DiamondBuzz
Rio Tinto’s Final Beyond Rare Tender Marks the End of a Diamond Era
Rio Tinto’s third and final Beyond Rare™ Tender, titled The Art Series: Into the Light, has concluded with strong global demand, securing the company’s place in the history of rare diamonds. The tender comes 40 years after the commissioning of the Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia and 22 years after the start of operations at the Diavik mine in Canada.
The 2025 tender featured 52 lots totalling 45.44 carats, including six Masterpieces — carefully curated sets highlighting the pinnacle of production from Argyle and Diavik — alongside 39 single stones and seven matched sets. The Argyle pink, red, and violet diamonds came from the final legacy inventory, making them among the last of their kind.
Singapore-based Argyle Pink Diamonds Icon Partner™ Glajz THG, in collaboration with Scandinavian jeweller Hartmann’s, won the coveted Lot 1 consisting of two Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink pear shapes and a 5.11-carat Flawless D-colour Diavik emerald-cut diamond. “We are delighted to win these extraordinary masterpieces of nature and look forward to honouring the powerful provenance of the Argyle and Diavik mines,” said John Glajz, Managing Director of Glajz THG.
Patrick Coppens, General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Rio Tinto Diamonds, described the tender as a fitting finale: “Presenting this final collection is a wonderful epilogue to Rio Tinto’s inspiring story of mining and marketing diamonds. The world is still captivated by their beauty, exceptional rarity, and pure provenance.”
Since 1985, Rio Tinto has sold approximately 2,500 carats of rare pink, red, and blue polished Argyle diamonds — less than 0.0003% of the mine’s total production — through its annual tenders. With Argyle closed in 2020 and Diavik scheduled to close in 2026, the Beyond Rare™ legacy now enters the annals of diamond history.
DiamondBuzz
Lost Florentine Diamond Resurfaces in Canada After a Century, Tracing Its Glittering Origins to India’s Golconda Mines
Once a royal treasure of the Medici and Habsburg dynasties, the 137.27-carat gemstone reemerges in a Montreal vault, reaffirming India’s Golconda as the cradle of the world’s most storied diamonds.
The legendary Florentine Diamond — a 137.27-carat light yellow gemstone believed to have originated from India’s famed Golconda mines — has been rediscovered in a Canadian bank vault, ending over a hundred years of intrigue surrounding its disappearance.
According to recent reports, the diamond—once among Europe’s most celebrated royal jewels—was located in a vault in Montreal, safeguarded for decades by descendants of the Austrian imperial Habsburg family. The gemstone vanished after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, following Emperor Charles I’s exile, sparking decades of speculation over its fate — whether it was stolen, lost, or secretly sold.
Historians now confirm that Empress Zita, widow of Charles I, discreetly transferred the diamond to Canada during World War II for safekeeping. Its authenticity was recently verified by a European jewellery house that historically served the Habsburg court, confirming the gem’s provenance and preservation.
Renowned for its pale yellow hue and unique double-rose cut with 126 facets, the Florentine Diamond boasts a storied history — from its origins in India’s Golconda mines, to the Medici treasury in Florence, and later as part of the Austrian Crown Jewels in Vienna.
Its rediscovery has reignited global fascination with India’s gem legacy, which gave birth to other iconic diamonds like the Koh-i-Noor, Hope, and Nassak. Experts say the find underscores the importance of provenance and gem heritage in an increasingly globalised jewellery market.
The Habsburg family has announced plans to publicly exhibit the diamond in Canada next year, with potential displays in Europe to follow.
After more than a century of obscurity, the reemergence of the Florentine Diamond not only restores a lost royal masterpiece but also revives India’s enduring connection to the world’s most illustrious jewels.
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