The Quokka is known as the happiest animal in the world with a smiling face that many people adore.
The marsupial is native to Western Australia, the same region where the now-closed Argyle diamond mine was located, sparking the creation of the “Argyle Pink Quokka.”
Linneys, a family-owned manufacturing jeweler in Australia, created the piece to commemorate both rare Argyle pink diamonds and the vulnerable Quokka, which the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified as a declining species.
The Argyle Pink Quokka has two parts.
An 18-karat yellow and rose gold quokka statue is covered in 3.39 carats of Argyle pink diamonds along with 10.96 carats of white and Argyle champagne diamonds and 0.40 carats of pavé-set Argyle pink diamonds on its ears.
The “Argyle Pink Quokka” holds a leaf pendant in its paws that can be removed from the statue and worn as a necklace on an 18-karat rose gold chain with bezel-set white diamonds.
The second part of the piece sits in the quokka’s paws, an 18-karat rose gold leaf with 2.99 carats of Argyle pink diamonds.
It detaches from the statue and can be worn as a necklace on an 18-karat rose gold chain with 0.62 carats of bezel-set white diamonds.
“Linneys is thrilled to unveil the ‘Argyle Pink Quokka,’ a piece that pays homage to two of Western Australia’s rarest and most cherished icons – the quokka, with its endearing charm, and Argyle pink diamonds, renowned as the rarest diamonds in the world,” said Justin Linney, the creative director at Linneys.
“Whether collectors of fine art, diamond connoisseurs, or travelers with a special affinity for Australia, we’re certain that the quokka’s cheeky smile will win hearts around the globe.”
Linneys is part of the Icon Partner Program, a program launched in 2022 by the Argyle mine’s operator Rio Tinto after the mine closed to protect the legacy and provenance of the diamonds.
The miner tapped jewelers like Linneys to develop jewelry and limited-edition pieces with the remaining polished Argyle Pink Diamonds inventory.
The limited-edition Argyle Pink Quokka retails for AUD$500,000 ($339,300), with only three created.
