Leena Al Ayoobi, one of Bahrain's foremost artists and designers, and My Gold Souq, a Bahrain-based jewelry startup, have collaborated to create the world's first collection of Bahraini pearl jewelry that will be sold as NFTs. The technical aspects of the project were managed by Web 3.0 firm Rudder Consultancy.

The collection, named Sardana, is inspired by ancient Dilmun folk tales of men going out to sea to hunt for treasure. The pieces incorporate 18k gold and natural Bahraini saltwater pearls certified by the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones, Danat.

In addition to the jewelry, buyers also receive one of Leena's artworks as an NFT. Every element has been hand drawn by the artist and feature her signature style of celebrating strong feminine figures.

Chairman of the National Arts Council Sheikh Rashid Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said, "Bahrain has always been at the forefront of innovation, and I congratulate everyone involved in this project, which represents another important 'first' for the region. The secure authentication of the pearls, supported by the blockchain, demonstrates how technology can be used to modernise a centuries-old industry and puts Bahraini pearls on a global stage for a worldwide market."

Al Ayoobi said, "My aim with this collection is to celebrate our heritage while incorporating futuristic technologies. It is a perfect demonstration or proof of concept of integrating NFTs into our daily lives."

My Gold Souq founder Amy Vaya added, "Bahraini pearls have been prized the world over for their unique lustre and beauty, which is why we placed them at the heart of this collection. My Gold Souq aims to make fine jewelry more accessible to a wider audience through affordable and wearable designs, and we are very proud to collaborate with Leena on this collection."

CEO of Rudder Consultancy Abdulrahman Almokla said, "This project is unlike any other we have ever worked on before in our experience with Web 3.0. It demonstrates how NFTs can be attached to actual utilities, in this case, the gold pieces, which merges digital and physical ownership, and illustrates one of the many use cases of this technology."

The limited-edition collection features three tiers: Rare NFT 'Lulia', Super Rare NFT 'Khailan', and Legendary NFT 'Sabah El Khair'. The NFTs can be purchased using cryptocurrency or credit card via the project's website sardana.io or mygoldsouq.com.