Largest Pear-Shaped Pink Diamond Ever Offered at Auction Comes to Sotheby's Geneva in May; Gem Could Fetch $38M

The largest pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction is expected to fetch upwards of $38 million when it headlines Sotheby's Geneva sale in May.

uniquepink1

Known as the "Unique Pink," the 15.38-carat gemstone's impressive size, superb color and stunning clarity puts it in the top echelon of the finest pink diamonds of all time.

"It is difficult to imagine a diamond that better illustrates the term 'vivid pink' than this outstanding stone," noted David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman of Sotheby's International Jewelry Division. "The color is simply astonishing and, for its size, it is in my experience truly unique."

The record for the highest price ever paid at auction for a fancy vivid pink diamond is currently held by the 24.78-carat emerald-cut "Graff Pink," which was sold by British billionaire Laurence Graff for $46.2 million at Sotheby's Geneva in 2010.

Although the Unique Pink is expected to yield a $8 million less than the Graff Pink, it should outperform the highly acclaimed “Sweet Josephine,” a cushion-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond weighing 16.08 carats that was purchased by Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau for $28.5 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2015.

uniquepink2

In addition to receiving the Gemological Institute of America's highest possible color grading, the Unique Pink also earned a Type IIa rating, reflecting its "exceedingly pure structure."

The rough diamond that yielded the Unique Pink was cut and polished by the New York-based Cora International, known worldwide for its expertise in handling large sizes and vivid fancy colors. Noted the GIA: “Although nature is largely to thank for the Unique Pink’s most striking and unusual attributes, the work of its cutter must not go unnoticed. The task of polishing the valuable rough crystal into the sparkling gem it is today required tremendous skill.”

Pink diamonds are also extraordinarily rare. The GIA reports that of all the diamonds submitted for grading each year, only 3% are colored diamonds. Of that grouping, only 5% are predominantly pink.

Because of this rarity, wealthy investors have sought pink diamonds for their portfolios. According to the Fancy Color Research Foundation, since January 2005, pink diamonds have risen in value by more than 350%. Over that same period, gold, by comparison, has risen by just over 160% and the S&P 500 gained 66%.

Sotheby's set the pre-sale estimate for the Unique Pink at $28 million to $38 million. It will be the top lot of the auction house's Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale, which is set to take place on May 17 in Geneva.

The Unique Pink already has completed two legs of a three-city promotional tour that included Hong Kong and London. The gem will appear in New York from April 15-19.

Credits: Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s; screen capture via Sothebys.com.

Music Friday: Last-Minute Fling Doesn't Mean a Thing 'Cause Carole King Gets the Ring in 'Oh No Not My Baby'

Welcome to Music Friday when we often bring your classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, the incomparable Carole King gets the ring in her classic 1964 hit, "Oh No Not My Baby."

king2

In this song about a young woman faced with allegations of a cheating boyfriend, King's trust in him is unwavering. She sings, "When my friends told me you had someone new / I didn't believe a single word was true."

Later in the song, King rationalizes that even if her boyfriend was unfaithful, the dalliance was probably just a flash in the pan. Once again, she sings, "Well, you might have had a last minute fling / But I am sure it didn't mean a thing / 'Cause yesterday you gave me your ring."

Co-written by King and then-husband Gerry Goffin, "Oh No Not My Baby" was originally recorded in 1964 by Maxine Brown and subsequently covered by some of the biggest names in the music business, including Aretha Franklin, Cher, Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, the Shirelles, Manfred Mann, Dusty Springfield, Debby Boone, Julie Budd, Eydie Gormé and The 1970s made-for-TV band The Partridge Family. Fans of American Idol might remember Jacob Lusk's rendition of the song in 2011.

Although Carole King has composed most of her songs for other performers, many fans agree that nobody does Carole King like Carole King. That's why we chose to feature King's rendition of "Oh No Not My Baby," which appeared on her 1980 album Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King as well as her 2001 album Love Makes the World.

