There has been an overwhelming response received for the recent Rio Tinto tender for rare blue diamonds’ collection entitled ‘Once in a Blue Moon’. The diamonds have been sourced from the Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia and the entire collection includes 16 lots of a range of precious blue and violet diamonds, weighing 287 carats in total.

“We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm from new and existing coloured diamond collectors around the globe, especially in such a challenging economic environment. With only 10 year’s production left at the Argyle mine there is clearly a growing awareness that the opportunities to purchase these collections are rapidly diminishing,” said Josephine Archer, Sales and Marketing Manager for Argyle Pink Diamonds. The collection was showcased in Tokyo, Hong King and Perth with bids closing on April 8.

The tender was sourced from several years of production at the Argyle mine and according to Jean-Marc Lieberherr, General Manager for the sales and marketing of all diamonds from Rio Tinto’s mines, “it was a bold move, with numerous lots selling in excess of the reserve prices, which is a great sign in the lead up to our annual Pink Diamond Tender.”