At a recent gala event in Antwerp the diamond neckpiece titled "Bel Canto - A Homage to Maria Callas" took the center stage as the grand finale at the HRD AWARDS 2007 (Antwerp World Diamond council's International Awards). This year's theme for the awards was "A Night at the Opera" and this piece was a fitting choice as the grand finale of the glittering ceremony. This diamond neckpiece was designed by an acclaimed India-born, Canadian designer Reena Ahluwalia. The diamonds were sponsored by Diarough N.V and the jewellery sponsor was Shrenuj and Company Limited.
Over her thirteen-year period as a jewellery designer, Reena Ahluwalia has been working on design projects in Asia, Europe and North America. Her work can also be found in private collections across Asia and Europe. She has won numerous National and International awards, including the coveted De Beers Diamonds-International Awards. Her award winning piece was later featured by renowned fashion designer Alexander McQueen in his Spring/Summer 2000 collection in New York. Reena has worked on campaigns with De Beers, Platinum Guild International (PGI) and the World Gold Council (WGC). She also invests her time teaching part-time at the George Brown College in Toronto, Canada.
"Bel Canto means, most literally, "beautiful singing." Reena says.
"This design is inspired by the sheer experience of Opera, at the center of which is a Soprano. Opera can be playful, prayerful, haunting, and incredibly versatile. One seems to move through a range of emotions. This is the way I interpret its music in my design - by the emotion it stirs. I have attempted to recreate melody, the high and low notes sung by legendary Soprano Maria Callas." added Reena, expressing the inspiration behind her Neckpiece.
"Through this piece I want to create a feeling of being suspended in space, surrounded by music. This piece is made in 18K , 510 grams of white gold and set with 101.0 carats of white diamonds clustered together to give a dazzling effect. It also has Red Enamel work, another element I strongly associate with Opera." Reena also pointed out "Colour red here signifies passion, love, tragedy, drama and excitement. The greatness of opera is the ability to convey an emotional meaning for which words alone do not suffice."
HRD Awards is a biennial International contemporary diamond jewellery contest. It was first organized in 1984 and since then is offering a forum for talented jewellery designers and wants to stimulate the creativity of the contemporary diamond jewel. The competition aims at extending the limits of the modern diamond jewel, avant-garde ideas and exclusive creations.
A jury chose 38 laureates out of 1092 designs for the "HRD Awards 2007". This Collection will be exhibited in the Diamond Museum, Province of Antwerp from July 1 to August 31 2007. HRD Awards Collection 2007 which includes all 38 designs begins its global tour at the beginning of June, including Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, Basel and Las Vegas.
Reena Ahluwalia: https://www.dexigner.com/directory/detail/9148