Born Carol Joan Klein to a New York City firefighter dad and teacher mom, King started playing the piano at the age of 4. While attending high school she dated Neil Sedaka and changed her name to Carole King. She and her buddy Paul Simon made extra money by making demo records for $25 per session. While attending Queens College, she met Goffin, who became her song-writing partner. They were married one year later, in 1959, when King was only 17 years old. The marriage lasted nine years.

king1

In the early 1970s, King launched a successful solo career catapulted by the immense success of Tapestry, a breakthrough album that topped the U.S. album charts for 15 weeks in 1971 and remained on the charts for more than six years.

King is credited with writing or co-writing 118 songs that have appeared on the Billboard Hot 100. King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 1987. King announced her retirement from songwriting and performing in 2012, but then walked back that statement in 2013, clarifying that she was just "taking a break." She is now 74 years old.

Check out the audio track of King's awesome rendition of "Oh No Not My Baby." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along.

"Oh No Not My Baby"
Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. Performed by Carole King.

When my friends told me you had someone new
I didn't believe a single word was true
I showed them all I had a faith in you
I just kept on saying

Oh, no, not my baby
Oh, no, not my sweet baby
You're not like those other guys
Who lead you on and tell you lies

My mama told me when rumors spread
There's truth somewhere and I should use my head
But I didn't listen to what she said
I kept right on saying

Oh, no, not my baby
Oh, no, not my sweet baby
You're not like those other boys
Who play with hearts like they were toys

Well, you might have had a last minute fling
But I am sure it didn't mean a thing
'Cause yesterday you gave me your ring
And I'm so glad that I kept on saying

Oh, no, not my baby
Oh, no, not my sweet baby
You're not like those other guys
Who lead you on and tell you lies

Oh, no, not my baby
Oh, no, not my sweet baby
Oh, no, not my baby
Oh, no, not my sweet baby

Credits: Promotional image via Epic Records. Tapestry album cover.

Kansas City Royals' World Series Bling Signals a Return to Yellow Gold

The Kansas City Royals celebrated their 2015 World Series championship on Tuesday with dazzling rings that signal a return to yellow gold. The ring ceremony took place at Kauffman Stadium prior to their contest against the New York Mets, the same team they vanquished last October in a series of thrilling come-from-behind victories.

kcring1

The spectacular rings by Jostens feature a combination of 2.5 carats of white diamonds and 7 carats of blue sapphires set in a two-tone display of white and yellow 14-karat gold. A representative from Jostens noted that it's been nearly a decade since a World Series ring has been designed in yellow gold. The last ones were worn by the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals.

The KC logo on the top of the ring is masterfully created from custom-cut blue sapphires surrounded by a yellow gold outline placed atop a field of 14-karat white gold and brilliant round diamonds. The words "WORLD" and "CHAMPIONS" edge the top and bottom of the ring in yellow gold.

kcring2

Reaching up from the sides of the ring and framing the top is a crown motif that mimics the team's iconic logo. A row of blue sapphires sits behind the crown, which is adorned with 30 round white diamonds.

One side of the ring features the player's name atop a silhouetted image of Kauffman Stadium overlaid with the Royals' script logo.

The opposite side features the championship year 2015 set in white diamonds and placed above a baseball diamond that surrounds a silhouette of the World Series trophy. The trophy sits atop five round diamonds representing the five runs the Royals scored in the top of the 12th inning of the series-clinching Game 5. First and third bases are shown set with two blue princess-cut sapphires representing the team's back-to-back World Series appearances in 2014 and 2015.

kcring3

The interior of the band notes the Royals' series records against the three teams they faced in the playoffs: The Houston Astros (3-2), the Toronto Blue Jays (4-2) and the New York Mets (4-1). Also included is the phrase “Royals crowned back to back A.L. champs.”

kcring4

"Today is a special celebration for the entire Royals organization and our fans as we honor the 2015 Kansas City Royals with the presentation of their World Series Championship rings," said Royals president Dan Glass. "These brilliant rings embody the sacrifices and contributions made by the entire Royals organization to become the 2015 World Series Champions. It is an honor to present this highest reward to our players, coaches and staff members."

The Royals will be giving out about 700 rings in total. That numbers includes players, coaches, field staff, full-time front office members, scouts and minor-league instructors.

Credits: Images courtesy of Jostens; Screen captures via Twitter.com/Royals.

