ModernJeweler.com |

Rio Tinto, the global diamond mining giant, is ready to serve the industry champagne once again. The company is sponsoring a new champagne diamond marketing program that focuses on supporting retailers with extensive retail marketing tools.

Rio Tinto Diamonds markets diamonds the Rio Tinto Group mines from the Argyle diamond mine in Australia, the Diavik diamond mine in Canada, and the Murowa diamond mine in Zimbabwe. Argyle produces the majority of the world’s brown-toned diamonds.

“The new range of promotional materials is aimed at supporting the retailer, educating the consumer, and opening up new distribution channels,” says Jean-Marc Lieberherr, head of Rio Tinto Diamonds.

The new materials, branded “Champagne diamonds . . . beautiful, naturally” include a brochure, color chart, image library, training presentation, and a CD that showcases loose polished champagne diamonds in the full range of colors and cuts in images and movies.

The new champagne diamond materials, which will be launched at the JCK Las Vegas Show, target consumers who like to express their individuality and appreciate the finer things in life. The promotional materials showcase a full color palette from light champagne to dark cognac, as well as communicating the versatility and accessibility of the gems.

“We’d like to invite manufacturers and retailers to become more involved with our program,” says Rebecca Foerster, Rio Tinto’s U.S. marketing director. Although Rio Tinto will be working with major retailers to promote champagne diamonds, Foerster says that the company would also like to encourage independent jewelers to become partners. “We will be positioning champagne diamonds as an aspirational purchase that is perfect for the high-end independent retailer.”

The new champagne marketing program comes at a fortuitous moment. The world of diamond jewelry has become more diverse than ever before. Jewelry designers are using more unusual diamonds, including more unusual colors, a wider range of clarities including milky and icy diamonds, and a wider range of cuts, from rough to unusual rose cuts and flat slices.