It’s been a difficult few years for plenty of people across the Goulburn and Murray regions with COVID-19 and the floods, but for someone, Christmas will reveal a diamond from the rough, literally.
A lucky participant in Greater Shepparton’s Great Christmas campaign, a joint promotion between Greater Shepparton City Council and McPherson Media, will take home a Blush by Pink Kimberley sparkling diamond earring and pendant set valued at $5790.
Stephens Jewellers in Shepparton and Pink Kimberley Diamonds have combined to offer the set, which is linked to Australia’s diamond mining heritage.
“The Argyle mine in Western Australia stopped commercial production of the pink diamonds in November 2020, so the stones are simply no longer available,” the owner of Stephens Jewellers in Shepparton and Echuca, Stephen Schneider, said.
“Set in 18 carat white gold, the pendant comes with a white gold chain and it’s a beautiful halo shape with white diamonds set around the edge. In the middle there’s a rose gold setting with the pink diamonds set to the rose gold.
“It really is a classic design.”
Marketing manager for Pink Kimberley Diamonds Australia Jamie Thomas said the closure of the Argyle mine meant the diamonds would become increasingly difficult to find.
“Pink diamonds are one of the rarest gems in the world and out of the white diamonds in the world, pink diamonds make up 0.04 per cent of diamonds in the world,” Ms Thomas said.
“A very small portion, and of that portion, the Argyle mine produced 90 per cent of them.
“There are other mines in America and Sri Lanka, but Argyle produced such a large portion of them that even pink diamonds elsewhere are so hard to get, as the biggest producer is no longer in production.”
Stephens Jewellers is approaching 30 years as a local business under that name, but its origins go back to the 1950s when it was known as Gerrards Jewellers after being established by the grandfather of Mr Schneider’s wife, Michelle.
Mr Schneider said the difficulty of recent years had shown the value of local businesses in regional communities, and people living in those regions have responded.
“One of the things that has certainly shone through in the past three years of challenges for everyone is people have very much returned to their local independent businesses to do a lot of things that they might have thought about going out of town for,” he said.
“We’re pleased with how things are going and confident that people will give local businesses a good chance at filling their needs this festive season.”
The Greater Shepparton’s Great Christmas campaign is an initiative launched by the Greater Shepparton City Council and McPherson Media to highlight the great gift ideas available from local businesses in the city this festive season.
Want to win these amazing prizes?
Simply use this website to choose your gift ideas, have them emailed to you and you will go in the draw to win:
Blush by Pink Kimberley sparkling diamond earring and pendant set valued at $5790.
Uniquely Australian, this sparkling earring and pendant combination is crafted in 18ct white gold with a halo of white diamonds surrounding the central cluster of Australian Argyle pink diamonds set in rose gold to enhance their unique Kimberley hues and inner beauty.
Exclusive to Stephens Jewellers in Shepparton, this spectacular Blush by Pink Kimberley matched set of diamond accessories is valued at $5790.
More information on Greater Shepparton’s Great Christmas campaign can be found at https://christmas.greatthings.com.au/