Fancy Vivid Blue 'De Beers Millennium Jewel 4' Sells for $32M, Sets Asian Auction Record

Jewelry buffs will remember the spring of 2016 as the "season of sensational blue diamonds." In a span of just six weeks, three museum-quality blue diamonds — all larger than 9.5 carats and each carrying a price tag of $25 million or more — will be making headlines around the world.

millennium1

Yesterday. The first of the three, the 10.10-carat "De Beers Millennium Jewel 4," set an Asian auction record at Sotheby's Hong Kong yesterday. The $32 million selling price broke the record for the most expensive piece of jewelry ever sold at auction in Asia. It was scooped up by a phone bidder who chose to remain anonymous. The pre-sale estimate for the fancy vivid blue gem had been $30 to $36 million.

Slightly larger than an almond, the internally flawless oval diamond edged out the previous record holder, a 118-carat white diamond that fetched $30.6 million in 2013.

The De Beers Millennium Jewel 4 was originally unveiled by De Beers in 2000 as part of the Millennium Jewels Collection. While the priceless grouping was being displayed in London's Millennium Dome, a gang of thieves tried to steal the baubles in a daring raid that included a James-Bond-like escape down the Thames in a speedboat. Metropolitan Police foiled the heist and the bad guys were jailed for up to 18 years each.

Three superior blue gems appearing in one season is significant because gem experts believe that there are no more than a dozen or so fancy vivid blue diamonds over 10 carats in the world.

millennium2

April 19. Next up in this spring's cavalcade of diamond delights will be the "Shirley Temple Blue," a gorgeous 9.54-carat fancy deep blue diamond ring purchased for the child star by her father in 1940. The cushion-cut diamond in its original Art Deco-inspired setting is expected to sell for $25 million to $35 million when it hits the auction block at Sotheby’s New York on April 19.

The “Shirley Temple Blue” carries a clarity grade of VVS2 and was rated “potentially internally flawless.” George Francis Temple paid $7,210 for the ring 76 years ago.

millennium3

May 18. Next month at Christie's Geneva, the 14.62-carat rectangular-cut "Oppenheimer Blue" has a chance to surpass the record $48.5 million paid at Sotheby’s Geneva for the 12.03-carat cushion-shaped internally flawless “Blue Moon” (now called “Blue Moon of Josephine”). “Blue Moon” is the record holder for the highest price ever paid for a diamond of any color, and for the highest price paid per carat for any diamond ($4.02 million).

millennium4

The Oppenheimer Blue, which boasts a VVS1 clarity, carries a pre-sale estimate of $38 million to $45 million and is the largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction. Some experts believe Christie’s high estimate is on the conservative side, so the Blue Moon's record could be within reach.

Images: Courtesy of Sotheby’s; courtesy of Christie's.

Romantic Marriage Proposal Takes Terrible Turn as Engagement Ring Bounces Into Mobile Bay

A romantic marriage proposal on a pier overlooking picturesque Mobile Bay turned into a nightmare for an Alabama man who fumbled the ring and helplessly watched it bounce into the water below.

pier1

Greg's well-intentioned plan was to share a magical outing with his girlfriend, Sara, on the pier at Fairhope. There, he would surprise her by popping the question. Somehow, Greg never got the memo that diamond engagement rings and large bodies of water do not mix.

With a friend capturing the picture-perfect moment with an iPhone, Greg delivered a heartfelt proposal, got down on one knee and presented a ring box that he had hidden in his pocket. All good, so far.

pier2

Then, he opened the box and watched helplessly as the diamond engagement ring seemed to fly out, bouncing on the wooden decking and then splashing into the bay. The shocked couple can be seen staring into the water.

Greg and Sara could hardly believe what had just happened.

pier4

"We were thinking that we just saw some splash, but that this was not real," Greg told CW 39.

The future groom bravely jumped into the water, but had no success locating the uninsured ring.

pier3

All was not lost, however, as the determined Alabaman escorted Sara back to the jewelry store the very same day. He purchased a replacement ring and proposed right there in the retail establishment.

"Then I did something of a quick proposal," Greg told CW 39. "Just asked her if she would marry me in the store."

Sara said, "Yes."

Greg joked that the proposal took place on dry land with no water nearby — a hard lesson learned.

Credits: Video screen captures via cw39.com.

