Ambaji Venkatesh Shinde (22 December 1917 – 8 April 2003) was a creative Indian jewellery designer who is often considered one of the top creative forces of the 20th century. He mainly spent his illustrious career in New York City as the chief designer of the iconic American jewellery house Harry Winston, and the works he created were the adornments of kings and queens, Hollywood legends, global superstars, and some of the most influential families of the earth. He was quite often dubbed as the “jewel behind the jewel,” Shinde had this uncommon talent of turning the precious stones into the like of fluid, artistic compositions which not only stretched the limitations of skill but also the territories of the creators’ imagination.
Shinde was born in Goa and raised in Belgaum, where his artistic instincts surfaced early. Before he became one of the world's leading jewellery designers, he was a trained textile designer and draughtsman. His early education became the later hallmark of his approach to jewellery, notably his involvement with aspects like movement, drape, and sculptural elegance. Shinde initially made his professional debut at the elite Nanubhai Jhaveri firm in Mumbai, where he fashioned jewels for Indian Maharajas, notably princely families of Baroda and Hyderabad. The grandeur, scale, and artistry of these royal commissions shaped his design vocabulary and prepared him for a much larger stage.
His life changed dramatically in 1959 when Harry Winston, already famous as the “King of Diamonds,” encountered Shinde’s sketches and immediately recognised the brilliance hidden in them. He invited Shinde to New York, where the Indian designer was quick to become the company's inventive leader. This is the period when he literally created the Harry Winston brand that most people recognize today through his endless imagination of the creations where diamonds seemed to be floating almost without metal, where gemstone arrangements resembled the fluidity of fabric, and where the artist`s skills were not the front but the servant of the art’s beauty.
The creations of Shinde reached the most influential people on the globe. Queen Elizabeth II was the owner of his diamond masterpieces and wore them at her major state occasions and official portraits. Royal families from the Middle East were among those who made the lavish sets from him and were the ones who valued most his rare equilibrium of luxury and simplicity. The most significant segment of the worldwide entertainment industry was Hollywood, and the whole-heartedness with which it embraced him spoke volumes.
Elizabeth Taylor was the wearer of some of his most iconic pieces, among which the historic Taylor-Burton diamond necklace was one, set by Shinde in a way that the sense of drama reinforced the magnitude of the stone. With many more to follow in her footsteps, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Sophia Loren, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Mira Sorvino and Marcia Gay Harden, who wore Shinde-designed jewels whilst attending the most important red carpets of their time. Oprah Winfrey was one of those who frequently selected his works for her major televised appearances, and during some of her most glamorous public events, Madonna wore his daring, architectural designs.
Among Shinde`s creations were the jewels that shaped the history of the art of the finest kind. The Taylor-Burton diamond necklace is very often referred to as one of the greatest of the twentieth century's finest settings, not only for its magnitude but also for its perfect equilibrium between the daring and the grace.
On the other hand, the Centennial Tiara is another significant event in the history of the art of the finest kind, made for Harry Winston`s 100th anniversary and was notable for the series of extraordinary fantasy-cut diamonds, technically challenging and requiring artistic vision at the same time.
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