CIBJO to Present Reena Ahluwalia’s Artworks Celebrating Its Centenary
The opening day of the 2026 CIBJO Congress, which begins on September 4, 2026, during Vicenzaoro in Vicenza, Italy, will feature the unveiling of two specially commissioned artworks by acclaimed Canadian visual artist and jewellery designer Reena Ahluwalia, created to commemorate the Centenary Year of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO).
Both works will be donated to the permanent collection of the Museo del Gioiello, the renowned jewellery museum located within Vicenza’s historic Basilica Palladiana.
The first creation, titled “The CIBJO Centenary Icon,” is a circular painting inspired by the Renaissance “tondo” tradition. At its centre is a navette or marquise-cut diamond surrounded by a flowing sea of molten gold.
Ahluwalia describes the gemstone depicted in the artwork as the “Diamond Eye,” representing CIBJO’s role as a protective vessel for the industry, a source of illumination and a guiding force for the global jewellery community. According to the artist, the Diamond Eye serves as the industry’s “North Star,” representing the continuous recalibration needed to maintain international standards and safeguard consumer confidence.
The CIBJO Centenary Medal
The second work, “The CIBJO Centenary Medal,” takes the form of a commemorative numismatic artwork. One side features the CIBJO Congress logo positioned above a round, faceted diamond, while the reverse carries a compass motif, symbolising CIBJO’s role in guiding the jewellery industry towards integrity, ethics and high standards.
A solid-gold edition of the medal has been specially produced for the Congress by Italpreziosi, the Arezzo-based precious metals refinery.
Art, Jewellery and Innovation
Based in Toronto, Reena Ahluwalia is internationally recognised for transforming gemstones and jewellery into contemporary works of art. She became the first visual artist to have a gemstone artwork accepted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Her distinguished portfolio includes a diamond setting created for the Legislative Mace of Ontario, a Belgian postage stamp, an induction into the GJEPC Hall of Fame, and a Guinness World Record watch. A pioneer in combining art and emerging technology, Ahluwalia was also the first artist to integrate blockchain technology with diamond art, creating systems for provenance and digital legacy.
CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri said that jewellery represents an artistic expression of human creativity and ingenuity through nature’s most precious materials, making fine art a fitting way to commemorate the organisation’s centenary. He expressed appreciation for Ahluwalia’s contribution and noted that the works would provide a lasting record of this milestone for visitors to the Museo del Gioiello in the years ahead.
Ahluwalia described the significance of the project by saying that “art gives form to collective heritage.” She expressed her honour at marking CIBJO’s historic milestone and gratitude to President Gaetano Cavalieri and the organisation. With the two works entering the permanent collection of the Museo del Gioiello, she said they will preserve a century of resilience and shared values while carrying that legacy forward for generations to come.