'Oppenheimer Blue' Could Challenge 'Blue Moon' for the Title of Priciest Diamond Ever; Record Now Stands at $48.5M

In November 2015, the 12.03-carat "Blue Moon" set an auction record for the priciest diamond ever when the fancy vivid blue gem sold for $48.5 million at Sotheby's Geneva. But on May 18, the 14.62-carat "Oppenheimer Blue" has a chance to dethrone the Blue Moon when it goes under the hammer at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva.

oppenheimer1

Oppenheimer Blue, which carries a pre-sale estimate of $38 million to $45 million, is the largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction. Some experts believe Christie's high estimate is on the conservative side, giving the stone a viable chance of setting a new record.

oppenheimer4

Despite both diamonds being of similar color, the cushion-shaped Blue Moon (now called the Blue Moon of Josephine) was rated internally flawless, while the rectangular-cut Oppenheimer Blue sits one grade below at VVS1 clarity.

Even if the Oppenheimer Blue doesn't match Blue Moon's record per-carat selling price of $4.03 million, it could still sell for more because it is 2.59 carats larger.

oppenheimer2

"The Oppenheimer Blue was named in honor of a very special connoisseur — its previous owner, Sir Philip Oppenheimer," noted Rahul Kadakia, Christie's International Head of Jewelry. "The Oppenheimers have been leaders in the diamond industry for generations and Sir Philip could have had any diamond he wanted. But he chose this one, with its perfect hue, impeccable proportions and fabulous rectangular shape."

oppenheimer3

Kadakia called the "Oppenheimer Blue" the "gem of gems," and "one of the rarest gems in the world."

In a promotional video, the narrator described the rise in the popularity of blue diamonds.

"Blue diamonds have gained a wider following," he said, "not only because they are stunning, but because there are so few of them available in the world."

The magnificent gem will be offered for sale in its original platinum mounting by Verdura. The large blue center stone is flanked by two trapeze-shaped white diamonds.

Fancy vivid blue diamonds are extraordinarily rare. A Gemological Institute of America study of 462 blue diamonds revealed that only 1% attained the color grade of "fancy vivid."

Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale is scheduled to take place at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues on May 18.

Images: Oppenheimer Blue courtesy of Christie's. Screen captures via Christies.com. Blue Moon courtesy of Sotheby's.

Music Friday: Jason Derulo Dreams of Proposing 'With the Perfect Diamond Ring' in 2010's 'What If'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. On this first day of April, we shine the spotlight on the month's official birthstone with a song about diamonds — specifically "the perfect diamond ring" in Jason Derulo's "What If."

derulo1

Derulo explained to the BBC that his 2010 song is about meeting someone for the first time and then imagining at that moment how both of their lives may have been profoundly altered.

"So I'm telling this girl y'know, what if in two years, three years from now we'll be married with children and living in a log cabin?" he said.

He sings, "Yeah, picture me on one knee / With the perfect diamond ring / We just met, but if you said yes / We'd have our wedding on the beach."

derulo2

The official video, which was inspired by the 2004 movie The Butterfly Effect, begins with Derulo and his girlfriend moving in together. He pulls a diamond engagement ring from the nightstand, but hides it in his pocket when she comes into the room. She leaves to retrieve the last box from the moving truck, but while she is walking across the street, a distracted driver nearly hits her.

Derulo hears the skidding car and sprints to save his girlfriend, but as he reaches her, the video freezes and then time beings to go in reverse. We learn how Derulo and his girlfriend got to this moment through reverse-motion flashbacks, as if their lives are being rewound.

The video, which has been viewed nearly 30 million times, contains a surprise ending that we won't spoil here. The "butterfly effect," by the way, is a scientific theory that a single occurrence, no matter how small, can change the course of the universe forever.

"What If" is the fourth single from Derulo's self-titled debut album. It was first released in the UK and peaked at #12. The single was subsequently released in the U.S., where it made its debut at #76 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Born Jason Joel Desrouleaux in Miramar, Fla., the 26-year-old singer-songwriter-dancer-choreographer, has sold more than 50 million singles since launching his solo career in 2009. He changed his last name to Derulo because the French spelling was hard to pronounce.

Please check out the official video of "What If." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"What If"
Written by Jonathan Rotem and Jason Desrouleaux. Performed by Jason Derulo.

