RIO TINTO REVEALED on Wednesday the stars of its 2024 Beyond Rare Tender, a curated collection of pink, red, violet, yellow and white polished diamonds from its storied — but now shuttered — Argyle Mine in Western Australia and its Diavik Mine in the Barren Lands of Northern Canada.
Dubbed “Colour Awakened,” this second installment of Rio Tinto’s annual Art Series features 48 lots, comprising 76 polished diamonds, weighing 39.44 carats in total. Among the highlights are the following:
- Seven “Old Masters.” This group includes round, brilliant-cut pink and red diamonds, ranging in size from 0.60 carats to 2.63 carats;
- 31 exquisite single lots of pink and violet diamonds, as well as one fancy purplish-red diamond;
- 9 artfully matched sets. Two standout stones from this group include a 2.47-carat fancy intense yellow diamond and a 4.04-carat D-color white diamond.
The “Old Masters” were all unearthed at the Argyle Mine more than a decade ago, and, in one case, as far back as 1987. Each of these rare pink and red diamonds were selected from private vaults and handpicked for inclusion in this year’s tender, according to a Rio Tinto press release.
The standout fancy intense yellow diamond and D-color diamond were both sourced at the Diavik Diamond Mine, which is oddly located beneath a frozen lake.
Last year’s Art Series was called “Born of This World” and included 46 lots comprising 87 diamonds. The total weight of those offerings tallied 29.96 carats.
The now-depleted Argyle mine was shuttered in November of 2020. During its 37 years in operation, the mine famously produced between 90% and 95% of the world’s pink and red diamonds.
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Unlike yellow or blue diamonds that owe their color to the presence of nitrogen or boron in their chemical makeup, pink and red diamonds owe their color to the warping of the gem’s crystal lattice under intense pressure. The distortions in the diamond’s crystal lattice structure affect the way the gem absorbs green light, thus reflecting a pink or red hue.
“No other mining company in the world has custody of such a kaleidoscope of colored diamonds,” said Rio Tinto Chief Executive Sinead Kaufman during Wednesday’s invitation-only launch event in London. “Four years on from the closure of the Argyle mine, our Beyond Rare Tender platform is a testimony to the enduring prestige of the Argyle Pink Diamonds brand, the quality of production from our Diavik mine, and the ongoing demand for highly collectible natural diamonds.”
The lots will be displayed in London, Australia, Singapore and Belgium, with bids closing on November 18, 2024.
