Interviews with Harsha Ambady

It just struck me one day in school that I should take up Jewelry design. And well, after a long journey, here I'm.

I chose to become one.

I like to design styles that are modern and geometric. I wish to design more along those lines.

I'm not a legend! As you create more, you learn more. That is all.

I guess it is just the timing and your stars.

Aesthetic and originality combined with functionality.

The effort that goes behind it and each process that brings it to life. I think everyone should invest in good design because of it's authenticity.

Designs for my brand

I did begin my dream project last year, my brand. It took me years to finally take the plunge.

Originality, ethics, understanding and focus

Mejuri
Missoma
Monica Vinader
Love the aesthetic and simplicity

You have to be open to learning and working hard

To build my brand

CorelDraw

It is hard to be recognized, especially coming from a small town in Kerala, India

Not at all. I never really did anything out of the way creative.

Founded in the cultural tapestry of Kerala in 2023 by Architect turned Jewelry Designer Harsha Ambady, the brand portrays her passion for Geometry, Architecture, and Sculpture, conveyed through modern, sophisticated and contemporary design. The designs are inspired by the deep understanding of architectural principles like geometry, symmetry, form and light which are translated into wearable art. Having collaborated with international brands, Harsha's creations resonate with the global audience. The brand's ethos lies in seamlessly blending tradition with modernity, crafting timeless jewelry that tells a story of cultural richness and contemporary simplicity- much like its audience.

Design for me is as cliche as it sounds, love. It's something that I enjoy doing.

I love geometry and enjoy working on that direction the most.

One of my favorite designs is the bridge hoop I designed for my brand. It is a simple design where the metal bars hold the cylinder shaped stone giving a miniature effect of a bridge.

The very first design I created for a company is the Spatial Structural ring for which I received the Silver A' Design Award Winner for Jewelry Design Category in 2017

Love brass as there is not restriction in terms of costing. I feel i can play around a lot with this metal.

I feel most creative in solitude with some great music.

The originality of the design, the proportion and the aesthetic

It's a calming process overall. I also notice that great ideas just suddenly burst into my head when I'm clam while designing.

It makes my heart full to see my designs manifest into actual products and even fuller to see them being worn and enjoyed by people.

A design is successful when it meets functionality. These days it is also important to note that however great the design is, only if it finds the right audience does it get the deserved appreciation.

I don't think I'm an expert to judge a design. I do have personal likes and dislikes but that doesn't mean that the design I do not prefer is bad or vice versa. In a general perspective, the design should serve the purpose.

The last exhibition was at a store in Singapore. I haven't decided or planned the next exhibition.

My design aesthetic is modern, minimal, and clean. I don’t intend to create pieces that mimic architecture but rather infuse my work with details from art, architecture, and culture — and translate it into modern forms.

I was born and raised in Thrissur (Kerala), a land known for it's historic temple architecture and rich cultural heritage. The cultural heritage might affect one's designs as there could be a lot of influence sub consciously. As my style is more modern and clean I have always felt that it would have been great if I had the opportunity to move and work outside of India.

I work on project basis with companies.

It is all about finding the right person that understands the brand. I feel it is a trial and error process to find that right person.

Originality

I can be contacted at harsha.ambady88@gmail.com

The inspiration for the Spatial Structural Ring came from exploring the relationship between human-made precision and the organic unpredictability of nature. I have always been fascinated by how architecture imposes order through structure, while natural materials possess unique forms that cannot be replicated. I wanted to create a piece where these two qualities coexist rather than compete.The geometric metal framework serves as a structural enclosure that defines space without concealing the druzy stone. Instead of forcing the stone into a symmetrical setting, I designed the framework to accommodate its irregular shape, allowing its natural crystalline texture and color to remain the visual centerpiece. The open construction also allows light to reach the stone from multiple angles, enhancing its sparkle and emphasizing its raw beauty.

The Spatial Structural Ring reflects my personal transition from architecture to jewelry design by carrying the same design philosophy across two very different scales. Architecture taught me to think about structure, space, and how geometry can create both strength and beauty. When I began designing jewelry, I realized these principles could be translated into wearable objects that people experience in a much more personal way.The ring embodies my desire to challenge the traditional boundaries of jewelry design. Instead of treating the gemstone as something to be fully cut, polished, and enclosed, I chose to celebrate its natural, raw character within an architectural framework. The geometric structure is not merely decorative—it defines space, protects the stone, and creates a visual dialogue between precision and organic form. This approach moves away from conventional jewelry aesthetics and presents the piece as a small architectural sculpture that can be worn.On a personal level, the design represents the courage to embrace change and to find opportunities where different disciplines intersect. My journey from architecture to jewelry was not about leaving one profession behind, but about discovering a new medium through which architectural thinking could be expressed.

