These rare masterpieces of nature comprise 48 lots of exceptional polished diamonds, including legacy inventory of pink and red diamonds from the Argyle diamond mine and yellow diamonds from Rio Tinto’s Diavik diamond mine.
Patrick Coppens, General Manager of Sales and Marketing for Rio Tinto’s Diamond business, said: “I am delighted to host this carefully curated collection of beautiful coloured diamonds in Geneva and Antwerp. Europe is an important destination for our diamonds and both Geneva and Antwerp have played an important role in the development of our coloured diamond market over the past four decades.
Titled The Art Series, this invitation-only event takes its inspiration from the art world, with each polished diamond an exceptional natural work of art with a prestigious provenance and a captivating story of rarity.
The inaugural collection of The Art Series comprises 87 diamonds, totalling 29.96 carats, and includes：
Seven ‘Masterpieces’ comprising sets of Argyle Pink DiamondsTM and Diavik yellow diamonds, selected for their unique beauty and accompanied by bespoke artwork.
A rare offering of 11 perfectly matched pairs of coloured diamonds
30 exquisite individual diamonds, including a remarkable Fancy Red Argyle diamond The Beyond Rare Tender is a new format for Rio Tinto’s diamond business and the strong interest it has generated is testament to the continued demand for highly collectible natural diamonds.
Heidi Creech, Business Development Manager for Rio Tinto’s Diamond Business, said: “The Beyond Rare Tender is an important element of Rio Tinto’s ongoing commitment to the Argyle Pink DiamondsTM brand, as it continues to uphold the captivating beauty of Argyle’s pink and red diamonds, together with their beautiful birthplace, status and mystique, to ensure the brand integrity of the one true source of rare pink diamonds.
The inclusion of two Fancy Intense Yellow diamonds from Rio Tinto’s Diavik diamond mine, located beneath a frozen lake in the Barren Lands of northern Canada, is a beautiful counterpoint to the pink and red Argyle diamonds from the remote East Kimberley region of Western Australia. Yellow diamonds account for less than one per cent of Diavik’s production, a rarity in a diamond mine otherwise known for its coveted white diamond production.
Bids for the Beyond Rare Tender will close on 20 November 2023.
