BOODLES: TWO-STONE FANCY COLOURED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND RING

Footnotes

Accompanied by a report from GIA stating that the cushion-shaped diamond, weighing 2.52 carats, is natural Fancy Purplish Pink colour, VS1 clarity. Report number 2135644037, dated 4th August 2011.

Accompanied by a report from GIA stating that the Ashoka-cut diamond, weighing 3.23 carats, is D colour, VVS1 clarity. Report number 16255366, dated 14th July 2021.

Accompanied by a report from GIA stating that the Ashoka-cut diamond, weighing 3.23 carats, is D colour, Internally Flawless clarity. Report number 16255366, dated 20th September 2007.

Pink diamonds are exceedingly rare in nature. It is estimated that only one in 10,000 gem quality diamonds produced in the world show noticeable colour and of these, a similarly small percentage are pink, the majority under 2.00 carats in size. How they occur is romantically enigmatic; unlike most other coloured diamonds, their colour is caused not by trace elements in their chemical composition but by a lucky miracle of nature, a distortion within their atomic lattice caused by the pressure exerted on them during their formation.

Throughout millennia of diamond mining, pink diamonds have been unearthed only occasionally, historically in India and later in Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa. The best specimens have been kept as treasures in the collections of royalty, rulers and museums, sought after and celebrated for their elusive beauty. Traditionally considered a gemmological curiosity, the last 50 years have seen a great shift in perception.

In the late 1970s, pink diamond-bearing lamproite rock was discovered at the Argyle mine in East Kimberley, Western Australia producing a limited but steady number of small fine quality pink and red diamonds each year. The mine quickly became recognised as the only consistent source in the world. This small but regular supply, alongside informative marketing campaigns, piqued industry and public interest in pink diamonds and the rarity of coloured diamonds. The last few decades have seen the value of fine coloured diamonds increase exponentially. After nearly forty years of operation, the Argyle mine ceased production last year and since there are no other known mines with such a consistent production, pink diamonds are set to become increasingly rare.

The Ashoka-cut lends its name, and was inspired by, the original Ashoka Diamond - a 41.37 carat, D colour, Flawless diamond - from the highly coveted Golconda mine in India.

This original diamond was itself named after Ashoka the Great, who ruled in India during the 3rd Century BC. Ashoka the Great was known initially for his bloodthirsty military conquests, but legend has it after surveying the death and destruction his army had caused in capturing the region of Kalinga, his feeling of remorse was so severe he transformed his ways, becoming a pacifist and promoting the spread of Buddhism - believing the true path of enlightenment could only be achieved through tranquillity, hence the naming of the original diamond.

Based on the Ashoka Diamond, New York diamantaire, William Goldberg, developed and patented the Ashoka-cut in 2000, and Boodles are the only British jeweller to offer Ashoka-cut diamonds in their collection. The Ashoka-cut displays an additional five facets to the 57 facets of brilliant-cuts, requiring the rough diamond to be larger and longer than average, and it is known for its typically larger 'spread', enabling the polished diamond to appear larger when viewed face-up.