For the first time in the 30-year history of the Argyle Diamond Mine, Rio Tinto will showcase three Fancy Red diamonds at its annual Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender.
Debuting at a world exclusive preview in Sydney, the three red diamonds represent “the pinnacle of value and ultimate rarity in the diamond industry”.
Argyle pink diamonds manager Josephine Johnson said that since mining began in 1983 only six diamonds certified as Fancy Red by the Gemmological Institute of America have been presented for sale at the annual tender.
“To have three of these rare red diamonds in one tender is a very special moment in time.”
The Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender showcases the best of a year’s production from the Argyle mine in WA.
The hero of this year’s collection is a 1.56 carat round gem called Argyle Phoenix in honour of the newly commissioned Argyle underground mine.
“The intrinsic beauty and unrivalled colour intensity of this red diamond is symbolic of its East Kimberley birthplace and the treasures that lie within the depths of the new underground mine,” said Johnson.
The 2013 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender comprises 64 diamonds, including 58 pink diamonds, three fancy red diamonds and three blue diamonds, which were all cut and polished in WA.
There are six hero diamonds selected for “their unsurpassed beauty and named to ensure there is a permanent record of their contribution to the history of the world’s most important diamonds”.
Tender viewings will be held in Perth and Hong Kong with previews in Sydney, New York and Tokyo.
Bids close on October 8 this year.