IndependentsApr 01, 2025
Bergman Jewelers in Omaha Closing After 137 YearsThe independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.
SourcingNov 21, 2018
As Argyle Nears Its End, Prices for Reds and Pinks Soar
The most valuable diamond sold at this year’s tender, a 2.28-carat fancy purplish-red, toppled a record set just last year.
The oval-shaped “Argyle Muse,” a 2.28-carat fancy purplish-red diamond, was the most expensive stone sold as part of Rio Tinto’s 2018 tender of pink, red and violet diamonds from the Argyle mine in Australia. Neither its purchase price nor the name of the buyer were disclosed.
Perth, Australia—Rio Tinto doesn’t release many details when sharing the results of its annual Argyle tender but, then again, one doesn’t need many specifics to trace the trajectory of red and pink diamonds prices.
They are climbing and will continue to do so as the closing date for the Argyle Mine in Western Australia draws closer.
And though the London-based miner always has been tight-lipped about the Argyle Pink Diamond Tender results—it doesn’t reveal the sale’s total, prices paid for individual diamonds or names of buyers (unless allowed)—it did note that the 2018 sale set numerous records, including tender total and prices per carat.
The diamond that sold for the most money was the “Argyle Muse,” a 2.28-carat fancy purplish-red oval. Purchased by an undisclosed bidder, Muse is now the most expensive diamond sold in the 34-year history of the tender.
Muse took the title from Everglow, the fancy red Optimum Diamonds LLC bought last year.
Though he declined to reveal the Everglow’s purchase price, Optimum CEO David Shara said the 2.11-carat diamond is for sale for $18 million.
It is also being offered as part of a collection of more than 60 red diamonds amassed by the CEO and his business partner; he said it is the largest collection of its kind in the world and is worth about $200 million.
For Shara, natural colored diamonds, particularly those originating from the Argyle mine, are akin to a “very specific painting from a very specific artist.”
The wealthy want to own rare diamonds from Argyle for the same reason they are paying huge amounts of money for works for art, like the $450 million a Saudi prince spent on Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi” last year—they want to park their money in tangible, portable assets at a time of geopolitical instability worldwide.
“That’s how people are treating these rocks,” he said.
The desire for colored diamonds is also evident in the auction market, where the stones are continually setting records.
At a jewelry auction just last week, Christie’s sold an 18.96-carat pink diamond for $50.4 million, or $2.6 million a carat excluding fees, a new price-per-carat record. And the most expensive jewel ever sold at auction is still a pink diamond, the nearly 60-carat Pink Star, which sold for $71 million.
According to Shara’s estimates, the prices paid for a 1-carat vivid pink or a 1-carat fancy red in this year’s Argyle tender were up 41 percent year-over-year, and he expects prices for Argyle pinks and reds to spike at least another 40 percent when the mine closes 18 months from now.
They are climbing and will continue to do so as the closing date for the Argyle Mine in Western Australia draws closer.
And though the London-based miner always has been tight-lipped about the Argyle Pink Diamond Tender results—it doesn’t reveal the sale’s total, prices paid for individual diamonds or names of buyers (unless allowed)—it did note that the 2018 sale set numerous records, including tender total and prices per carat.
The diamond that sold for the most money was the “Argyle Muse,” a 2.28-carat fancy purplish-red oval. Purchased by an undisclosed bidder, Muse is now the most expensive diamond sold in the 34-year history of the tender.
Muse took the title from Everglow, the fancy red Optimum Diamonds LLC bought last year.
Though he declined to reveal the Everglow’s purchase price, Optimum CEO David Shara said the 2.11-carat diamond is for sale for $18 million.
It is also being offered as part of a collection of more than 60 red diamonds amassed by the CEO and his business partner; he said it is the largest collection of its kind in the world and is worth about $200 million.
For Shara, natural colored diamonds, particularly those originating from the Argyle mine, are akin to a “very specific painting from a very specific artist.”
The wealthy want to own rare diamonds from Argyle for the same reason they are paying huge amounts of money for works for art, like the $450 million a Saudi prince spent on Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi” last year—they want to park their money in tangible, portable assets at a time of geopolitical instability worldwide.
“That’s how people are treating these rocks,” he said.
The desire for colored diamonds is also evident in the auction market, where the stones are continually setting records.
At a jewelry auction just last week, Christie’s sold an 18.96-carat pink diamond for $50.4 million, or $2.6 million a carat excluding fees, a new price-per-carat record. And the most expensive jewel ever sold at auction is still a pink diamond, the nearly 60-carat Pink Star, which sold for $71 million.
According to Shara’s estimates, the prices paid for a 1-carat vivid pink or a 1-carat fancy red in this year’s Argyle tender were up 41 percent year-over-year, and he expects prices for Argyle pinks and reds to spike at least another 40 percent when the mine closes 18 months from now.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
“That’s what the market dictated, the dealers and the privates, everyone who bought. That’s people understanding the mine will be closed in 2020 and that there will be two, maximum three, more tenders and that’s it. It’s finished.”
Rio Tinto did not respond when asked to confirm this fact, but the mining company did state in its tender results press release that in the past 18 years, the value of Argyle pink diamonds sold at the tender have appreciated more than 400 percent, outperforming all major equity markets.
Shara said despite the continual upward trajectory, he’s not concerned about the bottom falling out of the market for Argyle’s pink, red and violet diamonds. While there has been some price correction in colored diamonds, Rio Tinto’s mine is a finite resource for which the finale is drawing near.
“That’s what so fascinating about it. That’s my gamble.”
