The diamond mining company unearthed a 9.17-carat piece of rough that yielded a stone Rio Tinto Diamonds’ Patrick Coppens describes as “impossibly rare”–a 2.83-carat fancy deep grayish blue violet diamond that it dubbed the “Argyle Violet.”

It is the largest violet diamond ever recovered from the mine. And now it will embark on a world tour, of sorts, as part of the 2016 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender.

The Gemological Institute of America assigned the oval-shaped stone a color grade of fancy deep grayish blue violet. In a peer-reviewed article in the spring 2009 edition of Gems & Gemology, the GIA noted that the Argyle mine is the world’s only known source of type IaB hydrogen- and nitrogen-rich diamonds colored gray to blue to violet. The article also noted that the more violet-hued stones in this range are colored by nickel defects.

Rio Tinto said the Argyle Violet has a clarity of SI1.

The diamond mining company unearthed a 9.17-carat piece of rough that yielded a stone Rio Tinto Diamonds’ Patrick Coppens describes as “impossibly rare”–a 2.83-carat fancy deep grayish blue violet diamond that it dubbed the “Argyle Violet.”

It is the largest violet diamond ever recovered from the mine. And now it will embark on a world tour, of sorts, as part of the 2016 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender.

The Gemological Institute of America assigned the oval-shaped stone a color grade of fancy deep grayish blue violet. In a peer-reviewed article in the spring 2009 edition of Gems & Gemology, the GIA noted that the Argyle mine is the world’s only known source of type IaB hydrogen- and nitrogen-rich diamonds colored gray to blue to violet. The article also noted that the more violet-hued stones in this range are colored by nickel defects.

Rio Tinto said the Argyle Violet has a clarity of SI1.

First, Hennig will tender a selection of single rough stones from Batla Minerals SA’s Superkolong diamond tailings plant in Kimberley, South Africa.

The viewings for the Superkolong stones will begin Tuesday (May 10) in New York. The sale will include a 112.22-carat rough diamond of yellow color, as well as other yellow diamonds ranging in size from 3 to 50 carats.

The Superkolong rough will be available for viewing in New York until Thursday (May 12), before moving on to Ramat Gan, Israel (May 15 to 19) and Antwerp, Belgium (May 23 to 26.)

Originally mined by De Beers, Kimberley is an area of the world known for producing yellow diamonds.

Hennig also will be hosting a tender of more than 17,000 carats of rough diamonds sourced from the now-closed Ellendale diamond mine in northwest Australia.

Ellendale was operated by Kimberley Diamonds Ltd. and was one of the world’s leading sources of yellow diamonds, even once signing a now-defunct deal to supply Tiffany & Co. with its stones.

The mine shut down abruptly last year, leaving more than a hundred people out of work and owed back pay and a line of creditors who were owed millions.

Kimberley Diamonds placed the subsidiary company that operated the mine into voluntary administration, and Sydney-based insolvency firm Jirsch Sutherland was brought in to liquidate the mine.

Since then, the future fate of the site, which once produced almost half of the world’s yellow diamonds, has remained tied up in court. And, according to news reports, the former head of Kimberley Diamonds, Russian mining magnate Alex Alexander, was arrested in September 2015 for allegedly misleading the stock market about the price Tiffany would pay for his mine’s yellow diamonds.

First, Hennig will tender a selection of single rough stones from Batla Minerals SA’s Superkolong diamond tailings plant in Kimberley, South Africa.

The viewings for the Superkolong stones will begin Tuesday (May 10) in New York. The sale will include a 112.22-carat rough diamond of yellow color, as well as other yellow diamonds ranging in size from 3 to 50 carats.

The Superkolong rough will be available for viewing in New York until Thursday (May 12), before moving on to Ramat Gan, Israel (May 15 to 19) and Antwerp, Belgium (May 23 to 26.)

Originally mined by De Beers, Kimberley is an area of the world known for producing yellow diamonds.

Hennig also will be hosting a tender of more than 17,000 carats of rough diamonds sourced from the now-closed Ellendale diamond mine in northwest Australia.

Ellendale was operated by Kimberley Diamonds Ltd. and was one of the world’s leading sources of yellow diamonds, even once signing a now-defunct deal to supply Tiffany & Co. with its stones.

The mine shut down abruptly last year, leaving more than a hundred people out of work and owed back pay and a line of creditors who were owed millions.

Kimberley Diamonds placed the subsidiary company that operated the mine into voluntary administration, and Sydney-based insolvency firm Jirsch Sutherland was brought in to liquidate the mine.

Since then, the future fate of the site, which once produced almost half of the world’s yellow diamonds, has remained tied up in court. And, according to news reports, the former head of Kimberley Diamonds, Russian mining magnate Alex Alexander, was arrested in September 2015 for allegedly misleading the stock market about the price Tiffany would pay for his mine’s yellow diamonds.

For a chance to win their chosen design, anyone can select the appropriate designer and cast their voteonline.

Jewellers entering the competition were required to submit a brand new ring design, featuring a fully traceable CanadaMark diamond, with a retail price that did not exceed $5000 USD. All 14 finalists created their ring designs in readiness for a public vote for the best design.

Mark Johnson, at Serendipity Diamonds, described their entry.