Gems
Jewelers Are Already Nostalgic for the End of Pink Diamonds
The mine responsible for 90% of the world’s supply is closing.
Source: Rio Tinto
For 30 years, jeweler John Calleija has been purchasing rare gems from Rio Tinto Group’s Argyle mine in remote Western Australia, home to 90% of the world’s prized pink diamonds.
On a recent rainy afternoon in New York’s Peninsula Hotel, the Australia-based Calleija studied some of the rarest pink and red stones through a magnifying glass as part of Rio Tinto’s annual pink diamonds tender, which held a total of 64 diamonds making up 56.28 carats. The intense quiet in the room was broken only by Calleija’s occasional murmurs of approval at the gems’ cut and clarity.