The world’s most famous, Koh-i-Noor is a diamond of monumental stature.

Now for the first time in history, the Koh-i-Noor diamond has been meticulously painted on canvas and preserved for perpetuity on the blockchain as a digital art NFT. This important step ensures the enduring legacy of this masterpiece, accessible to art, gemstone and history lovers worldwide.

No other diamond in history can lay claim to be more widely traveled, famous and controversial, all at once. Today, the Koh-i-Noor remains one of the most coveted and enigmatic jewels in the world. Formed billions of years ago beneath the Earth's surface, this epic gem has witnessed 750 years of human history, weaving an extraordinary tale.

THE PAINTING

The Koh-i-Noor artworks by Reena are the closest, highly detailed interpretation of Koh-i-Noor diamond in history.

“As an artist, I want to preserve the legend and legacy of Koh-i-Noor through my painting and imprint it on the blockchain for perpetuity as a digital artwork. I want to give back the Koh-i-noor to people, back to all who think it belongs to them. After all, think about it, it very much does!” ~ Reena Ahluwalia, Artist.

It was said whoever possessed the Koh-i-Noor would have the world's power, earthly beauty and prestige.

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond painting on canvas by Reena Ahluwalia. What you are looking at is the closest, detailed view and interpretation of Koh-i-Noor diamond in an artwork in history. I spent two+ years studying, researching and painting the Koh-i-Noor. You will be surprised to find that clear images of Koh-i-Noor do not exist (thus far, 2023). So in a way, I had to imagine how the real Koh-i-Noor looks like. My knowledge and life spent working with diamonds came in handy. Image: 2023 ©Reena Ahluwalia.

*The Koh-i-Noor Diamond painting on canvas by Reena Ahluwalia. Size: 36 x 36 inches. Image: 2023 ©Reena Ahluwalia.*

THE KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND NFT BY REENA AHLUWALIA

Merging art, history, and technology.

The Art NFT records the legend and lore of the Koh-i-Noor on the blockchain for perpetuity. If you ever wished to own the Koh-i-Noor, this is your moment! Buy and view high resolution NFT.

“As an artist, I want to preserve the legend and legacy of Koh-i-noor through my painting and imprint it on the blockchain for perpetuity as a digital artwork. I want to give back the Koh-i-noor to people, back to all who think it belongs to them. After all, think about it, it very much does!” ~ Reena Ahluwalia, Artist.

How can I buy Reena's NFT?

If you have a crypto wallet like Metamask containing cryptocurrency like Ethereum, you can directly purchase the Koh-i-Noor NFT. If you don’t have one, here’s a step by step guide on how you can set up your Metamask wallet. Or watch this short video on how to.

**The Koh-i-Noor Diamond NFT** is a digital artwork NFT created by artist Reena Ahluwalia. Hand-painted and 3D animated, limited edition NFT. Created: 2023. ©Reena Ahluwalia. In my artwork, the Koh-i-Noor shines brightly as it travels across mountain terrains, symbolizing the idea of pursuit. It represents an eternal allure for the world's most enigmatic gem, sometimes within reach and sometimes distant. This mirrors the notion that what we focus on expands and flourishes. By manifesting our desires, we align ourselves with the universal law of attraction and shape our destiny.

See The Koh-i-noor diamond nft

MY PERSONAL CONNECTION AND WHY I WANTED TO PAINT THE KOH-I-NOOR?

My connection to Koh-i-Noor is perhaps similar to children growing up in Asia (I was born in India) hearing about the lore and star-status of the Koh-i-Noor. My mother would call my siblings and I, her “Koh-i-Noor”. Her expression simply means that we are her most precious gems.

I grew up and became a jewelry designer and artist with complete love for the art, history and stories that diamonds carry. During my career, I have the privilege to hold some of the most coveted and historic diamonds. But not the elusive Koh-i-Noor. For as long as I can remember, I knew, I had to paint the Koh-i-Noor - a lifelong goal, it was destined to be.

