Final Farewell: Argyle's Last Ever Diamond Tender
August 15, 21
(IDEX Online) - The last ever Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender is to take place, following the closure of the iconic mine in Australia last November.
A collection of 70 pink, red and blue diamonds, with a combined weight of 81.63 carats, will be offered to invited buyers, with bids closing on 1 October.
Headline gem is the 3.47-ct Argyle Eclipse, the largest fancy intense pink diamond ever offered in the mine's 38-year history. It's one of five "hero" diamonds. The others are:
Argyle Stella - 1.79 carat, square radiant shaped fancy vivid purplish pink
Argyle Lumiere - 2.03 carat, square radiant shaped fancy deep pink
Argyle Solaris - 2.05 carat, radiant shaped fancy intense pink
Argyle Bohème - 1.01 carat, radiant shaped fancy red
The tender boasts a record number of diamonds larger than one carat. Argyle supplied 90 per cent of the world's pink diamonds during its lifetime. Owners Rio Tinto closed the mine because it was no longer economically viable.
Patrick Coppens, general manager of sales and marketing for Rio Tinto's diamonds, 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."
Pic shows the five hero diamonds headlining the last Argyle tender