Rio Holds Special Tender

Rio Tinto launched a ''Specials Tender,'' which showcases fine rough diamonds, greater than 10.8 carats, from a year’s worth of production from its three operating diamond mines in Australia, Canada and Zimbabwe. The collection is comprised of 94 lots of diamonds with wide array of colors and shapes, including 26 diamonds greater than 20 carats each all of which are available for preview in Antwerp throughout the first half of October. Headlining this Specials Tender, a rare 24.15-carat white diamond from the Argyle diamond mine --The Argyle Athena-- was named for the Roman goddess and son of Zeus, and was unearthed from Rio Tinto's Australian mine earlier this year. The collection of Argyle Specials also includes a 15.40-carat yellow gem and a 20.19-carat cognac diamond.