Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender to preview in Tokyo for first time

Rio Tinto’s Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender is brought to Tokyo for a preview for the first time in five years. This tender is also notable for the diamonds going up for auction.

Amongst the lots on offer, the one leading the list is a 1.56 carat round gem, Argyle Phoenix™ named in honour of the newly commissioned Argyle underground mine. Also, included in the Tokyo preview are three Fancy Red diamonds, representing the pinnacle of value and ultimate rarity in the diamond industry. 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™. The 0.71 carat blue heart-shaped diamond, Argyle Celestial™, and expected to be sold with a matching heart-shaped fancy pink diamond from the collection is also unique.

The 2013 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender comprises 64 diamonds, including 58 pink diamonds, three fancy red diamonds and three blue diamonds. All 64 diamonds were cut and polished in Western Australia by Rio Tinto's master craftsmen. Bids close on 2 October 2013.

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.” 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.”