Think Pink

It was Coco Chanel who once said; "Fashion fades; but style goes on for ever."Trends come and go; some have never been away. The colour pink has long been a favourite in female fashion, from clothing and lingerie to every day accessories such as Cadillac’s, champagne, precious stones, and iPods.

Pink diamonds and pink sapphires are the very latest trend in female jewellery. Traditional precious metal wedding bands and engagement rings set with pink sapphires or pink diamonds have again set the world of high fashion and celebrity circles buzzing. Traditionally, diamonds conjure up an image of clear brilliant crystal; sparkling white and bright. Scintillating blue sapphires have been revered for centuries, and adorn many royal collections.

Pink Diamonds

Diamonds occur naturally in a wide range of colours including; white, yellow, orange, purple, green, red, brown, and even black; and then there is pink, the rarest and most sought after of diamonds. Mined in very small quantities each year, the Argyle diamond mine in Australia produces more than ninety percent of the world supply of pink diamonds and of those, only a tenth of one percent are classified as true pink in colour. Pink diamonds have been sold for up to $1,000,000 a carat. Unlike Type I diamonds that derive their colour from natural impurities imbedded in the diamond, pink diamonds, classified as Type II diamonds, acquire their coloration due to the structural anomalies that occur during a phase of plastic deformation and crystal growth. Pink diamonds are not usually large in size, with only one out of the top sixty six largest diamonds in the world classified as pink.

The Darya-I-Nur diamond is thought to be the largest, and one of the oldest pink diamond in the world, with an estimated weight of somewhere between 175 and 195 carat. It is light pink in colour and has been mounted in its present brooch setting for more than a 130 years, making it difficult to determine its precise weight. This diamond is housed within the Iranian Crown Jewels, and is eminent among a collection of rare and beautiful gemstones. The Steinmetz Pink Diamond is another renowned gem, classified as a vivid pink and weighing 59.60 carat. This stone, the largest fancy vivid pink diamond in the world was discovered in South Africa. The Steinmetz diamond took a team of eight specialist jewellers 20 months to create the flawless masterpiece that exists today. This dazzling gem among gems was finally unveiled to the world during a public ceremony held in Monaco in May 2003.

Very few pink diamonds come onto the open market; they are generally the reserve of only the most prestigious international jewellery houses of the world. There are however irradiated pink diamonds more readily available. These are artificially coloured pink diamonds, still a diamond, equally as dazzling and beautiful; but at a substantially lower price than a naturally pink diamond.Luxurious pink sapphires are also often substituted as a more affordable and practical alternative to pink diamonds.

Pink Sapphires

Pink sapphires are a form of gemstone known as corundum. Corundum is an exceptionally hard aluminium oxide that forms in igneous and metamorphic rocks and is one of the most popular minerals in the world of fine jewellery - rubies and sapphires are coloured corundum. Rubies are deep red corundum of gemstone quality. Gemstone quality corundum of any other colour is known as sapphire. The pink colour in a sapphire is produced by the naturally occurring addition of very small quantities of chromium.

Today, many of the worlds pink sapphires originate in Madagascar from a recently discovered large deposit, making the usually rare pink sapphire a more accessible and far more affordable gemstone. But even so, today, pink sapphires are still valuable, and are very often more expensive than high quality dark or royal blue sapphires. African sapphires cover almost the full spectrum of colour, but are usually smaller in size than those from other regions. Ceylon is also a rich source of pink diamonds; with gemstones from this region exhibiting a tinge of blue, which give them a slightly more purplish hue. Ceylon produces many pretty shades of pink sapphire. Other valuable sources of the rare pink sapphire include Australia, Brazil, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam. The difference between a pink sapphire and a ruby is very difficult to determine and, at times, almost impossible.

Sir Richard Burton (19 March 1821 – 20 October 1890) the renowned British explorer and translator of the book, 1001Arabian Nights, owned a large sapphire which he carried with him at all times. He called it his lucky charm and accompanied him on his most famous journeys. In the Far East, many believe that such a stone bestows good fortune upon all who look upon it. During his travels, if Burton did not receive the very best service, he would refuse to show off his lucky talisman even to those who had come from far and wide to see it - in the hope good fortune would rub off.

In the pink

Pink sapphires have long been associated with love and romance, and are said to strengthen the bond of love and commitment; they are often gifted on 5th, 23rd and 45th wedding anniversaries. Pink sapphires are distinctive and elegant whether set in white, yellow gold, or platinum. Each of these precious metals will complement perfectly the lush warmth of a pink sapphire. Pink sapphire engagement rings and pink sapphire wedding rings are becoming increasingly popular, and are just that bit more special for their feminine chic and stylish elegance. Because of their rarity, pink diamond rings and pink sapphire rings can be hard to find on the high street. Ranges on offer and held in stock tend not to be so extensive, restricting ones choice. Good quality online retailers are generally far more flexible and can usually offer any of the rings displayed on their web sites in a choice of precious stones, including pink diamonds and sapphires. So, forget blue; look pretty in pink.