PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Rio Tinto is showcasing its final Argyle pink diamonds tender collection of rare pink, red, blue and violet diamonds in Antwerp, Belgium. 

Mining ceased at Argyle in early November last year, and the 2021 Argyle pink diamonds tender is the final collection of diamonds from the final year of Argyle operations.

“The first Argyle pink diamonds tender was held in Antwerp in 1984 and I am delighted to host the final epic collection in Antwerp. Over the past 38 years Argyle pink diamonds have pushed the boundaries of rarity and value appreciation to new extremes,” Rio’s GM for sales and marketing for its diamond business, Patrick Coppens, said.

“When you consider the number of diamonds presented at the annual Argyle pink diamonds tender since 1984 would barely fill two champagne flutes, you begin to grasp the rarity and the tremendous gravitas of this final collection. Many of the invitees have participated in the annual Argyle pink diamonds tender for more than three decades and across generations, so it is an emotional moment in the history of Rio Tinto’s Argyle pink diamonds business and the natural fancy coloured diamond industry.” 

Comprising 70 diamonds weighing 81.63 ct, the 2021 Argyle pink diamonds tender has a record number of diamonds larger than one carat. The collection is headlined with the Argyle Eclipse, a 3.47 ct diamond that is the largest fancy intense pink diamond ever offered at the tender.

The tender collection comprises five ‘hero’ diamonds selected for their unique beauty and named, including the 1.79 ct Argyle Stella, a square radiant shaped fancy vivid purplish pink diamond, the 20.3 ct Argyle Lumiere, a square radiant shaped fancy deep pink diamond, the 2.05 ct Argyle Solaris, a radiant shaped fancy intense pink diamond, and the Argyle Bohème, a 1.01 ct radiant shaped fancy red diamond.

Also offered alongside the 2021 annual Argyle pink diamonds tender are 41 lots of carefully curated Argyle blue diamonds, weighing 24.88 ct in total. Titled Once in a Blue Moon, these are the very last blue and violet diamonds to emerge from the Argyle mine.