Design Star: Reena Ahluwalia

Toronto-based jewelry designer Reena Ahluwalia blazes trails as a jewelry designer wherever she goes. She was born in India, a land known for its esteem of gold and precious gems, particularly during the time of the Mughals. Ahluwalia’s interest in jewelry was piqued at a young age due to her love of this tradition. Her expertise and influence as a premiere jewelry designer has expanded across the pond to Canada, where she has settled in as an award-winning designer.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and Ahluwalia’s gem of choice. Calling herself a diamond aficionado, she has been heavily involved in the global diamond community for over 17 years and emphasizes high ethical standards by sourcing her diamonds from conflict-free mines.

People fashion their outfits around her jewelry, not the other way around. She characterizes her jewelry as symbolic, physical, and conceptual – three important aspects she considers when designing her iconic pieces. Her travels and experiences across multiple cultures have helped shape her designs to keep them fresh and inventive. In addition to her own collections, she works on commissions for some of the most trusted international jewelry brands like Forevermark. For more on her design process, watch this video from Forevermark:

Ahluwalia has enjoyed some of the most coveted design opportunities including the ‘Eternal’ Diamond necklace for Forevermark representing eternal love; the 85-carat Royal Asscher Diamond Tiara – one of a select few Kate Middleton had to choose from for her wedding to Prince William; the ‘Bel Canto’ necklace inspired by Opera legend Maria Callas and exhibited on an exclusive Belgian stamp in 2010; and the almost 200-carat Diamond Body Ornament worn at Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2000 show in New York.

1. Diamond body ornament for Alexander McQueen SS/2000 show // 2. ‘Eternal’ diamond necklace 
on behalf of Forevermark // 3. ‘Bel Canto’ postage stamp for the Belgian Postal Service, 2010 // 4. Royal Asscher Diamond Tiara for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton 

Ahluwalia looks to Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry collection as an example of timeless jewelry that never goes out of style. One of her favorite pieces from the collection, which she had the unforgettable opportunity to try on, is the “Taj Mahal Diamond” once owned by Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal. In fact, if she could design for anyone, it would be for a Mughal emperor or Maharajah from the 1800s, a truly nostalgic and opulent time for jewelry.

All images via www.reenaahluwalia.com

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