Diversified miner Rio Tinto has provided a virtual preview to an exclusive group of collectors, diamond connoisseurs and luxury jewellery houses of rare Argyle pink, red, violet and blue diamonds in one of the very last offerings of  the iconic diamond mine.

The 2020 Argyle pink diamonds tender, a collection of the rarest diamonds from a year's production from the Argyle mine in the remote east Kimberley region of Western Australia, includes the largest fancy vivid round brilliant diamond every offered at tender.

The 2.24 carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond known as Argyle Eternity is part of the historic collection comprising 62 diamonds weighing 57.23 carats.

"Rio Tinto's Argyle mine is the first and only ongoing source of rare pink, red and violet diamonds in the world. We have seen, and continue to see, strong demand for these highly coveted diamonds, which together with extremely limited global supply, supports the significant value appreciation for Argyle pink diamonds,” said Rio Tinto CE of copper and diamonds Arnaud Soirat.

The Argyle diamond mine will close at the end of 2020, after almost four decades of production.

“The 2020 Argyle pink diamonds tender is a collection of rare earthly treasures, intricate works of art and with a potency of colour that will be keenly sought after by collectors and connoisseurs from around the world,” said GM of sales and marketing for Rio Tinto’s diamond business Patrick Coppens.

The 2020 Argyle pink diamonds tender collection comprises six 'hero' diamonds selected for their unique beauty and named to ensure there is a permanent record of their contribution to the history of the world's most important diamonds:

• Argyle Eternity, 2.24 carat round brilliant fancy vivid purplish pink diamond
• Argyle Ethereal, 2.45 carat square radiant shaped fancy intense purple-pink diamond
• Argyle Sakura, 1.84 carat pear shaped fancy vivid purplish pink diamond
• Argyle Emrys, 0.43 carat princess shaped fancy deep grayish violetish blue diamond
• Argyle Skylar, 0.33 carat heart shaped fancy dark gray-violet diamond
• Argyle Infinité, 0.70 carat oval shaped fancy dark violet-gray diamond

Also included in the tender 2020 offering are 12 lots of carefully curated and never to be repeated sets of miniature rare Argyle pink, red, blue and violet diamonds, weighing 13.90 carats in total.

Owing to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic the 2020 Argyle pink diamonds tender has been previewed virtually with exclusive invitees before viewings later in the year at the Argyle mine, in Perth and then travelling to Singapore and Antwerp.

Bids close on December 2.