In this year’s  Argyle Pink Diamond tender (2010), Leibish & Co. confirmed its position as a market leader in natural colored diamonds, purchasing 6 of the total of 55 stones on offer.  There was a great deal of interest, with all 55 stones being sold to bidders from Europe, Asia and the emerging market of India.  Acquiring over 10% of this prestigious tender adds even greater quality to Leibish & Co.'s exquisite collection of rare pink, violet and red Argyle diamonds.

The increasing popularity of colored diamonds reflects consumers’ desire and appetite for something new and special, where the addition of superb color delivers an added dimension and excitement over and above that of even the finest white diamonds.  

Ever since Ben Affleck presented Jennifer Lopez with a stunning 6 carat Pink diamond upon their engagement in 2002, pink diamonds have evolved as “the” object of desire and the celebrity “must have”.   

Once the exclusive territory of collectors, the super wealthy and A list celebrities, the discovery of Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine in Australia, in the 1980s; has helped make these rare and precious stones accessible to an increasing number of discerning consumers.  However, the Argyle mine accounts for 90% of the worlds pink diamonds along with other natural colored diamonds. Pink diamonds are exceedingly rare.  For every one million carats of natural colored stones mined at the Argyle mine, just one carat is considered suitable for sale in the annual tender.  Add to this the fact that the mine is expected to cease production in or around 2018 and one can appreciate the rare and exclusive nature of pink diamonds in general and red Argyle diamonds in particular, which today are so coveted by collectors and diamond connoisseurs across the globe. . "This is a very rare product. It takes a year to accumulate 50 to 60 stones out of the 600 million stones produced by Argyle each year. Each stone showcased at the tender is a very special prize", commented General Manager for Rio Tinto Diamonds, Jean-Marc Lieberherr.

Leibish and Co’s knowledge and expertise in colored diamonds ensures that it maximizes the ability of its clients to enjoy the finest examples of these rare and dazzling stones. Selected for purchase by Leibish &Co. at the recent tender are some of the world’s rarest and most prized stones: 

In fact, in addition to a wide selection of natural colored diamonds in all colors, Leibish & Co.’s website fancydiamonds.net now features a special section exclusively dedicated to its extensive collection of red, violet and pink Argyle diamonds, which are considered to be a sound and reliable investment.
 
Indeed, since the early 1980s, when formal records were first kept; prices for pink diamonds have increased in value by an average of 20% per year. In its Rare and Collectible publication, Rio Tinto Limited states that in the 25 years the Argyle Diamond Mine has been producing its rare pink diamonds, the world has seen numerous economic cycles. Most of the existing investment vehicles have been greatly influenced by such cycles, while pink diamonds have consistently appreciated in value and today tender prices have outperformed major equity indices.

"As global financial markets show volatility and instability", reports Rio Tinto in its book, "affluent investors and collectors around the world are taking a closer look at rare, hard assets to diversify their portfolio and protect their wealth. Argyle diamonds fulfill these criteria and, as supply dwindles, international collectors and investors continue to acquire these rare pieces for their personal holdings."

To learn more about the Argyle collection and view the full selection of diamonds, please visit www.fancydiamonds.net