Harry Winston, a brand known for fine jewellery and high-end watchmaking, honours the legacy of its founder in its Premier Collection, which has brought to life his desire to push aesthetic boundaries.

Mr Winston’s tradition of excellence in creativity and design is remembered in these artistic creations, says the House of Harry Winston.

Premier Shinde Automatic 36mm: Three models of the Premier Collection are inspired by archival records of jewellery creations by Ambaji V Shinde. Harry Winston met Shinde - whom he used to call the gem behind the gems – in 1955 during a trip to Mumbai (Bombay), and immediately recognised the similarities in their passion for creativity and design. Shinde became the iconic designer of the House, infusing Harry Winston treasures with his extraordinarily inventive touch.

The three Premier Shinde models reinterpret two of his necklace designs – including the famous “Star of the Desert” – and a tiara, all masterpieces and an important part of the history of the House.

The essence of the original jewellery creations is captured and portrayed on the dial of each of these timepieces, all featuring a 36 mm case. The symbolic motif is created using a special gold engraving technique. The dial is entirely relief-engraved. A slender 24-carat thread is used, daintily resembling a cannetille – a small filigree-type element composed of spirally twisted gold thread. Measuring a mere four-tenths of a millimeter, its capabilities and resulting design are truly extraordinary, it says.

The dials of the Premier Shinde models are made of Grand Feu enamel, a supremely demanding material. The enamel is fired at temperatures between 800 and 900 deg C, a temperature so extreme that it can jeopardise the work done up until that point. The studied firing operation reveals the beauty and depth of the colours. Harry Winston chose to pair Grand Feu enamel with a touch of gold, creating a multi-layered effect.

The eye immediately recognises the jewellery motif and marquise-cut stones – from one to eight – depending on the model. Driven by a mechanical automatic movement, the timepiece is equipped with a silicon balance-spring.

More than just a jewellery model, at its heart, the Premier Shinde tells the treasured story of the brand, says the House of Harry Winston.