RARE AND COLLECTABLE
FORWOR D
I am delighted to write the foreword to this publication. From the early 1980s, when the first pink diamonds were revealed from the ancient beauty of their Western Australian birthplace, they have been valued for their rarity, coveted by many, but owned by few. In the world of luxury products, Argyle pink diamonds are likened to works of art, hidden treasure, rare books and unique icons. They speak the language of exclusivity, desirability and collectability. At Rio Tinto we take great pride in the establishment of the Argyle Pink Diamonds business. Thirty years ago there were very few people who believed Australia could hold the secret of diamonds - even fewer could foresee the discovery of the rarest of all diamonds - the Argyle pink diamond. Patience, diligence and the efforts of resource experts and investors have been rewarded, as events of the past three decades have unfolded.
Unfortunately, Argyle pink diamonds will not continue in perpetuity. With only around a decade of remaining mine life, we are now looking at these rare pink diamonds becoming even rarer. This publication places that rarity in context - a context shaped by the forces of supply and demand, and one which speaks volumes about investment potential, wealth creation and a legacy for future generations.
Tom Albanese CHIEF EXECUTIVE RIO TI NTO LIMITED
C ON T E NT S
I The market for pink diamonds 7 II The importance of the Argyle Diamond Mine 11 III Investing in colour 13 IV Market fundamentals 17 V Unique marketing positions pink diamonds as the ultimate luxury 21 VI Investment potential 25 VII Pink diamonds perform at auction 27 VIII An enduring legacy 31
PART I THE MARKET FOR PINK DIAMONDS
“Pink diamonds are among the most intriguing and highly valued gems in the world, both because of their richness of colour and their rarity. “ DR JAMES E. SHIGLEY, GEMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA (GIA), 2009.
For centuries pink diamonds have been regarded as some of the world’s most sought after gems. Throughout history, their beauty and rarity have made them a status symbol among the wealthiest members of society. The market for pink diamonds is quite separate to white diamonds, and due to their rarity, pink diamonds typically command prices far in excess of white diamonds. To put this rarity in perspective, in 2009 approximately 160 million carats of rough diamonds were produced in the world and of these, only around 30,000 carats were rough pink diamonds. Pink diamonds therefore comprise just 0.03% of global diamond production- exclusivity by any measure.
Public auction results for pink diamonds support the growing appreciation of their investment potential, with recent record breaking prices occurring against the context of the worst global recession since the Great Depression. In October 2009 a collector paid US$10,776,660 for a five carat Fancy Vivid Pink diamond. This set two world auction record prices: one for the per carat price of a diamond - US$2.1 million per carat, and one for a pink diamond.
PART I I THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARGYLE DIAMOND MINE
TENDER PRICES FOR ARGYLE PINK DIAMONDS HAVE CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORMED WHITE DIAMOND PRICES.
PRIOR TO THE 1980s, PRODUCTION OF PINK DIAMONDS HAD BEEN SPORADIC AT BEST, FROM REGIONS IN INDIA, BRAZIL, AFRICA AND INDONESIA. THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE ARGYLE DIAMOND MINE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA IN 1983 WAS THE REFORE A WATERSHED EVENT FOR THE GLOBAL DIAMOND INDUSTRY.
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PRICE INDEX (2002=106)
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Source: www.polishedprices.com; Gemdax Consultants; Argyle Pink Diamonds
Pink tender diamonds ceded some of the gains they made in 2009 over white diamonds but have still enjoyed stronger price growth even after being adjusted for qualiry composition
Never before, and never since, has there been a diamond mine that consistently produces rare pink diamonds like the Argyle Diamond Mine.
Today, the Argyle Diamond Mine produces virtually the entire supply of the world’s pink diamonds.
Argyle pink diamonds - from a certifiable source and of a depth and range of colour never seen before - command the attention of the world’s diamond connoisseurs, collectors and investors.
