Rio Tinto's Final 'Beyond Rare Tender' Bids Farewell to 2 Iconic Diamond Mines

Rio Tinto has launched its final "Beyond Rare Tender," a historic sale that signals the closing chapter of two of the world’s most celebrated diamond mines. Titled "Into the Light," the third and final installment of Rio Tinto’s Art Series presents 52 lots of rare pink, red, violet, yellow and white diamonds — treasures drawn from both the shuttered Argyle mine in Australia and the soon-to-close Diavik mine in Canada.

The collection, totaling 45.44 carats, includes six “Masterpieces” that showcase the very best of production from these two legendary sources. Also featured are 39 single diamonds and seven curated sets, each carefully assembled to reflect the unique legacies of Argyle and Diavik.

Patrick Coppens, Rio Tinto’s general manager of sales and marketing for diamonds, emphasized the gravity of the moment: “It is hard to overstate the importance of this final collection from two extraordinarily beautiful places on earth — the East Kimberley region of Western Australia and the Northwest Territories of Canada.”

The Argyle mine, which ceased production in 2020, was the world’s primary source of rare pink and red diamonds. Among the highlights of the Into the Light tender are one Fancy Red diamond, 12 Fancy Violet diamonds, and 76 Fancy Pink, Purple-Pink and Purplish Pink stones. These gems are drawn from the final legacy inventory, representing some of the last of their kind in existence.

Unlike yellow or blue diamonds, which owe their hues to trace elements such as nitrogen or boron, pink and red diamonds derive their color from distortions in their crystal lattice structure. This natural phenomenon ensured Argyle’s global prestige and enduring influence in the diamond world.

From Canada’s Diavik mine — scheduled to cease operations in 2026 — comes a set of dazzling white and yellow diamonds. Headlining this group are two D-color, Flawless stones cut from the same rough: a 5.11-carat emerald cut and a 3.02-carat pear shape. A 6.12-carat Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond adds a vibrant flourish to the collection.

Into the Light follows two earlier Art Series tenders: 2023’s "Born of This World," featuring 46 lots of 87 diamonds (29.96 carats), and 2024’s "Colour Awakened," which included 48 lots of 76 diamonds (39.44 carats). With its third and final edition, Rio Tinto concludes the series — and, with it, its decades-long role as steward of the world’s rarest fancy-colored diamonds.

The 52 lots will be exhibited in Hong Kong, Australia and Antwerp before bidding closes on October 20, 2025. Collectors, connoisseurs and jewelers alike are expected to compete for these once-in-a-lifetime gems.

Credit: Image courtesy of Rio Tinto.