30 July 2013
The world’s most exclusive diamond sale, the Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender, is being previewed in Tokyo for the first time in five years.
Argyle Pink Diamonds manager Josephine Johnson said,
“We are delighted to be back in Tokyo to showcase the finest red, pink and blue diamonds from the Argyle mine in Western Australia. The Japanese market is very important to us and over the past 20 years has shown, and continues to show, an unerring demand for Argyle pink diamonds.”
Included in the Tokyo preview are three Fancy Red diamonds, representing the pinnacle of value and ultimate rarity in the diamond industry. The hero of the collection is a 1.56 carat round gem, Argyle Phoenix™ named in honour of the newly commissioned Argyle underground mine.
The 2013 Tender collection is also notable for its unique combination of colours and sizes. For the first time in eight years there is a diamond greater than three carats – the 3.02 carat Radiant, Fancy Intense Orangy Pink diamond, named Argyle Imperial™. Equally unusual is the 0.71 carat blue heart-shaped diamond, Argyle Celestial™, which is expected to be sold with a matching heart-shaped fancy pink diamond from the collection.
Japan remains the largest consumer market for pink diamonds, with the lighter “cherry blossom” shades of pink in strong demand from Japanese jewellery designers. It is also a market that covets heart shaped diamonds, and the matching pink and blue heart shaped diamonds in the 2013 Tender collection are likely to be strongly contested.
According to Josephine Johnson,
“The level of sophistication and jewellery design expertise in Japan is ideally placed to capture the extraordinary colour palette on offer in this year’s Tender collection.”
The 2013 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender comprises 64 diamonds, including 58 pink diamonds, three fancy red diamonds and three blue diamonds. All 64 diamonds in this year’s collection were cut and polished in Western Australia by Rio Tinto’s master craftsmen, acknowledged globally for their expertise, precision and artistic flare.
Bids close on 2 October 2013.
About Argyle Pink Diamonds
Pink diamonds, produced at Rio Tinto’s Argyle Mine in Western Australia, are highly coveted as the world’s most sought after gems. The Argyle Diamond Mine produces more than 90 per cent of the world’s pink diamonds, which are sold in a broad range of colours and sizes to an international customer base.
Pink diamonds’ value is directly related to their rarity. The market for pink diamonds is quite separate to white diamonds, and due to their rarity, pink diamonds typically command prices far in excess of white diamonds.
The best diamonds are reserved for the annual Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender. Rio Tinto’s Argyle Pink Diamonds business is located in Perth, Western Australia, alongside its cutting and polishing factory. Website: www.argylepinkdiamonds.com.au
A summary of the heroes of the 2013 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender
Argyle Phoenix™ 1.56 CARAT, ROUND BRILLIANT, Fancy Red, I2
Argyle Seraphina™ 2.02 CARAT, PRINCESS, Fancy Intense Purple-Pink, SI2
Argyle Imperial™ 3.02 CARAT, RADIANT, Fancy Intense Orangy Pink, SI1
Argyle Aurelia™ 1.18 CARAT, OVAL, Fancy Intense Purplish Pink, SI2
Argyle Dauphine™ 2.51 CARAT, RADIANT, Fancy Deep Pink, SI2
Argyle Celestial ™ 0.71 CARAT, HEART, Fancy Dark Gray-Blue, VS1