This rarity is reflected in the prices of pink diamonds. Medium quality pink diamonds attract prices 10 times higher than their white diamond counterparts. This gap widens for higher qualities of pink diamonds where prices are between 20 and 50 times higher than comparable white diamonds.
White diamond price index taken from polishedprices.com (index includes white diamonds of 0.30ct-3.00ct in size)
QUALITY ADJUSTED PINK TENDER PRICE INDEX The Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender Index has been developed by Gemdax Consultants. It normalises price performance across tenders using regression analysis to account for the inevitable differences that exist between tenders across six attributes: size, colour hue, colour tone, colour saturation, clarity, and shape (or cut). For more information on the methodology please contact Argyle Pink Diamonds.
PART I I I INVESTING IN COLOUR
“I would rather have my money in rare diamonds, than in stocks or a bank.” -HENRI BARGUIRDJIAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO, GRAFF USA, ROBB REPORT, JUNE 1, 2009.
The origin of the colour of natural pink diamonds is largely a mystery and the subject of ongoing debate. Unlike other coloured diamonds, where the colour is the result of a trace element, pink diamonds are not the result of an impurity. Rather, they are thought to obtain their colour as a result of extreme pressure beneath the earth’s surface. Western Australia’s Argyle pink diamonds have been dated back to more than one billion years. It is understood that the crystal lattice was altered by geological forces to produce a unique structure that absorbs light in such a way that the gem assumes a pink hue. For coloured diamonds, the ‘C’ for colour outweighs the other Cs (clarity, cur and carat weight) in determination of value. Consequently it is important to understand how colour affects the grading, and therefore the price, of a pink diamond.
There are three important factors to understanding the colour of pink diamonds: HUE is the dominant colour of the diamond. Sometimes there are modifying colours or tints that affect hue. TONE is the amount of lighmess or darkness in the diamond. The range of tone extends from light to dark. SATURATION is the strength or intensity of hue. The saturation of light in diamonds can vary from pastel to vivid and intense. The darker and more intense the colour, the rarer and more valuable the diamond.
PART I V MARKET FUNDEMENTALS
“Acquiring pink diamonds is about incomparability - the concern for rarity and personality that lies behind the rise of pink diamonds is typical of an art collector’s attitude. “ -ROBERT PRO COP, CEO , ASPREY, 2009.
For the past 25 years, demand for Argyle pink diamonds has continued unabated, defying the ebb and flow of economic cycles. Over this period of time Argyle Pink Diamonds, backed by parent company Rio Tinto, has been able to successfully develop a diversified global market for the full range of pink diamonds. There is enormous equity in the Argyle Pink Diamonds brand in Australia and Asia. Over the past 15 years the Japanese market has shown a strong appetite for pink diamonds and this continues today. It remains the largest consumer market for pink diamonds, with the lighter ‘Cherry Blossom’ shades of pink in strong demand from Japanese jewellery designers.
Argyle pink diamonds are also growing in popularity within the elite circles of Europe, where there is a growing appreciation of their rarity. The mature US market has also demonstrated continued, sustainable demand in spite of the turmoil in its financial markets. The emerging markets of India, China and Russia are providing new sources of demand for unique Argyle pink diamonds. Together with changing consumption patterns, there is a growing understanding of the value of rare coloured diamonds by high net worth individuals in these markets. The overwhelming response in India to the 2009 inaugural showcasing of the Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender was testament to a period of accelerated growth anticipated across this emerging market.
On the supply side there are structural constraints that will limit the production of rare pink diamonds and contribute to a widening demand overhang. These include: • A steadily declining mineral reserve base, compounded by limited exploration success andrelatively high barriers to entry. • The chances of any future mine discovery replicating the unique properties of the Argyle Diamond Mine, is extremely low. • Currently there are no other pink diamond mines or deposits, and even if another deposit of pink diamond-bearing ore is discovered, it takes on average 10 years for a mine to pro ceed from discovery to production. • Inventories of diamonds are at historically low levels with significant stockpiles reduced to working capital levels over the past decade.