Rio Tinto’s 2018 sale of pink, red and violet diamonds from Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine in Western Australia included a total of 63 diamonds weighing nearly 52 carats.
Among them were a half-dozen “hero stones,” the top diamonds in the group to which Rio Tinto ascribes individual names.
Singapore-based Glajz is the owner of this diamond, a 3.14-carat emerald-cut fancy vivid purplish-pink diamond dubbed the “Argyle Alpha.”
In addition to the Muse, they were the:
—Argyle Alpha, a 3.14-carat emerald-cut fancy vivid purplish-pink;
—Argyle Maestro, a 1.29-carat square-cut fancy vivid purplish-pink;
—Argyle Alchemy, a 1.57-carat fancy dark gray-violet princess;
—Argyle Odyssey, a 2.08-carat fancy intense pink round brilliant; and
—Argyle Mira, a 1.12-carat fancy red radiant.
Glajz THG in Singapore, a manufacturer of bespoke pieces, bought the Alpha, while Gemcut Geneva was the winning bidder for the Odyssey. Gemcut Chief Executive Matthew Aldridge said the Odyssey is a match for another Argyle stone sold in the tender about 15 years ago.
The 2.08-carat "Argyle Odyssey," a fancy intense pink
New York-based diamond company Leibish & Co. bought three stones in the 2018 tender, two of which sold the day they were purchased, said the company’s director of content marketing and public relations, Meira Ovadia.
Leibish’s remaining stone is lot No. 63 from the sale, a 2.34-carat radiant-cut the company has dubbed the “Kimberley-Rose.” The diamond is fancy intense pink and SI1 clarity.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
MajorsApr 01, 2025
QVC Group to Cut 900 Jobs in the U.S.The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
U.S. Antique Shows Adds Fall Show in FloridaThe debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.
Brought to you by
The Heart of the Industry: Giving Bench Jewelers the Recognition They DeserveBench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
TJS to Host Discussion on Jewelry Industry’s Labor ShortageThe roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.
Weekly QuizMar 27, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsApr 01, 2025
Monica Rich Kosann Says ‘Good Grief’ in Peanuts Jewelry CollectionThe “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.
Recorded WebinarsMar 31, 2025
Watch: What Do We Mean When We Say ‘Recycled’ Gold?Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.
Brought to you by
Natural Diamonds Should Mean MoreNatural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.
TrendsMar 31, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Dripping in DiamondsDiamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.
MajorsMar 31, 2025
Lashbrook Expands Into Luxury Golf Gifts With AcquisitionThe Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.
WatchesMar 31, 2025
Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin Will Also Head LVMH WatchesThe longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.
CrimeMar 28, 2025
2 Suspects Arrested in $1.7M Smash-and-Grab Robbery of NY Jewelry StoreAuthorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.
CollectionsMar 28, 2025
Piece of the Week: Löf’s ‘The Valentine’ RingThe ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.
SurveysMar 27, 2025
Consumer Confidence Falls in March Amid ‘Gloomy’ OutlookThe Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.
AuctionsMar 27, 2025
300-Year-Old Ring Linked to Witch Trial Judge Goes Unsold at Auction However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.
WatchesMar 27, 2025
Austin Butler Joins Breitling as Brand AmbassadorThe Oscar-nominated actor debuted in the campaign for the new “Top Time B31” collection, which introduced Breitling’s Caliber B31.
IndependentsMar 26, 2025
Bailey’s Fine Jewelry Acquires Fellow NC Independent JewelerThe family-owned retailer is the new owner of Morrison Smith Jewelers in Charlotte, North Carolina.
WatchesMar 26, 2025
Bulova Celebrates 150th Anniversary With Art Deco WatchesThe “150 Art Deco” collection features a Miss America timepiece and a pocket watch from the brand’s Archive Series.
MajorsMar 26, 2025
QVC Group Appoints New PresidentAlex Wellen, formerly CEO and president of MotorTrend Group, has taken on the role.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2025
Jewelers of America Announces New Funding Initiative The Impact Initiative is part of the nonprofit association’s new three-year strategic plan.
AuctionsMar 25, 2025
Christie’s To Auction 35-Carat Sapphire, 13-Carat RubyThe ruby and the sapphire, which Christie’s calls a “once-in-a-generation masterpiece,” are part of the upcoming Hong Kong jewelry auction.
CrimeMar 25, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Earrings Swallowed Following Grab-and-Run Theft RecoveredThe two pairs of earrings, snatched from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, are valued at a combined $769,500.
ColumnistsMar 25, 2025
The Smart Lab: Using Short-Form Videos to Sell More JewelryThe time to start experimenting with video content is now, writes columnist Emmanuel Raheb.
CollectionsMar 24, 2025
Pomellato’s Latest ‘Nudo’ Collections Revamp its Classic DesignFrom striking high jewelry to miniature fine jewelry, the new chapter continues to highlight gemstones featuring its signature 57-facet cut.
MajorsMar 24, 2025
4 Top Executives to Depart Signet Jewelers Amid TurnaroundThe jewelry giant is reducing its senior leadership by 30 percent as part of its new turnaround strategy.
WatchesMar 24, 2025
Sotheby's Now Offers Watch Repair ServicesThe auction house's partnership with online watch servicing platform WatchCheck makes repairs convenient and accessible, it said.
FinancialsMar 21, 2025
Swarovski Says Its Lab-Grown Diamond Sales Doubled in 2024The company also noted record sales in the United States and a strong performance in its jewelry category.
