EditorsNov 07, 2025
Piece of the Week: An MVP’s Sapphire Tennis Necklace At the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto sported a custom necklace made by California retailer Happy Jewelers.
SourcingJul 13, 2018
The 3.14-Carat ‘Alpha’ Diamond in Rio Tinto’s Tender
It is one of six “hero” stones in this year’s sale of exceptional pink, red and violet diamonds from the Argyle mine.
The 3.14-carat emerald-cut “Argyle Alpha” diamond is color-graded as a fancy vivid purplish-pink. It is one of the 63 red, pink and violet diamonds being offered in this year’s Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender, which is being called the “Magnificent Argyle.”
Sydney—Rio Tinto just debuted the diamonds in this year’s Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender, its annual sale of the best pink, red and violet stones to emerge from its mine in Western Australia.
The 2018 tender comprises 63 diamonds totaling 51.48 carats. It’s bigger than last year’s offering, which had 58 diamonds totaling 49.39 carats and included the largest red diamond in tender history.
This year’s superlatives include the biggest vivid pink diamond in tender history, the 3.14-carat stone dubbed the “Argyle Alpha,” and the weightiest purplish-red, the 2.28-carat “Argyle Muse.”
The diamond mining company described the Muse as having “an unrivaled potency of color,” and noted that the 7.39-carat rough diamond from which it was cut yielded another stone in the 2018 tender, a 0.63-carat purplish-red stone.
The Muse and the Alpha are two of the diamonds selected as “hero stones,” the handful of diamonds Rio Tinto considers to be exceptional and names in each tender.
This year, there are a half-dozen heroes. Here is the complete list:
—Argyle Muse, a 2.28-carat fancy purplish-red oval;
—Argyle Alpha, a 3.14-carat emerald-cut fancy vivid purplish-pink;
—Argyle Maestro, a 1.29-carat square-cut fancy vivid purplish-pink;
—Argyle Alchemy, a 1.57-carat fancy dark gray-violet princess;
—Argyle Odyssey, a 2.08-carat fancy intense pink round brilliant; and
—Argyle Mira, a 1.12-carat fancy red radiant.
Each diamond, along with its name and characteristics, is pictured in the slideshow below.
The Alchemy is a 1.57-carat princess-cut diamond color-graded as a fancy dark gray-violet diamond.
The Alpha is a 3.14-carat emerald-cut fancy vivid purplish-pink diamond. It is the largest fancy vivid pink ever included in the tender and is the largest hero stone this year.
The Maestro is a 1.29-carat radiant-cut fancy vivid purplish-pink diamond.
This is the 1.12-carat fancy red radiant-cut diamond dubbed the Mira.
The 2.28-carat Muse is an oval-shaped fancy purplish-red diamond and is the largest purplish-red in tender history. Rio Tinto has been holding its Argyle tender annually since 1984.
This 2.08-carat round brilliant fancy intense pink has been named the Odyssey.
The six “hero” stones of the 2018 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender, from left to right: the Argyle Mira, Odyssey, Alpha, Muse, Maestro and Alchemy.
The diamond mining company, which is based in Perth, Australia, and mines its colored diamonds at the Argyle mine in Western Australia, premiered the collection in Sydney Thursday.
The stones will travel next to Hong Kong in September (coinciding with the jewelry trade show there) and New York in early October, with bids closing Oct. 10.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
IndependentsNov 07, 2025
Foundrae’s New Palm Beach Location Is a ‘Golden Solarium’The brand’s seventh location combines Foundrae’s symbolic vocabulary with motifs from Florida’s natural surroundings.
FinancialsNov 07, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s H1 Sales Up 8%The retailer also shared an update on the impact of tariffs on watch customers.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America Aligns New Mission to Create Meaningful Impact for MembersFrom educational programs, advocacy, and recent MJSA affiliation, Jewelers of America drives progress that elevates businesses of all sizes.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Hosts Raffle Supporting Food RescueAll proceeds from the G. St x Jewel Boxing raffle will go to City Harvest, which works to end hunger in New York City.
