Reena Ahluwalia Wins the Rio Tinto Diamonds Global DesignCompetition
Jewelry to be showcased inCelebrity Suite at the Oscars
(New York, NY) February 20, 2011– Canadianjewelry designer Reena Ahluwalia was recently honored as an international winner of theprestigious Rio Tinto Diamonds Global Design Competition. Jewelrydesigners from across the globe were invited to submit designs in fourcategories: Champagne Diamonds, Silvermist Diamonds™, Canadian Diamonds and SustainableJewelry. In late February the winning designs will be showcased at theannual Academy Awards 2012 with a chance to be selected and worn on red carpetby Hollywood’s elite.
After receiving a record number of entriesfrom around the globe, an elite panel of judges fromthe U.S. jewelry and fashion industries gathered in New York City and reviewedentries from designers from the U.S., Canada, Australia, India, China, and HongKong. Nine winners were chosen in total. Reena Ahluwalia, received the prestigious Master Craftsman award in theCanadian Diamonds category.
Set in 18K white gold, 28.96 carat, “Canoe”Canadian diamonds necklace by Reena Ahluwalia is inspired by a poetic image of themagical Canadian landscape and its pristine white winters. It captures asnapshot of a snow covered canoe in a frozen crystalline lake. “Celebrating themagic and beauty of Canada, my home, is the inspiration for my design. Canoe is a carrier of Canadian myths, a symbol very unique toCanada that represents voyage, harmony with nature, discovery and courage. Itis one of the greatest gifts the First Nations people gave to all those whocame after. A crystalline perspective, this necklace hopes to capture theluminous magic of the True North,” said Ahluwalia.
The necklace comes together with two diamond-studdedlinks embracing the neck that represent the fluidity of lake. Irregularintersecting lines, studded with Ideal Square cut diamonds depict the chunks offloating ice. The necklace culminates into a canoe shapedelement. “Canoe” has an angled faceted interior, “Iwanted the diamonds to reflect on the opposite facets for a dramatic shine andcreate an icy crystalline look,” said Ahluwalia.
Crossworks Manufacturing Ltd., the largestmanufacturer of branded Canadian diamonds in the world, collaborated withAhluwalia, sponsored manufacturing and provided Canadian diamonds for the“Canoe” necklace.
In a Daily Jewel exclusive Reena answered a couple of questions…
DJ: What does this win mean to you?
“Exciting. I love diamonds, they have been my material of choice throughout, a medium for me to express stories that I want to tell and share”
DJ: What are you looking forward to? “Continuation of my diamond journey and a quest to innovate.”
Dylan Dix, Group Executive: Marketing andExternal Relations, Crossworks Manufacturing Ltd. said “The opportunity to workwith both Rio Tinto Diamonds and Reena Ahluwalia to promote Canadian diamondsis a reflection of the partnerships involved in our industry. The support ofRio Tinto of the secondary industry in Canada has created innovation in bothpolishing and jewelry design. The primary diamonds in the Canoe are the IdealSquare, a patented cut designed by a Canadian company and are set in abeautiful design by a Canadian artist. This is the ultimate reflection of ourindustry’s goal of celebrating the Canadian diamond pipeline from mine tomarket”.
To Ahluwalia, her win, “Is agreat opportunity and honor to represent Canadian Diamonds”.
About Rio Tinto Diamonds
Rio Tinto is one ofthe world’s major diamond producers through its 100 percent control of the Argylemine in Australia, 60 percent of the Diavik mine in Canada, a 78 percentinterest in the Murowa mine in Zimbabwe. These three mines allow Rio Tinto to produce diamonds for all marketsegments. Rio Tinto also has an advanced diamond project in India.
Rio Tinto’s shareof the production from its three operating mines is sold through is DiamondsSales and Marketing headquarters office in Antwerp, Belgium with representativeoffices in Mumbai, Hong Kong and New York. Rio Tinto Diamonds is a leading supporterof the Kimberley Process as well as a founding member of Responsible JewelleryCouncil.
About Designer Reena Ahluwalia
Reena Ahluwalia is a Toronto-based Canadian jewellerydesigner and owner of Reena Ahluwalia Design Inc. (Est. 1999). Her multiple-awardwinning body of work reflects her passion for diamonds and linkages with theglobal diamond community for over seventeen years.
With designs that never fail to push creative boundaries,she has won numerous national and international awards. Iconic British fashiondesigner Alexander McQueen featured her award-winning diamond jewel in hisSpring/Summer 2000 debut in New York.
An ambassador of arts and crafts, her quasi-nomadiclifestyle has enriched her thinking and enabled her to experience variouscultures that help shape her cutting edge designs. This openness to culturesand experiences has also brought with it a spirit of inquiry and explorationthat makes it possible to reboot her thinking keeping her designs fresh andinnovative.
Ahluwalia’s work is often described as flamboyant,harmonizing precision and geometry with fluidity and movement. Her signaturestyle is renowned for its edgy but feminine, well-engineered fluid forms andinnovative narratives told through suggestive imagery. She has been successfulin exploring different extremes in form, effortlessly moving from extravagantand exaggerated to small and understated. Besides selling directly to privateclients around the world, Ahluwalia is also the creative force behind some ofthe most recognized international jewelry brands. Website: www.reenaahluwalia.com
About Crossworks Manufacturing Ltd.
CrossworksManufacturing, a member of the HRA Group of Companies, operates three diamondpolishing facilities in Canada that are located in Sudbury, Yellowknife andVancouver. Crossworks purchases rough diamonds from the mines located in Canadathrough agreements with the Diamond Trading Company (D.T.C.) and Rio TintoDiamonds as a Select Diamantaire. Currently, the Group is the largestmanufacturer of branded Canadian diamonds in the world with distributionthroughout North America, Europe and Asia.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Cathy – sorry I thought I was more explicit – the designer is Reena Ahluwalia…
Beautiful design, congrats on the award but I would like to know who actually brought the design to life? “a Canadian artist” hardly identifies the person/s responsible for such a stunner!!!!!