Part 1 – Rising Fortunes: Tender-Selected Australian Pink Diamond from WA Prices Chart, 2013–2016
How constrained supply and record breaking hero stones pushed per carat prices to new heights
The early 2010s were transformative for the invitation-only pink diamond tender process. Between 2013 and 2016, these annual sales showcased increasingly rare stones, with Argyle mine origin pink diamond price setting successive records for price per-carat basis. As output from the Argyle mine site continued to decline, collectors worldwide began treating to view pink diamonds as a long-term store of value.
The 2013 “Red Edition”
Rio Tinto offered 64 diamonds — 58 pink, three red and three blue. Two stones stole the show: the Phoenix (1.56 ct Fancy Red) and the Dauphine (2.51 ct Fancy Deep Pink), both Argyel-certified and each selling for more than US$2 million. This auction set a new record for price per carat and signalled growing global interest.
The 2014 30th anniversary tender
The offering included 54 pink and red diamonds. The highlight was the Cardinal, a 1.21 ct Fancy Red radiant Argyle mine origin diamond that achieved the highest average price per carat since the tender began. More than 600 bids were received from ten countries, and Rio Tinto noted that prices for Argyle-certified pink diamonds had tripled since 2000.
2015’s “Connoisseurs Collection”
65 diamonds totalling 44.14 ct were offered. Four of them were Fancy Red, including the Prima, a 1.20 ct pear‑shaped Argyle mine origin diamond. The tender again delivered the highest average price per carat since 1984, underscoring how scarcity drives value — an outcome Rio Tinto described as representing “the most concentrated form of wealth on earth”.
The 2016 “Chroma Collection”
The sale marked another milestone. Its 63 diamonds included the Violet, a 2.83 ct Argyle mine origin stone-the largest violet diamond ever recovered from the deposit. Bidders from ten countries participated and the sale achieved the highest average price per carat in the tender’s 32‑year history. By that time, Argyle-certified pink diamonds had appreciated more than 300 % over 15 years.
Signature tender stone | Year | Carat & colour | Notable outcome |
Phoenix | 2013 | 1.56 ct Fancy Red | Sold for >US$2 million, setting a price‑per‑carat record (Argyle mine origin) |
Cardinal | 2014 | 1.21 ct Fancy Red | Achieved the highest average price per carat since 1984 (Argyle mine origin ) |
Prima | 2015 | 1.20 ct Fancy Red | Helped 2015 tender reach a new record for average price per carat (Argyle mine origin) |
Violet | 2016 | 2.83 ct Fancy Deep Grayish Bluish Violet | Largest violet diamond from the Argyle mine deposit; contributed to the highest average price per carat to date (Argyle mine origin) |
These four years illustrate how scarcity and unique stones propelled prices. Each tender built on the last, with successive hero diamonds — Phoenix, Cardinal, Prima and Violet — reinforcing the investment appeal of Argyle mine origin pink diamonds.
related article:
Should You Invest in Argyle mine origin Pink Diamonds? What You Must Know First
