From an early age, Ambaji Shinde became interested in drawing, depicting the architecture and some of the religious attrib utes of the service of the local Hindu temple.
Ambaji Shinde came to Mumbai in 1934 to study at the local art school as a textile artist.
In a conversation with Dona Dearlam of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), he said that the formal study of textile design greatly influenced his subsequent work.
In 1937, his father died, and Ambaji was forced to look for work. He began to create designs for decorative silverware, and jewelry designs for a small company.
In 1941, he was hired by the jeweler Nanubhai Jhaveri, in his company Ambaji worked for almost 20 years creating traditional Indian jewelry for the Maharajas. The criteria for design changed when the Maharajas began to travel abroad and wanted to purchase Western-style jewelry.
Harry Winston met Ambaji in 1955 and admired his work, and in 1962 invited him to join his company. They soon developed a unique style of jewelry in which the gemstones were actually freed from heavy metal fixtures and the pieces turned into light, graceful works of art.
After four decades in New York City, Shinde retired in December 2001 but continued to paint at home.
He donated a number of his sketches to the GIA for permanent display. Passed away in 2003.
Thousands of his projects remain in the archives of the Harry Winston jewelry company and give a creative spark to the craftsmen to light new stars in the jewelry sky.
