The Argyle Pink Colour Chart - Colours & Grades Explained
The Argyle Pink Colour Chart was created by Argyle to grade the different shades, tones and saturations of Argyle pink diamonds accurately. It is found on Argyle Certificates, on Argyle parcel papers and reproduced on third party seller certificates. The grading system can be used in addition to the Gemological Institute of America's (GIA) fancy coloured diamond grading system.
Please note, the Argyle Pink Diamonds Colour Chart is applied exclusively to Argyle diamonds, it is not to be used for pink diamonds found at locations outside of the Argyle mine.
The Pink Colours
The chart has 3 pink colours - Pink, Pink Rose and Purplish Pink.
Pink (P) is also known as a 'straight pink'. This is a pink colour that is considered a 'classic' pink colour.
Pink Rose (PR) is a newer colour classification, it replaced the former colour 'brown pink'. It is a pink colour that has more of a brownish, antique, dusky pink look. It is usually priced lower than the pink colour.
Purplish Pink (PP) is a pink with purple overtones. It is the most prized and can fetch higher prices than the Pink (P) colour.
The Saturation
The chart has 9 saturations - 1 is the most saturated (a very deep/vivid/intense colour) through to 9 which is the least saturated (a very light/faint colour). After 9, the colour is considered white or near colourless/colourless.
The Other Argyle Colours
Over the years the colour chart has expanded to include other colours. Although still referred to as the Argyle Pink Diamond Colour Chart, it now includes Blues, Reds, Near Colourless and Pink Champagnes.
Blue Violet (BL) is blue with tones of violet and grey. Argyle blues are known for their earthy, greyish blue colour.
The Blue grades have 3 saturation levels. It is in reverse order to the Pink colour. It begins with the least saturated BL1 through to BL3. Higher saturation than BL3 is BL3+ (Blue 3 plus). There is no BL4.
Red (R) and Purple Red (pR) are the colour grades for the very rare red Argyle diamonds. Red is a 'straight red' and Purple Red is a red with purple overtones.
Near Colourless (NCL), Near Colourless Pink (NCP), Colourless Pink (CP), Colourless Pink Equivalent (CPE) are newer colour grades that were added later to the chart. These grades are classified as lighter/fainter than the 9P grades but not considered white or colourless. They have faint pinkish, brownish or yellowish overtones. These grades do not have saturation numbers.
Pink Champagne (PC) are champagne diamonds with pinkish overtones. The colour can be described as pinkish-orangey-brownish. The Pink Champagne grades have 3 saturation levels. PC1 through to PC3. 1 is the least saturated and 3 the most saturated.
Discontinued Argyle Colours
Brown Pink (BP) colour grade was replaced with the Pink Rose (PR) colour grade. Brown Pink is no longer used but can be found on earlier Argyle certificates. (An unverified story is that the Pink Rose grade replaced Brown Pink because it sounded more favourable.)
Argyle Champagnes, Cognacs, Yellows & Whites
Champagne Cognac (CC), Fancy Yellow (FY) and White are also colours of diamonds mined at Argyle. They do not have their own colour chart created by Argyle. Their colour grades are based on the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) fancy colour diamond chart.