One of the highlights every year is the Argyle Diamond Tender, where the most exquisite diamonds from the Rio Tinto Argyle mine in Kimberley, Western Australia tour the world for private Tender bids. Argyle diamonds are in great demand around the world because of the excellent color quality of their diamonds. Argyle pink diamonds have the best reputation in the world and are subsequently very difficult to obtain. Every year, Rio Tinto carefully selects their best diamonds from the mine to be sold at a private auction known as the Argyle Tender, where the diamonds are individually bid on with private bids by invitation-only bidders. The stars of the auction are known as the hero diamonds and are the main feature of the auction every year.

The 5 hero diamonds of the 2016 Argyle Tender, from left to right:

The Argyle Thea, a 2.24 carat radiant cut Vivid purplish pink diamond, the Argyle Ultra, a 1.11 carat pear shaped violet diamond, the  Argyle Viva, a 1.21 carat pear shaped Vivid purple pink diamond, the Argyle Aria, a 1.09 carat oval shaped Fancy Red diamond, and the Argyle Violet, a 2.83 carat oval shaped violet diamond          Image credit: Rio Tinto

The 2016 Tender is named the “Chroma Collection” with a total carat weight of 58.24 carats, and it is composed of 63 diamonds – 57 pink diamonds, 2 violet diamonds and 4 red diamonds. The most notable diamond in this year’s collection is the largest ever violet diamond to be recovered in the Argyle mine, the Argyle Violet, which is a 2.83 carat oval shaped violet diamond.

The Argyle Violet on a backdrop of pink diamonds     Image credit: Rio Tinto

Other important diamonds include a 1.11 carat violet pear shaped diamond, a 1.21 carat Fancy Vivid Purple Pink pear shaped diamond, a 2.24 carat Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink radiant cut diamond, and a 1.09 carat Fancy Red oval shaped diamond. All of the diamonds in the tender were recovered in Argyle underground mine, which became fully operational in 2015 as Argyle’s aboveground resources have waned.

From left to right: The Argyle Violet, the Argyle Aria, the Argyle Thea, the Argyle Viva and the Argyle Ultra

Image credit: Rio Tinto

The Chroma collection was launched in conjunction with an Argyle pink diamond jewelry exhibition hosted by Denmark’s premier luxury jeweler Hartmann’s at the Moltkes Palace in Copenhagen. Copenhagen was chosen in recognition of the importance of Denmark in the story of Australia’s most valuable gems. After the exhibition of the 2016 Argyle Pink Diamonds tender closes in Copenhagen, they will be showcased in Hong Kong, New York and Perth for invitation-only viewings. Bids on the Tender diamonds will finally close in October. Considering the extraordinary prices that the Tender accumulated last year, we wait with interest to see how much the bidders are willing to spend on these world famous gems.

Will the prices of Argyle tender diamonds continue to increase? Let us know what you think in the comments!