Wednesday, July 13, 2011


Rio Tinto launches its 2011 collection of exceptionally rare pink diamonds

Celebrated fashion illustrator transforms nature into art

Perth, July 13, 2011 - Rio Tinto today announced the launch of its exclusive Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender 2011, an increasingly rare opportunity to purchase the world’s most precious pink diamonds. This exceptional collection showcases 55 pink diamonds, weighing 47.61cts in total and will be previewed around the world from August through to October.

Headlining the 2011 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender is a rare suite of three matching heart shaped diamonds. Taking its reference from the world’s rarest flower, the Argyle Semper Suite comprises three Fancy Intense Pink hearts that have a complexity of colour and purity of shape that will excite the passions of diamond connoisseurs and collectors alike. Another highlight is the disarmingly beautiful Argyle Alanya, a 1.06ct Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink oval shaped diamond.

This year’s Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender is notable for its collaboration with world renowned fashion illustrator, David Downton, who has captured the enduring beauty of pink diamonds in a number of exquisite contemporary sketches showcased in the 2011 Tender Catalogue. According to Josephine Archer, Manager for Argyle Pink Diamonds, “We commissioned David Downton to create the “Argyle Muse” - an illustrated woman who personifies the Argyle Pink Diamond values of rarity, beauty and luxury. David Downton has illustrated many exceptional women from Cate Blanchett to Elizabeth  Taylor, and he has now brought to life the spirit of Argyle Pink Diamonds with elegance and perfection.”

The artistic collaboration that features in this year’s Tender catalogue is an extension of the passion required to essentially transform each Tender stone into a small and precious work of art. According to Jean-Marc Lieberherr, General Manager for the sales and marketing for Rio Tinto’s diamonds business, “Demand for rare pink diamonds has never been stronger and this truly top end of the luxury market is incomparable. Rio Tinto’s Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia continues to be the world’s only consistent source of rare pink diamonds, and with each passing year, Argyle pink diamonds become more collectable, highly sought after and valuable. “

About Argyle Pink Diamonds

Pink diamonds, produced at Rio Tinto’s Argyle Mine in Western Australia, are highly coveted as the world's most sought after gems. The Argyle Diamond Mine produces more than 90 per cent of the world's pink diamonds, which are sold in a broad range of colours and sizes to an international customer base. Pink diamonds’ value is directly related to their rarity. The market for pink diamonds is quite separate to white diamonds, and due to their rarity, pink diamonds typically command prices far in excess of white diamonds.
The best stones are reserved for the annual Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender. Rio Tinto's Argyle Pink Diamonds business is located in Perth, Western Australia, alongside its cutting and polishing factory.

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