When it comes to coloured gemstones, pink is the way to go: from diamonds to sapphires, luxury maisons like Dior and Louis Vuitton are capitalising on the ‘divas’ of the jewellery world
Rare pink gemstones are fast becoming the darlings of luxury jewellery as the colour is linked to spirituality and creativity, something that resonates with consumers seeking deeper meaning
Pink gemstones can be considered the “divas” of the jewellery world, thanks to their playful and vivid appearance, which is typically associated with themes of romance, femininity and royalty.
Rose quartz, morganite, and pink-hued rubies and spinels are encouraging the acceptance of these playful shades, but what else has influenced the growing interest in these gemstones?
One factor is surely that pink is one of the rarer naturally occurring shades in gemstones and that exclusivity is attractive to consumers. Diamonds, for example, develop a purely pink colour – ranging from faint to fancy vivid shades – due to distortions in their crystal structure caused by intense depth and pressure during formation, according to the Gemological Institute of America. That quality – undisturbed by secondary hues from trace elements – makes them highly sought after.
“Even if it’s a one-carat diamond, it has significant value as it takes millions of years to produce,” says Rahila Refaaq, gemologist and founder of Hong Kong jewellery label Zaha et Cetera.
“Pink diamonds account for only 0.1 per cent of the 20 million carats of diamonds that are mined from the earth each year,” says Stewart Young, Bonhams’ director of jewellery and head of department, Asia.
