (P), pink rose (PR) and pink champagne (PC) — and then assigned an intensity rating from 1 (deepest) to 9 (lightest). A 1P diamond therefore represents a pure pink stone with the highest possible saturation, making it extraordinarily rare.
Originally cut from a 5.19-carat rough unearthed in 1995, The Queen was shaped into a modified brilliant cushion by London master cutter M. Vainer Ltd. Its softened corners and intricate facets create a radiant play of light, enhancing the gem’s pure pink brilliance. Surpassing even the legendary Argyle Alpha (3.14 carats, 3PP) in prestige, The Queen is now recognized as the finest cushion-shaped 1P diamond ever certified.
Pink diamonds are among the scarcest natural treasures on Earth, with fewer than one in 100,000 gem-quality stones displaying this coveted hue. For more than three decades, the Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia supplied over 90% of the world’s pink diamonds, creating an unparalleled legacy.
Since the mine’s closure in November 2020, the scarcity of these stones has intensified dramatically, fueling unprecedented demand and value. According to the Fancy Colour Diamond Index, pink diamonds have surged nearly 394% in value since 2005, with Argyle-certified examples commanding even greater premiums.
For collectors and connoisseurs, The Queen is more than a jewel — it is a symbol of finality and rarity. With no new supply of Argyle pink diamonds entering the market, every certified stone represents a finite chapter of natural history.
Credit: Images courtesy of GIA Monograph "The Queen."