Rio Tinto has unveiled the 55 pink and red diamonds that make up its 2014 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender.
The collection comprises 51 pink and purplish red diamonds and four Fancy Red diamonds – this takes the total number of Fancy Red diamonds to have been included in the Tender during the last 30 years to 13.
The hero of the collection is a 1.21 carat radiant cut Fancy Red diamond named Argyle Cardinal after a small red northern American bird. Other diamonds headlining the 2014 collection include the Argyle Rosette, a 2.17 carat Fancy Intense Purple-Pink emerald-cut diamond and the Argyle Toki, a 1.59 carat Fancy Intense Purplish Pink emerald-cut diamond. Rio Tinto Diamonds managing director Jean-Marc Lieberherr said this year’s tender is expected to attract global attention.
“Decades ago, no one would have believed that Australia held the secret of diamonds, let alone virtually the world’s entire source of rare pink and red diamonds,” he said. “The pinnacle of the production from Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine, the annual pink tender diamonds are now celebrated internationally as amongst the rarest and most valuable diamonds in the world.”
“We have seen and continue to see sustained demand and price growth for Argyle pink diamonds.”
Following its unveiling in Sydney, the Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender will now move to New York, Hong Kong and Perth for more viewings before bids close on October 8.