What if?
What if I'm the one for you?
And you're the one for me?
What if?

If you are the one
Then us meeting here is fate
Future with a dog named Red
Buy a house with a fireplace

This is the first I've seen your face
But there's a chance we are soul mates
I know this might sound crazy
'Cause you don't know my name

But we can't, we can't tell the future, no
But that's just the beauty of the world we know
So I'ma say du, du, du-du, du-du, du-du, baby, what if?
We all can say du, du, du-du, du-du, du-du, baby, what if?

What if? What if? What if?
What if? What if? What if?

Yeah, picture me on one knee
With the perfect diamond ring
We just met, but if you said yes
We'd have our wedding on the beach

It could happen, raise three kids
And we grow old oh, so happily
I know this might sound crazy
'Cause I don't know your name

But we can't, we can't tell the future, no
But that's just the beauty of the world we know
So I'ma say du, du, du-du, du-du, du-du, baby, what if?
We all can say du, du, du-du, du-du, du-du, baby, what if?

Don't know what tomorrow brings
But I'm still hoping that you are the one for me
Oh, and what if I had you and what if you had me
And, baby, what's the reason we can't fall in love?

What if? What if? What if?
What if? What if?

But we can't, we can't tell the future, no
But that's just the beauty of the world we know
So I'ma say du, du, du-du, du-du, du-du, baby, what if?
We all can say du, du, du-du, du-du, du-du, baby, what if?

But we can't, we can't tell the future, no
But that's just the beauty of the world we know
So I'ma say du, du, du-du, du-du, du-du, baby, what if?
We all can say du, du, du-du, du-du, du-du, baby, what if?

Credits: YouTube screen captures.

World's Largest Known Diamond Deposit Was Formed When an Asteroid Slammed Into the Earth a Long Time Ago

The world's largest known diamond deposit — containing trillions of carats — lies at the bottom of the Popigai Crater in a remote part of northern Siberia.

asteroid1

Scientists believe the crater was formed 35 million years ago when an asteroid 3 to 5 miles across slammed into the Earth with such velocity that it ripped a 63-mile-wide gash in the landscape. The impact produced an energy burst equivalent to millions of nuclear weapons and generated temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun, according to geology.com.

asteroid2

Under this intense heat and pressure, the limestones, marbles, dolomites and other carbon-bearing rocks in the impact zone were instantly melted and transformed into diamond.

asteroid3

Before you book your next trip to Siberia to prospect for what is estimated to be trillions of carats of diamonds, take note that just about all of them are of industrial quality. Most are tiny yellow-brown crystals, although some can be up to a half-inch in size.

None are suitable for jewelry, unless your significant other has an unusual affection for blemished, off-color diamonds. Popigai diamonds are valued at about $12 per carat, according to Popular Mechanics, and are strewn over such a wide and remote area that they offer little commercial value. Today, nearly all of the diamonds used in the U.S. for industrial purposes, such as coating saw blades and drill tips, are synthetic and lab-produced in vast quantities.

Interestingly, the Russian government had known about the huge trove of diamonds buried under the surface of the crater since the 1970s, but kept it a secret until a 2012. The Popigai Crater has been designated by UNESCO as a Geopark, a site of special geological heritage.

Credits: Asteroid illustration via NASA; Popigai Crater image via NASA, public domain; Google Maps.

Sanitation Workers Defy All Odds by Finding $400K Bridal Set Buried in 8 Tons of Rotting Garbage

Sanitation workers in Bridgeton, Mo., defied impossible odds when they miraculously pulled a $400,000 diamond bridal set from an 8-ton pile of rotting garbage. The search took only 22 minutes.

trash1

How the 12.5-carat pear-shaped diamond ring and matching wedding band got into the trash makes an interesting story...

Carla and Bernie Squitieri of Clarkson Valley, Mo., had just finished their evening meal and were cleaning up around the kitchen when they got a surprise visit from their granddaughter.

Earlier, Carla had taken off her rings and wrapped them in a paper towel while she was drying the dishes, but when the doorbell rang, she got distracted and temporarily lost track of her very precious keepsakes.

trash3

At 7 a.m. the next morning, Bernie noticed the wadded-up paper towels on the counter, scooped them up and tossed them in the trash. Then he grabbed the trash bag and ran out to meet up the sanitation truck, which was heading down his street.