The development of the open framework began with a simple question: how could the setting become an integral part of the design rather than merely a means of holding the stone? Instead of concealing the druzy within a conventional bezel, I wanted the structure itself to define and celebrate the space around the stone, much like an architectural framework defines and shapes a building.My creative process started with studying geometric structures and three-dimensional frameworks that achieve strength through interconnected lines rather than solid mass. I explored a series of sketches and prototypes, refining the proportions until the framework felt both structurally balanced and visually light. Every line was carefully considered to contribute to the overall composition while ensuring the stone remained secure and comfortable to wear.

As one of my earliest jewelry designs, the Spatial Structural Ring presented a unique challenge: translating architectural thinking into an object that is measured in centimeters rather than meters. In architecture, structural elements can be substantial and visible, but in jewelry every fraction of a millimeter affects aesthetics, comfort, durability, and wearability. Learning to work within these constraints required me to rethink scale while preserving the essence of my design philosophy.One of the greatest technical challenges was creating an open geometric framework that appeared light and delicate while remaining strong enough to securely support the druzy stone. The structure needed to withstand everyday wear without compromising the clean, architectural lines that defined the concept. This involved multiple iterations to refine the proportions, the thickness of the metal members, and the connection points so that the ring achieved both structural integrity and visual balance.Another challenge was working with raw druzy stones, each of which has a unique shape, texture, and crystal formation. Unlike calibrated gemstones, no two pieces are identical. Rather than treating this as a limitation, I adapted the design process so the framework could respond to the individuality of each stone. This approach transformed the natural variations into an essential part of the design, making every ring unique while maintaining the overall architectural identity.

Designing a ring that spans two fingers required balancing sculptural expression with the realities of how the hand naturally moves. While I wanted the piece to make a bold architectural statement, I also understood that it needed to feel intuitive and comfortable enough to be worn rather than simply displayed.My approach began by studying the relationship between the ring and the anatomy of the hand. The geometric framework was carefully proportioned to follow the natural spacing between the fingers, allowing the ring to move harmoniously with the hand instead of restricting it. The open structure was particularly important, as it reduced the visual and physical weight of the piece while creating flexibility through negative space.I also paid close attention to the distribution of weight. Although the ring has a substantial visual presence, the open framework minimizes the amount of metal, making it significantly lighter than a solid form of the same size. The contact points with the fingers were designed to provide stability while avoiding unnecessary pressure, and the interior surfaces were refined to ensure a smooth, comfortable fit against the skin.From an architectural perspective, this mirrors the idea of achieving maximum structural performance with minimal material. Every geometric element serves both an aesthetic and a functional purpose, contributing to the strength of the framework while maintaining a sense of lightness and transparency.

The material selection was guided by the concept of creating a dialogue between precision and nature. I wanted every material to reinforce the narrative of the design, where an architectural framework interacts with the raw beauty of a natural mineral. Rather than viewing the metal and the stone as separate elements, I approached them as complementary components that each contribute to the overall story.I selected druzy because of its untouched crystalline surface and the individuality of each specimen. Unlike traditionally cut gemstones, druzy retains the irregular textures and formations created by natural geological processes, making every ring unique. This authenticity was essential to the concept, as I wanted the stone to express nature's spontaneity rather than human perfection.

Achieving a balance between boldness and delicacy was one of the central goals of the Spatial Structural Ring. I wanted the piece to make a strong visual statement through its scale and geometric composition, while maintaining a sense of refinement that would invite closer observation. This duality reflects my architectural approach, where structural elements can be both powerful and elegant.The boldness comes from the ring's two-finger form and its distinctive geometric framework, which immediately captures attention. Rather than relying on mass or ornamentation, the design creates presence through its architectural silhouette and three-dimensional structure. At the same time, the slender metal members and carefully proportioned open spaces give the piece a feeling of lightness, preventing it from appearing heavy or overwhelming.

Looking back at the Spatial Structural Ring, I see it as a foundational piece that defined the core principles of my design philosophy moving forward. At the time, I was still actively translating architectural thinking into jewelry form, and this project became the first clear articulation of how structure, space, and material could coexist at a wearable scale.One of the most important influences it had on my subsequent work is the emphasis on exposed structure as a defining aesthetic rather than a hidden necessity. In traditional jewelry, the structure often disappears behind ornamentation. This piece encouraged me to reverse that relationship and treat the framework itself as the primary visual language. Since then, I have continued to explore designs where geometry, balance, and spatial composition are not just supporting elements but the essence of the object.