Unlike for white diamonds, there is no list price that determines the value of a pink diamond. Each pink diamond is uniquely different and cannot be commoditised. As with rare art, set rules do not apply. What can be said however is that Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender stones have appreciated exponentially over the past 25 years. This is a reflection of the fundamental economics of pink diamonds - increasing demand for a truly scarce product. These fundamentals are providing the catalyst for growth in investment demand.
PART V UNIQUE MARKETING POSITIONS ARGYLE PINK DIAMONDS AS THE ULTIMATE LUXURY ‘In spite of economic conditions, this truly top end of the luxury market continues to defy gravity. In the rarified world of Argyle pink diamonds, we have seen and continue to see sustained demand and very strong prices. “ JEAN-MARC LIEBERHERR, GENERAL MANAGER, DIAMONDS - SALES AND MARKETING , RIO TINTO.
Rio Tinto quickly realised that the rare quality of its pink diamonds should be marketed to reflect their uniqueness, exclusivity and glamour. In recognition of this Rio Tinto has always retained all of its pink diamonds for cutting and polishing, with its finest quality pink diamonds manufactured in Perth, Western Australia. In the Perth manufacturing facility, specialist personnel with more than 100 years combined experience, meticulously work on the rarest pink diamonds to transform them into loose polished diamonds. They are then marketed and sold by Argyle Pink Diamonds, Rio Tinto’s brand behind the premium end product from the Argyle Diamond Mine.
The development of the annual Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender was a significant contributor to establishing the profile of Argyle pink diamonds. Viewings of a selection of the most exceptional polished pink diamonds produced each year from the Argyle Diamond Mine, take place at various locations around the world. A small number of invited clients lodge sealed bids for individual or multiple diamonds.
The Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender typically features 40-5 5 Argyle pink diamonds weighing 0.50 carat or more, that are certified by two independent grading laboratories. Control over the mining, manufacturing and marketing of these diamonds allows Argyle Pink Diamonds to offer a guaranteed chain of custody from mine to market, baked up with a certificate of authenticity. The Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender is one of the most anticipated events in the diamond industry’s calendar, as the gems that are available are literally ‘one in a million’. For every million carats of rough diamonds produced at the Argyle Diamond Mine, only one polished carat is offered for sale at the Tender. The Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender has been held annually since 1984. With only around a decade of life remaining in the Argyle Diamond Mine, there are approximately 500 tender quality pink diamonds left to be unearthed. Hence the fitting campaign tide, ‘Beyond Rare’, to lead the Argyle Pink Diamonds brand for the next decade.
Rio Tinto also carefully manages the distribution for Argyle pink diamonds that are not sold through the Tender. These diamonds, which come in the full range of pink hues and tones, are sold as loose polished diamonds throughout the year. An exclusive group of master ~raftsmen known as Select Ateliers and Authorised Partners have been appointed to ensure all market development initiatives are in support of Argyle Pink Diamonds’ brand values of rarity, beauty and luxury .
PART V I INVESTMENT POTENTIAL
AS GLOBAL FINANCIAL MARKETS SHOW VOLATILITY AND INSTABILITY, 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 PINK DIAMONDS FULFILL THESE CRITERIA AND, AS SUPPLY DWINDLES, INTERNATIONAL COLLECTORS AND INVESTORS CONTINUE TO ACQUIRE THESE RARE PIECES FOR THEIR PERSONAL HOLDINGS.
Over the 25 years that the Argyle Diamond Mine has been producing rare pink diamonds there have been numerous economic cycles that have influenced most investment vehicles. Throughout this time pink diamonds have retained their value and after adjusting for quality, tender prices for Argyle pink diamonds have outperformed major equity indices. Investment in pink diamonds can reap considerable rewards. Indeed as the tumultuous recession of late 2008 was materialising across the world, Rio Tin to received the highest price ever for a pink diamond from the Argyle Diamond Mine.
