SourcingSep 16, 2024
1,094-Carat Diamond Recovered in Botswana Just Weeks After Historic Find SourcingOct 07, 2024
Rio Tinto to Offer 76 Diamonds in 2024 Beyond Rare Tender
The sales event, in its second year, features a selection of rare diamonds from the miner’s Argyle and Diavik diamond mines.
Rio Tinto will offer 48 lots comprising a total of 76 diamonds in its 2024 Beyond Rare Tender, set to take place in Geneva later this fall.
London—Rio Tinto has announced the details of its 2024 Beyond Rare Tender, revealing the collection of rare pink, red, violet, and yellow diamonds on offer in the sales event’s second year.
Titled “Color Awakened,” the upcoming tender will feature 48 lots Rio Tinto is calling the “Art Series 02” collection.
The sale includes a total of 76 diamonds weighing 39.44 carats, all sourced from the miner’s now-closed Argyle mine in Australia and its Diavik Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
The sale is headlined by the “Old Masters,” the name Rio Tinto has given to a selection of seven round brilliant-cut pink and red diamonds sourced from the Argyle mine.
The stones range from 0.60 carats to 2.63 carats, and the group includes one fancy red diamond.
Alluvial mining began at Argyle, which is located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, in 1983 and open-pit mining in 1985.
The mine went fully underground in 2013 and, over the years, produced 865 million carats of rough diamonds. It closed in 2020.
Each of the “Old Masters” was unearthed from the mine more than a decade ago, one as far back as 1987, Rio Tinto said.
The mining company said each diamond was retrieved from private vaults and handpicked for inclusion in the tender.
Offered alongside the “Old Masters,” there are 32 single lots of pink and violet Argyle diamonds, including one fancy purplish red diamond.
The tender will also feature nine curated diamond sets.
One of the sets includes a 2.47-carat fancy intense yellow diamond, while another has a 4.04-carat D-color diamond.
“Each diamond in the ‘Art Series 02’ is a beautiful story of esteemed provenance, careful custody, and transformation into rare works of art,” said Patrick Coppens, general manager of sales and marketing for Rio Tinto’s diamonds business.
“This curated collection of exceptional gems will be in strong demand by the world’s finest jewelers, collectors and diamond connoisseurs.”
Related stories will be right here …
Titled “Color Awakened,” the upcoming tender will feature 48 lots Rio Tinto is calling the “Art Series 02” collection.
The sale includes a total of 76 diamonds weighing 39.44 carats, all sourced from the miner’s now-closed Argyle mine in Australia and its Diavik Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
The sale is headlined by the “Old Masters,” the name Rio Tinto has given to a selection of seven round brilliant-cut pink and red diamonds sourced from the Argyle mine.
The stones range from 0.60 carats to 2.63 carats, and the group includes one fancy red diamond.
Alluvial mining began at Argyle, which is located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, in 1983 and open-pit mining in 1985.
The mine went fully underground in 2013 and, over the years, produced 865 million carats of rough diamonds. It closed in 2020.
Each of the “Old Masters” was unearthed from the mine more than a decade ago, one as far back as 1987, Rio Tinto said.
The mining company said each diamond was retrieved from private vaults and handpicked for inclusion in the tender.
Offered alongside the “Old Masters,” there are 32 single lots of pink and violet Argyle diamonds, including one fancy purplish red diamond.
The tender will also feature nine curated diamond sets.
One of the sets includes a 2.47-carat fancy intense yellow diamond, while another has a 4.04-carat D-color diamond.
“Each diamond in the ‘Art Series 02’ is a beautiful story of esteemed provenance, careful custody, and transformation into rare works of art,” said Patrick Coppens, general manager of sales and marketing for Rio Tinto’s diamonds business.
“This curated collection of exceptional gems will be in strong demand by the world’s finest jewelers, collectors and diamond connoisseurs.”
Rio Tinto launched the Beyond Rare Tender sales event in October 2023, offering the first collection of the Art Series, titled “Born of this World.”
The miner said it has a “small quantity” of polished inventory that it unearthed in the final months of mining at Argyle.
Over the next two to three years, Rio Tinto will use the diamonds for special projects and creative collaborations like the Beyond Rare Tender and the Icon Partner Program, which it launched in 2022, tapping jewelers to develop limited-edition pieces with the remaining stones.
At an invitation-only launch event in London for the upcoming 2024 Beyond Rare Tender, Chief Executive of Rio Tinto Minerals Sinead Kaufman said, “No other mining company in the world has custody of such a kaleidoscope of colored diamonds.
“Four years on from the closure of the Argyle mine, our Beyond Rare Tender platform is a testimony to the enduring prestige of the Argyle Pink Diamonds brand, the quality of production from our Diavik mine, and the ongoing demand for highly collectible natural diamonds.”
The lots will be showcased in London, Australia, Singapore, and Belgium.
Bids will close on Nov. 18.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
FinancialsMar 10, 2026
Signet Jewelers’ Q4 Sales Fall Flat The jewelry giant released preliminary results for the fourth quarter and full year on Monday, with final results slated to come next week.
