Pink Diamonds exhibition lights up Melbourne

“Museums Victoria is pleased to present this world-first display of some of the earth’s extraordinary beauties”

Lynley Crosswell, Museums Victoria

The exhibition will be located in the Dynamic Earth gallery at the Melbourne Museum with showings beginning from 5 November.

Much of the emphasis of the exhibition will be on the role Australia has played as the source of many of the world’s most coveted diamonds, with more than 100 diamonds discovered in the Kimberley region on display.

“Museums Victoria is pleased to present this world-first display of some of the earth’s extraordinary beauties,” Museums Victoria Director Lynley Crosswell said.

“The exhibition will bring to light their dazzling hues, the fascinating science and the precise skill required to cut these exquisite gemstones”.

» Background reading – All about Argyle Violet Diamonds: One of Earth’s rarest gifts

Founder of New York based LJ West, Larry West, said the unique charactertistics and rare nature of the diamonds is what motivates collectors above all else.

The exhibition also includes the 2.83-carat Argyle Violet, which is the largest and most valuable violet diamond recovered to date from the Argyle mine and is a diamond of historic significance in size, colour and clarity. It's GIA certified as Fancy Deep Greyish Bluish Violet.

Larry West said: “My attraction to natural colour diamonds is much like my attraction to life – every day is unique. Every colour diamond that I’ve ever seen or owned has had its own unique characteristics, its own flaws, and its own beauty.”

One diamond that's sure to be popular with on-lookers is the 2.83-carat Argyle Violet, an oval-shaped one-of-a-kind beauty with a colour grading of fancy deep grayish bluish violet - the only violet diamond from the Argyle Mine to receive this grading from the Gemological Institute of America. 

Best of the best

The exhibition – titled Pink Diamonds – will have an extended run at the Melbourne Museum with a scheduled closure date of 29 January giving visitors much of the summer to examine the rare beauties.

“It’s not just appealing to people who are aware of these diamonds or are aware of the history of the Argyle Mine, it’s also about reaching the new younger generation of consumers who are perhaps unaware of just how significant the Mine was.”

William Gant, LJ West

LJ West director of Australia, William Gant, told Jeweller that the focus of the exhibition was raising the public’s understanding of the significance of Australian diamonds internationally.

“We think this is likely the first time that the Australian public has been treated to seeing such a broad range of pink diamonds, and for us it’s about raising the public’s awareness of just what these stones are,” Gant said.

“It’s not just appealing to people who are aware of these diamonds or are aware of the history of the Argyle Mine, it’s also about reaching the new younger generation of consumers who are perhaps unaware of just how significant the Mine was.”

Pink diamonds take more than 1.6 billion years to form and it can take more than one year to perfectly cut and polish one pink diamond.

“Understanding that diamonds come in all sizes, shapes and colours is something the average person may not know, and having the chance to see what we consider to be the very peak of the field is special,” Gant said.

“If you want to see the very best, this is what it looks like.”

Visit the Pink Diamonds exhibit at the Melbourne Museum from 5th November to 29th January 29 2023.  Viewing is free with Museum entry. For more information about this free exhibition, please visit Museums Victoria

2.83-carat Argyle VIOLET & PINK DIAMOND Ring

More reading
Pink Diamonds: Are you getting what you paid for?
Pink diamond expected to fetch $30 million at auction
Filling the Fancy Colour Void
Rio Tinto launches exclusive program for Argyle pink diamonds
All about Argyle Violet Diamonds: One of Earth’s rarest gifts