At a preview in Sydney this week for the upcoming Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender, Rio Tinto unveiled the largest vivid pink diamond it has ever offered at the annual sale.

The 3.14 ct. emerald cut (pictured, right) is known as the Argyle Alpha and is the largest vivid pink Argyle has offered since it began the auction in 1984.

Rio Tinto is also talking up the Argyle Muse, a 2.28 ct. fancy purplish-red oval (pictured, left) which it calls the largest purplish-red diamond ever offered at its tenders and has an “unrivaled potency of color.” The Muse comes from a 7.38 ct. piece of rough that also yielded a purplish-red that is being sold this year.

The Alpha is one of 63 rare pink, red, and violet diamonds totaling 51.48 cts. that will be featured at the sale, which will include viewings in Sydney, Hong Kong, and New York City. The deadline to bid on stones is Oct. 10.

This year’s tender will include five fancy red diamonds, two purplish-red diamonds, and three violet diamonds.

Other “hero” stones that will be featured this year:  the Argyle Maestro, a 1.29 ct. fancy vivid purplish-pink square radiant; the Argyle Alchemy, a 1.57 ct. fancy dark gray–violet princess cut; the Argyle Odyssey, a 2.08 ct. fantasy intense pink round brilliant; and the Argyle Myra, a 1.12 ct. fancy red radiant.

Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine is the world’s only source of these highly coveted pink, red, and violet diamonds, and we expect considerable interest in this year’s collection,” said Rio Tinto chief executive Jean-Sébastien Jacques in a statement. “The combination of strong demand and extremely limited world supply continues to support significant value appreciation for Argyle pink diamonds.”

The Argyle Mine is owned by Rio Tinto and is based in Perth, Australia.

JCK gave behind-the-scene glimpses of the Argyle Pink Tender here and here.

(Image courtesy of Rio Tinto)

 

 

 

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