Why choose a pink diamond ring

A pink diamond ring is the most romantic of all the coloured diamond choices, soft and feminine in a way that suits an engagement ring perfectly. The gentle blush of a pink diamond feels both modern and timeless, and pink has become the most desired of all the fancy colours, carrying a sense of occasion that a colourless stone does not quite match. The colour ranges from the faintest rose through to a deep, saturated pink, so it can be chosen for a quiet, delicate look or a striking one.

The most famous pink diamonds

Pink diamonds hold many of the records in the gem world. The CTF Pink Star, a 59.60 carat fancy vivid pink, sold for 71.2 million dollars in 2017 and remains the most expensive jewel ever sold at auction. The Williamson Pink, famous for its bubblegum colour, was given to the then Princess Elizabeth as a wedding present in 1947 and set by Cartier into a brooch she wore as Queen. The Graff Pink, once owned by Harry Winston, set its own record when Laurence Graff bought it in 2010.

For three decades most of the world's pink diamonds came from the Argyle mine in Western Australia, which supplied around 80 percent of them before it closed in 2020. That closure has made mined pinks rarer and more sought after than ever. These famous stones are all natural and effectively unobtainable, but they are why pink carries the romance and prestige it does, and that colour is now within reach as a lab grown stone.

What gives a pink diamond its colour

Pink is one of the few diamond colours that does not come from a trace element. There is no nitrogen or boron behind it. Instead the colour is thought to come from a distortion in the diamond's structure during formation, a process sometimes called plastic deformation, which changes the way the stone absorbs and reflects light. The exact cause is still not fully understood, which is part of what makes pink so intriguing. In a lab grown pink diamond the colour is achieved during the controlled growth of the stone.

Why lab grown makes sense for pink

Natural pink diamonds are among the rarest and most valuable stones in the world, and with the Argyle mine now closed a mined pink of any real colour commands an extraordinary price. This is exactly why a lab grown pink diamond makes so much sense. A lab grown pink diamond ring offers the same colour, brilliance and hardness with a clear, traceable origin and at a fraction of the cost, putting a colour that would otherwise be unattainable within reach. Lab grown diamonds are created in advanced laboratories using the same processes that form diamonds within the earth. The result is a real diamond, with the same chemical, physical and optical properties as a mined stone, the only difference being its origin. Each diamond is grown under controlled conditions, which makes it fully traceable and conflict free, and removes the environmental impact of mining.

Choosing the shape

Cushion, oval and pear shapes are especially popular for pink diamonds, their rounded outlines and larger facets showing the colour softly and evenly. A round brilliant keeps the emphasis on sparkle, while an elongated shape lengthens the look of the finger. The colour is graded for how strong and even the pink appears, alongside cut, clarity and carat weight, and a stone with a consistent, well distributed colour reads beautifully in any setting.

Settings and metals for a pink diamond

Rose gold is the natural partner for a pink diamond, its warm blush echoing and softening the colour of the stone, and many pink diamond ring designs use it for exactly that reason. Against platinum or white gold the same pink reads crisper and more defined. A halo of colourless diamonds around a pink centre lifts the stone and makes the colour appear deeper by contrast, while adding sparkle and presence.

A plain solitaire lets the colour speak for itself, while shoulder set and trilogy designs add brilliance along the band and can frame the centre with either pink or colourless accent stones. A pink diamond eternity ring makes a beautiful companion to the engagement ring.

Buying a pink diamond ring from Lily Arkwright

This collection can be viewed by appointment at the London and Manchester showrooms, where a consultant can talk through colour, shape and setting in person. WhatsApp video and virtual consultations are available for anyone who would rather start from home.

Each ring is made to order in platinum or 18ct gold, with free and insured global shipping.