Rio Tinto to Sell Largest Argyle Vivid Pink

RAPAPORT... Rio Tinto will offer a 3.14-carat, vivid pink diamond at its2018 tender, the largest stone of its color in the history of the annual salesevent.  The emerald-cut Argyle Alpha (pictured, third from left) is one of 63 rare pink, red and violetdiamonds -weighing a combined 51.48 carats - featuring in this year's ArgylePink Diamonds Tender. It is part of a collection of six "hero" diamonds theminer will offer at the sale. "Rio Tinto's Argyle mine is the world's only source of thesehighly coveted pink, red and violet diamonds, and we expect considerable interestin this year's collection," Rio Tinto CEO Jean-S?(C)bastien Jacques said Thursday. "The combinationof strong demand and extremely limited world supply continues to supportsignificant value appreciation for Argyle pink diamonds." This year's tender, which the company has called MagnificentArgyle, also includes the Argyle Muse, an oval-cut, 2.28-carat stone, which isthe largest purplish-red diamond ever offered at the tender, and came from a7.39-carat rough. A second diamond, cut from the same stone, will also be up forsale. The other hero diamonds include the square-radiant-shaped, 1.29-carat,fancy vivid purplish-pink Argyle Maestro; the princess-shaped, 1.57-carat,fancy dark grey-violet Argyle Alchemy; the Argyle Odyssey, a round brilliant,fancy intense pink stone weighing 2.08 carats; and the radiant-shaped ArgyleMira, a 1.12-carat fancy red. Rio Tinto will unveil the gems at a world exclusive previewin Sydney, and will also showcase them in Hong Kong and New York. Bidding forthe diamonds closes on October 10. The company held its first Argyle Pink Diamond Tender in1984.