The 170-carat Lulo Rose diamond could become the most expensive pink diamond when auctioned in the future.
One of the largest rough pink diamonds in the world was discovered by miners in Angola in 2022, according to IFL Science. Named “Lulo Rose,” this gemstone weighs 170 carats and has the potential to become the most valuable diamond in history. Its massive weight is a contributing factor, but its rare pink color also elevates the Lulo Rose’s worth.
The rough pink diamond named Lulo Rose. (Photo: Fox)
Colored diamonds are extremely rare, representing only 0.01% (1 in 10,000) of the diamonds mined worldwide. Pink diamonds are as rare as blue, green, purple, orange, and red diamonds, while yellow and brown diamonds are somewhat more common. Although the rarity of colored diamonds drives their prices up, the beautiful colors are often a result of imperfections. The reason more diamonds are mined in their clear form is that pure diamonds are more prevalent.
Researchers are not entirely sure of the mechanisms behind pink diamonds, but they believe this is a result of deformation. This is one of three ways a diamond can become flawed (the other two being inclusions and damage). Deformation occurs when the diamond’s lattice structure is twisted and bent, altering the way light refracts and causing it to appear no longer colorless.
This deformation must occur at the right level for the stone to exhibit a pink hue; if it’s too much, the diamond will turn brown. The color of a diamond always accurately reflects the conditions of its formation. This is why flawed diamonds are never identical. Therefore, pink diamonds do not share the same shade.
Approximately 80-90% of pink diamonds found by humans come from the same mining area because they form in regions with similar geological histories. The Argyle Mine in Western Australia, which has since closed, was the site of a continental collision roughly 1.8 billion years ago. While the collision generated significant pressure, its location near the lithosphere’s bottom provided ample heat, creating enough deformation for various types of colored diamonds, ranging from light pink to red, brown, orange, and purple. Among these are many pink diamonds, but none as large as Lulo Rose.
Before the discovery of Lulo Rose, the largest and most expensive pink diamond was the Pink Star, which sold in Hong Kong for $71.2 million in 2017. The stone weighed 132.5 carats but was cut down to 59.6 carats. Consequently, many predict that the 170-carat Lulo Rose could surpass the Pink Star to become the most expensive diamond in history at auction.
