74-carat Yellow Helios Diamond Shines in Rio Tinto Tender
October 22, 20
(IDEX Online) - An extremely rare 74.48-carat fancy yellow diamond is to headline a sale of rough by Rio Tinto from its mines in Canada and Australia.
The diamond (pictured) has been named the Diavik Helios, after the Canadian mine where it was found, and the pure yellow sunlight emitted by the mythical Greek god of the Sun.
The Specials Tender of stones over 10.8 carats also includes 28,399 carats of rough Argyle diamonds. Among them are some of the last colored diamonds to be produced by the famous Australian mine before its imminent closure, and a 26-carat white diamond.
Rio Tinto's Patrick Coppens said "Since the Diavik mine began production in 2003 it has produced on average only five large yellow diamonds each year, in effect less than 0.001 per cent of Diavik's annual production.
"The Diavik Helios is an exceptional diamond in terms of its colour saturation and clarity and will be in strong demand from coloured diamond specialists around the world."
The tender will be showcased in Antwerp and Tel Aviv, together with virtual and online viewings to cater for COVID-19 restrictions. Bids close on 9 November.