Weekly QuizNov 06, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Cornell’s Jewelers Names New PresidentCourtney Cornell is part of the third generation to lead the Rochester, New York-based jeweler.
WatchesNov 05, 2025
Shinola President Steps Down Just as He Starts Former Signet CEO Mark Light will remain president of Shinola until a replacement for Ulrich Wohn is found.
AuctionsNov 05, 2025
Taylor Swift’s Engagement Ring Designer Makes Her Auction DebutKindred Lubeck of Artifex has three rings she designed with Anup Jogani in Sotheby’s upcoming Gem Drop sale.
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Pandora Posts Modest Q3 Sales Growth Amid ‘Weak’ Consumer Sentiment The company focused on marketing in the third quarter and introduced two new charm collections, “Pandora Talisman” and “Pandora Minis.”
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q3 Sales Climb 10%The jewelry retailer raised its full-year guidance, with CFO Jeff Kuo describing the company as “very well positioned” for the holidays.
Policies & IssuesNov 04, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case WednesdayAhead of the hearing, two industry organizations co-signed an amicus brief urging the court to declare Trump’s tariffs unlawful.
MajorsNov 04, 2025
Danny Clark to Become Stuller CEO, Succeeding Matt StullerStuller COO Belit Myers will take on the additional role of president, with all changes effective at the start of 2026.
ColumnistsNov 04, 2025
Peter Smith: What Do Birds Have to Do With the Price of Gold? Smith cautions retailers against expending too much energy on things they can’t control, like the rising price of gold.
TrendsNov 04, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Fall Colors for November BirthdaysCitrine and topaz are birthstones fit for fall as the leaves change color and the holiday season approaches.
IndependentsNov 04, 2025
Weston Jewelers Heads to Fort LauderdaleThe family-owned jeweler will open its fourth store in Florida in late 2027.
CrimeNov 03, 2025
Men Dressed as Construction Workers Burglarize Jeweler’s Home The NYPD is looking for three men who stole a safe and jewelry valued at $3.2 million from the home of a jeweler in Jamaica Hills, Queens.
MajorsNov 03, 2025
Matthew Rosenheim Takes Over as JA Board ChairThe trade organization also announced its executive committee and five new directors.
CollectionsNov 03, 2025
Muse’s ‘Have a Heart’ Collab Returns, Now With DDGThe “Have a Heart x Diamonds Do Good” collection is championed by model and humanitarian Flaviana Matata and will benefit her foundation.
AuctionsNov 03, 2025
Kashmir Sapphire Ring Tops Christie's Online AuctionThe ring, set with a nearly 17-carat Kashmir cabochon sapphire, sold for $1 million.
TrendsOct 31, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Spinner Fit for ‘Frankenstein’This “Mother Father” spinner necklace from Heavenly Vices Fine Jewelry draws inspiration from Victorian Era jewelry.
CrimeOct 31, 2025
5 More Arrested in Louvre Heist, Jewelry Still Missing The suspects were rounded up in Paris and its suburbs on Wednesday night, but none of the stolen jewels were recovered with them.
Recorded WebinarsOct 31, 2025
Watch: How to Master Google Reviews for Your BusinessExperts share top tips on how to encourage positive reviews and handle negative feedback.
Supplier BulletinOct 30, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
CrimeOct 30, 2025
29-Year-Old Man Charged in Multiple Seattle-Area Smash and Grabs The suspect faces charges in the August robbery of Menashe & Sons Jewelers and is accused of committing smash and grabs at two pawn shops.
Lab-GrownOct 30, 2025
Alison Lou’s New Collection Uses Lab-Grown Diamonds and ResinThe “Lumière Fine” collection was born from designer Alison Chemla’s interest in the transformative power of light.
TrendsOct 30, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: A Haunted HalloweenShow off your spooky side with these 12 festive jewels.
