Rio Tinto’s Annual Pink Diamond Tender Started

The 24th annual Rio Tinto Argyle Pink Diamond Tender has started, making its traditional stops in some of the world’s top markets. This year’s tender will offer 65 pink diamonds from Rio’s Argyle mine in Australia.

A 2.02 ct octagon fancy deep pink / I2 diamond offerd at the 2007 Argyle tender

Rio Tinto is marketing the rare polished diamonds as an investment vehicle. Among the diamonds are purplish reds, intense and vivid pinks and three rare violet diamonds. For the first time in seven years, a heart shaped pink diamond will be offered.

The Argyle pink are usually smaller diamonds. This year, the collection will offer 30 diamonds weighing more than one carat. The total weight of the 65 diamonds is 62.46 carats.

For the first time, Rio Tinto has named two of the diamonds: Ocean Seer, a 1.41 violet stone, and Aphrodite, a 1.01 carat round purplish red that was described by the miner as “spectacular.”

The tender will make stops in New York (September 2 - 5), London (September 9 - 11) Hong Kong (September 15 - 20) Tokyo (September 24 - 26) and Sydney (October 1 - 2). A first viewing was already held in Perth last week.

Rio does not disclose the prices the stones fetch, and participation in the tender is by invitation. The company reported record prices after last year’s tender.