Argyle Announces Pink Tender as it Prepares to Close Iconic Mine
September 06, 20
(IDEX Online) - The iconic Argyle mine is selling a collection of 62 diamonds, weighing just 57.23 carats, in one of its last tenders before production ceases.
The headline "hero" item in its 2020 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender is the Argyle Eternity, a 2.24 carat round brilliant fancy vivid purplish pink diamond - the largest stone of its type the mine has ever offered for sale.
There are five other "heroes" - very much prized for their color rather than size - including a 0.43-carat princess-shaped fancy deep grayish violetish blue diamond and a 0.33-carat heart-shaped fancy dark gray-violet diamond.
The Argyle mine in Western Australia, has been the source of 90 per cent of the world's pink diamonds for almost four decades, but owners Rio Tinto are due to close it this November as the cost of extraction becomes uneconomic.
Only invited buyers can bid for the stones, which have been previewed virtually and which will be available for inspection later in the year at the mine, located in the remote east Kimberley region, then in Singapore and Antwerp. Bids close on 2 December 2020.
Pic show the six Argyle Heroes 2020