The diamond, named Argyle Aphrodite, after the Greek Goddess of Love and Passion, is a spectacular 1.01 carat round brilliant cut, Fancy Purplish Red diamond, unrivalled in its class. In 2005 Rio Tin to committed AU$1 billion to expanding the Argyle Diamond Mine, shifting to underground mining. This will extend the life of the mine for at least a decade.
PART VI I PINK DIAMONDS PERFORM AT AUCTION
SINCE THE LATE 1980S, AUCTION HOUSES HAVE PRESENTED EXCEPTIONAL PINK DIAMONDS AND PINK DIAMOND JEWELLERY AS THE PINNACLE OF THEIR COLLECTOR OFFERING. THESE PUBLIC OFFERINGS ARE SEPARATE TO THE ANNUAL ARGYLE PINK DIAMONDS TENDER, BUT SERVE AS AN OFFICIAL RECORD OF SOME OF THE WATERSHED EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF PINK DIAMOND SALES.
In 2010, global jewellery sales at international auction houses surpassed expectation, with Christie’s New York having the highest sales in total for any auction house at US$426 million. This was partly led by extraordinary prices for coloured diamonds and followed on from a record-breaking year in 2009 for pink diamonds specifically. In 2009 a five carat Vivid Pink diamond auctioned by Christie’s Hong Kong achieved a record price per carat of US$2.1 million.
At the time, the total price paid- US$10.7 million - was also a world auction record for any diamond or gemstone. This was later piqued at the November 2010 Sotheby’s Geneva auction of a 24.78 carat Fancy Intense Pink emerald cut diamond, now known as ‘The Graff Pink’. This stone holds the current record for the total price of a pink diamond at auction, at US$46.2 million, dwarfing Sotheby’s pre-auction estimate of US$27 - $38 million.
PART VI I I AN ENDURING LEGACY
INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS HAVE LIVED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS IN THE EAST KIMBERLEY REGIO N OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. THEY THRIVE BY LOOKING BEYOND THE OBVIOUS, BY BEING ATTUNED TO THE BOUNTY THAT T HE AUSTRALIAN
Also in November 2010, Christie’s Hong Kong sold a 14.23 carat Fancy Intense Pink diamond, referred to as ‘The Perfect Pink’, for US$23.1 million - setting a record for the most expensive gem to be sold in Asia. Again, the price achieved was significantly more than the US$14- $19 million pre-sale estimate. It’s worth noting that in over 244 years of auction history, only 18 diamonds over 10 carats showing a distinct pure pink colour have appeared for sale~ Prices at jewellery auctions have continued to follow a similar pattern since, with buyers consistently willing to pay above expected prices to secure pink diamonds. Testament to this is the May 2011 sale by Sotheby’s Geneva of a 10.99 carat Fancy Intense Pink diamond for 0 $10.3 million- the third highest price paid for a pink diamond at auction.
Historically, pink diamond prices realised at auction demonstrate an upward trend of significant growth that peaked in 2009 - with an average sale price per carat of just under US$2 million. While there was a drop in 2010, the price per carat at auction continues to realise more than US$1 million per carat, with four diamonds achieving this benchmark since late 2009.
DESERT CAN PROVIDE. AS A VISITOR TO THEIR LAND, RIO TINTO HAS WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS TO ENSURE IT IS NOT JUST THE OBVIOUS - PINK DIAMONDS -THAT ARE THE PRODUCT OF THE MINE.
Approximately 135 indigenous workers are employed at the mine- about 26% of the total workforce - making the Argyle operation one of the nation’s leading indigenous employers.
And so, as time passes, each Argyle pink diamond becomes more collectable, highly sought after andvaluable, with an enduring legacy that goes beyondits investment potential.
The wealth generated by revenues from Argyle pink diamonds is being used to fund community development projects for the land’s Traditional Owners and local communities. The many health, education, training, employment and business opportunities it generates are giving them the capacity to chart their own destiny, beyond the life of the mine.
Gaze deep into an Argyle pink diamond and you just might see time dance - the dance of buried treasure, unearthed but short-lived. The ultimate limited edition.