Argyle Australian Champagne Diamond — 1.22ct Round Brilliant Cut| C6 - Dark Champagne

Why we chose this stone

At 1.22ct, this round brilliant carries a C6 grade with genuine conviction — deep, cognac-toned colour that's rare to find at all, let alone at this size. Stones combining darker champagne tones with larger rough were always uncommon even during Argyle's operating decades, since the two qualities don't often occur together in nature. The brilliant cut makes the most of it here: its facet pattern breaks the colour into constant movement rather than one flat wash, so the diamond alternates between deep amber pools and brighter flashes as it turns in the light. It comes from the East Kimberley region of Western Australia, mined before the Argyle pipe's closure brought that particular supply to an end for good.

A stone of this size and depth of colour sits well above the ordinary run of champagne diamonds — the kind of centre stone that doesn't need a large setting or extra embellishment to make its presence known. With the mine closed and stones like this one finite, a 1.22ct C6 is as much an investment in scarcity as it is a diamond for wearing.