MajorsMar 10, 2026
Saks Global to Close 15 More StoresThe retailer also gave an update on its vendor partnerships.
TrendsMar 10, 2026
Messika Names Julianne Moore as AmbassadorThe award-winning actress is the “epitome of modern allure,” the brand said.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
CollectionsMar 10, 2026
Gemstones ‘Bloom’ in Sorellina’s New CollectionThe “Bloom” collection draws from the flower power movement of the 1960s and ‘70s with inlay pendants offered in eight colorways.
Weekly QuizMar 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsMar 10, 2026
Diamond-Studded Painting Shines at RJO Foundation AuctionThe unique piece was one of the custom works offered at the foundation's recent silent art auction, which garnered nearly $15,000 in total.
TrendsMar 09, 2026
Jake Gyllenhaal Is Bulgari’s Latest AmbassadorBulgari named Gyllenhaal as its brand ambassador for his embodiment of artistic depth, intellectual curiosity, and warmth.
Brought to you by
DCA Enters a New Chapter in Jewelry EducationWith refreshed branding, a new website, updated courses, and a pathway for growth, DCA is dedicated to supporting retail staff development.
Events & AwardsMar 09, 2026
TJS Announces 2026 Scholarship WinnersAwards were given to four students, one apprentice, and an emerging jeweler.
AuctionsMar 09, 2026
Joanna Carson’s Jewels Lead White-Glove SaleThe top jewelry lot of the late model’s estate sale, hosted by John Moran Auctioneers, was an Oscar Heyman & Brothers for Cartier necklace.
GradingMar 06, 2026
Tom Moses Leaving GIA After Nearly 50 YearsMoses, who started at GIA’s Santa Monica lab in 1976, will leave the Gemological Institute of America in May.
Lab-GrownMar 06, 2026
Charles & Colvard Files for Bankruptcy, Citing Price PressuresIncreased competition, falling lab-grown diamond and moissanite prices, and the rising cost of gold took a toll on the moissanite maker.
CollectionsMar 06, 2026
Zome’s ‘Solara’ Earrings Embody Celestial BeautyThe earrings, our Piece of the Week, feature pink tourmalines as planets orbiting around an aquamarine center set in 18-karat rose gold.
MajorsMar 06, 2026
Pomellato’s 2026 IWD Campaign Spotlights Economic Abuse“The Price of Freedom” campaign video for International Women’s Day confronts the quiet violence of financial control.
Policies & IssuesMar 05, 2026
Tariffs to Increase to 15% This Week, Treasury Secretary Says Also, a federal judge has ordered that companies that paid tariffs implemented under the IEEPA are entitled to refunds.
CollectionsMar 05, 2026
Common Era Honors ‘Difficult Women’ in CollectionThe ever-growing collection, which just expanded with the addition of Olga of Kyiv, features cameos of 12 women from history.
TrendsMar 05, 2026
Engagement Ring Trends 2026: What’s In, and WhyWe asked a jewelry historian, designer, bridal director, and wedding expert what’s trending in engagement rings. Here’s what they said.
Events & AwardsMar 05, 2026
AGS Announces Conclave 2026 Speaker LineupThe annual event will be held in Orlando, Florida, from Sept. 14-17.
TrendsMar 05, 2026
Caitríona Balfe Fronts Only Natural Diamonds CoverThe “Outlander” star modeled for the digital cover of the magazine’s spring issue, which features a story on her relationship with jewelry.
MajorsMar 05, 2026
Registration Opens for CIBJO Centenary CongressThis year’s annual congress, which will mark the confederation’s 100th anniversary, will take place this fall in Italy.
MajorsMar 04, 2026
Michael M Opens First StoreBeverly Hills was chosen as the location for the brand’s first store, designed as a “private residence for modern monarchs.”
Policies & IssuesMar 04, 2026
Luxury Brands Temporarily Shutter Middle East StoresKering, Apple, and other retailers have reportedly temporarily closed stores in the Middle East region in light of the recent conflicts.
EditorsMar 04, 2026
Q&A: Brilliant Earth’s CEO on the New Beverly Hills StoreBeth Gerstein discusses the vibe of the new store, what customers want when fine jewelry shopping today, and the details of “Date Night.”
Events & AwardsMar 04, 2026
JIS Miami Spring Show to Feature New Gifts Pavilion, Pop-Up Trends TalksNearly half of buyers are prioritizing silver and fashion collections this season, organizers said.
TrendsMar 04, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Rides Free In Year of the Horse CampaignThe “Live Now. Polish Later.” campaign features equestrians wearing the brand’s jewels while galloping across the icy plains of Kazakhstan.
MajorsMar 04, 2026
LeachGarner Names New Brand DirectorThe precious metals provider has promoted Jennifer Ashworth to the role.
Events & AwardsMar 03, 2026
Johnny Nelson Wins David Yurman Gem Awards GrantNelson will be honored as the inaugural grant winner at the Gem Awards gala on March 13.