I believe the fusion of architecture and jewelry design will continue to expand the boundaries of what we traditionally define as adornment. The Spatial Structural Ring was an early exploration of this intersection, but it also revealed how much potential exists when we begin to treat jewelry as spatial, structural, and experiential design rather than purely decorative craft.In the future, I see contemporary jewelry moving further toward a language of constructed space—where pieces are conceived more like small-scale architectural systems than isolated objects. This means greater emphasis on structure, modularity, negative space, and how the piece interacts with the body in motion. Jewelry will increasingly be understood not just in terms of material or ornament, but in terms of how it frames, occupies, and transforms space around the wearer.

Architectural jewelry need not be everyone's cup of tea. But I do feel this niche has great potential. It simply shows that design in universal. My architectural background fundamentally changed the way I approach jewelry because I don't begin with decoration—I begin with structure. In architecture, every line, connection, and proportion has a purpose. You're constantly thinking about how forces move through a system, how components relate to one another, and how form emerges from underlying logic. When I designed the Forme Truss Hoops, I brought that same mindset into a much smaller scale.What interested me was the possibility of translating architectural principles rather than simply architectural imagery. The goal wasn't to make earrings that looked like miniature buildings, but a simpler version that brings in balance between strength and lightness, complexity and clarity.

The Forme Truss Hoops seem to participate in a larger shift in contemporary jewelry: moving beyond the traditional sources of inspiration—nature, preciousness, and historical ornament—and drawing from the visual language of infrastructure, engineering, and the built environment. That shift is culturally significant because it reframes adornment not as something separate from the systems that shape modern life, but as something that can actively engage with them.Industrial design and jewelry have historically occupied different cultural spaces. Industrial design is often associated with function, efficiency, structural logic, and mass production, while jewelry is associated with symbolism, intimacy, identity, and emotion. A design such as the Forme Truss Hoops creates an interesting bridge between those worlds.

The balance between boldness and restraint was one of the central ambitions of the Forme Truss Hoops from the very beginning. The truss-inspired geometry naturally lends itself to this tension. Structurally, a truss is highly expressive. At the same time, it is fundamentally an exercise in efficiency. That combination allowed the Forme Truss Hoops to feel distinctive without becoming overwhelming. I also believe the design reflects changing attitudes toward luxury and self-expression. Today's collectors often seek versatility. They want pieces that can move between different contexts and become part of everyday life rather than being reserved for special occasions. A design that is too understated risks disappearing, while one that is too assertive can become limiting. The challenge is to create something memorable that remains wearable, and I think the balance between boldness and restraint allows the Forme Truss Hoops to occupy that space.

One of the most significant challenges in developing the Forme Truss Hoops was reconciling two seemingly contradictory objectives: preserving the visual lightness and openness of a truss structure while ensuring the piece possessed the durability required for everyday wear. In architecture, a truss derives its strength from the relationship between its members and the distribution of forces across the entire framework. Translating that principle into jewelry required a very different scale of thinking, where fractions of a millimeter could dramatically affect both appearance and performance.

The journey of the Forme Truss Hoops from initial concept to finished piece was very much a process of translation across different mediums, scales, and ways of thinking. What began as a relatively simple idea in vector design software gradually evolved through a series of technical and material conversations, each stage revealing opportunities and constraints that were impossible to fully anticipate at the outset.

The Forme Truss Hoops marked an important moment in the evolution of the brand because they helped clarify something that had been developing across the earlier collections: a desire to explore jewelry through the lens of architecture, structure, and spatial thinking rather than through purely decorative approaches. While each collection has contributed to that direction in different ways, the Forme Truss Hoops felt like a particularly clear articulation of the design language I want to continue developing.

One aspect of the Forme Truss Hoops that I feel has not received as much attention as the architectural inspiration or the award recognition is the role of observation in the project. At its core, the piece is really about learning to see differently.

The decision to use the name Forme was very intentional because it encapsulates a belief that has increasingly guided my work: that form itself can carry meaning. In many design traditions, form is often treated as a vessel for decoration, symbolism, or material value. My interest lies in exploring the possibility that form can be the message—that proportion, structure, geometry, and spatial relationships can communicate ideas and emotions with the same depth as ornamentation.

The translation from architectural truss to jewelry was never about reproducing a structure in miniature. It was about identifying the underlying principles that give a truss its character and then determining which of those principles could survive a change in scale, material, and purpose. That distinction became very important throughout the development of the Forme Truss Hoops.