"Don't forget this one," he shouted as he handed the bag to the sanitation worker.

A few hours later, panic started to set in when Carla realized her rings were gone.

"I'm crying, I'm feeling hopeless, I knew something had happened," Carla told TODAY.

The couple put two and two together and realized the rings were probably on their way to the landfill.

trash4

They called Meridian Waste Services in Bridgeton and learned that their trash — along with the trash of 900 other customers — was on its way to a radioactive landfill. Had the rings ended up there, they wouldn't be accessible and the chances of a recovery would be zero.

trash2

However, a sympathetic operations manager, Joe Evans, agreed to divert the truck to a transfer station in O’Fallon, where the Squitieris and three sanitation company managers — all dressed in Hazmat suits — would make an attempt to find the rings.

Bernie said the sanitation workers warned him that the chances of finding the rings in the 30-foot wide by 100-foot long by 20-foot high pile of garbage were "slim to none."

But, in just 22 minutes, Evans had crushed the odds.

"When I first noticed it, I was like, 'Oh my god I can't believe I found it,'" Evans told TODAY. "I yelled 'Hey, I found it!' Her eyes got real big, with tears of joy and relief. Ten times out of 10, we don't find something like that. It was the best feeling in the world to find that ring and give it back."

"My wife was in shock," Bernie told ABC News. "It was a miracle."

Without considering how gunky they were, Carla quickly returned the rings to the ring finger of her left hand.

"I put [the rings] on dirty. I didn't care," she told TODAY.

While the rings were insured, losing them would have been devastating for the couple that has been married for 26 years.

trash5

Said Carla, "I planned on handing [them] down to my one and only daughter — never mind the monetary value, it's the sentimental value."

Images: Bernie Squitieri; Screen captures via fox2now.com/KTVI St. Louis.

Tanzania's Williamson Mine Yields Another Exceptional 'Bubblegum' Pink Diamond; Petra Sells 32-Carat Gem for $15M

Petra Diamonds announced that it sold an exceptional 32.33-carat "bubblegum" pink rough diamond for a remarkable $15 million, or $463,965 per carat. The stone was sourced in Tanzania at Petra's legendary Williamson Mine, which has been producing gem-quality "bubblegum" pink diamonds for the past 76 years.

bubblegum1

The diamond was purchased by Golden Yellow Diamonds on behalf of Israeli diamond manufacturer M. A. Anavi Diamond Group, a company specializing in colored diamonds.

As part of the deal, Petra also retained an interest in the diamond once it is polished, so when the faceted gem is sold, Petra will earn 10% of the "value uplift" of that sale, as well.

bubblegum2

Petra's most recent find outperformed another notable pink diamond that we wrote about in November 2015. That rough diamond, also from Petra's Williamson Mine and also purchased by Golden Yellow Diamonds on behalf of M. A. Anavi Diamond Group, weighed 23.16 carats and sold for $10.1 million, or $433,938 per carat. At the time, we reported that it was Petra's most significant recovery from the mine to date. Clearly, the 32.33-carat diamond replaces the November discovery as its best find yet.

Vivid pink diamonds of exceptional size and quality are a favorite of gem connoisseurs. In early November, billionaire Joseph Lau purchased a cushion-shaped 16.08-carat pink diamond for $28.5 million ($1.7 million per carat), setting an auction record for any vivid pink diamond.

bubblegum3

Although the Williamson Mine has been operational for more than three-quarters of a century and has already generated 20 million carats of diamonds, geologists believe the mine still has the capacity to deliver an additional 40 million carats. The mine’s average depth is only 30 to 35 meters, and theoretically it could continue to yield diamonds as deep as 350 meters.

Pink diamonds owe their bubblegum color to the effects of intense pressure and heat while they were still deep within the earth. These factors caused distortions in the diamond’s crystal lattice that influence the way the diamond absorbs green light, thus reflecting a pink hue.

The Williamson Mine is currently co-owned by Petra Diamonds and the government of Tanzania, which holds a 25% stake.

Credits: Petra Diamonds; Google Maps.