It’s 2023, and I have finally completed my Koh-i-Noor painting. What you are looking at is perhaps the closest, detailed view and interpretation of Koh-i-Noor diamond in an artwork in history. Every brushstroke has been infused with my commitment to portray its essence truly. The opportunity to convey the story behind this diamond has meant a great deal to me.

*The Koh-i-Noor Diamond painting on canvas by Reena Ahluwalia. Size: 36 x 36 inches. Images: ©Reena Ahluwalia.*

The Koh-i-Noor diamond the epitome of fame, controversy, and allure, has captivated hearts of billions for centuries.

The Koh-i-Noor is a diamond of monumental stature. Today, the Koh-i-Noor remains one of the most coveted and enigmatic jewels in the world. A story so deep that it began billions of years ago as the diamond formed beneath earth and continues to this date, spanning 750 years of human history. A widely traveled gem, it has passed through the hands of the Mughals emperors, Persian Shahs, emirs of Afghanistan and Maharajas of Punjab. The stone later ended up in the British Crown Jewels in 1849. Image: Complied by Reena Ahluwalia, Koh-i-Noor Diamond painting by Reena Ahluwalia.

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond, meaning "Mountain of Light" in Persian, is a legendary diamond of Indian origin. The diamond has been a subject of desire, intrigue and conquests for centuries. A widely traveled gem, it has passed through the hands of the Mughals emperors, Persian Shahs, emirs of Afghanistan and Maharajas of Punjab. The stone later ended up in the British Crown Jewels in 1849, when a ten-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh was persuaded to hand over the Koh-i-Noor to Queen Victoria when the Punjab Region of India was annexed. Since then, Koh-i-Noor has remained in the British Crown Jewels, becoming a symbol that many attach to the humiliation and pain of colonial past, conquests and the British Raj.

FULL history of The Koh-i-Noor diamond

THE KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND STATS
Rough Carat Weight: 793 carats
Polished Carat Weight: 105.6 carats
Color: D (colourless), Type IIa
Cut: Polished, Oval brilliant
Country of origin: India
Origin: Alluvial. Southern India. The Koh-i-Noor was unearthed from a dry river bed, probably in south India.

At 793-carats, Koh-i-Noor is the thirteenth largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered.

TOP TEN LARGEST DIAMOND EVER DISCOVERED

Did you know? The Koh-i-Noor is an extraordinary Type IIA, “superdeep” diamond. The superdeep diamonds originate below the continental mantle keel, from a depth between 360 and 750 km. They reveal our planet's most closely guarded secrets

Learn WHY TYPE IIA DIAMOND ARE COVETED

This is by far the clearest image of the Koh-i-Noor diamond thus far (June 2023, when this blog was written). Image credit: Kenneth Scarratt. Courtesy: The Gemmologists, the Crown Jewels. Kenneth Scarratt graciously shared this image with me while I was researching Koh-i-Noor for my painting.

*Historic illustrations of the Koh-i-Noor diamond. While painting the Koh-i-Noor, these illustrations became my starting point.* ***As you can see, the original polished Koh-i-Noor diamond is not perfectly symmetrical. I used my artistic judgement to make it symmetrical, and improved the light-return of facets in my painting.*** *Image: The Koh-i-Noor was repolished by Coster Diamonds in 1852.*

THE MAKING OF THE KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND PAINTING

Why paint the Koh-i-Noor diamond? It's been my lifelong dream to interpret this elusive gem, and bring it to life. Over its billions of years of history, the Koh-i-Noor has never been painted faithfully. Until now!

Very few historic illustrations of Koh-i-Noor exist - that means my interpretation is imagination combined with my diamond knowledge, and how light chould reflect on facets considering its geometry. Diamond geometry plays a huge part in how the diamond facets reflect light. It's super nuanced - a bit of art, science and math. As I painted the Koh-i-Noor, I had to constantly negotiate these factors and use my best judgement. More importantly, to capture it's true essence, symbolic stature and power.

The Koh-i-Noor is more than a gem, it's a powerful concept deeply ingrained in the identities of millions.