He was the teacher of illustrious Cremonese School luthiers such as Andrea Guarneri and Giovanni Battista Rogeri.

Beginning in 1630, he gradually began to show signs of originality, which by 1640 were expressed in what is now known as the "Grand Amati Pattern".

[3] Well curved, long-cornered, and strongly and cleanly purfled, these instruments represent perhaps the height of elegance in violin making, and were characterized by mathematically derived outlines and transparent amber-colored varnish.

[9] The Grand Amati style was the inspiration for other Cremonese makers such as Vincenzo Rugeri and early violins by Antonio Stradivari.

After the 1629-1631 Italian plague virtually wiped out all the luthiers of Cremona and Brescia, Nicola singlehandedly continued the local tradition of violin making.

[11] The lack of census records showing the Rugeri name may be explained by the possibility of Francesco not being an indoor apprentice, but one who lived and boarded at his own home while apprenticing.

[12] Francesco occasionally inserted his labels in his instruments stating he was a pupil of Nicola Amati.

For example, there exists a violin labelled "Francescus Rugerius Alumnus Nicolai Amati fecit Cremonæ 1663".

Some researchers believe early instruments by Stradivari bear a stronger resemblance to Francesco Rugeri's work than Amati's.

This pin or hole was fundamental in the graduation of the thickness of the plates and was obviously a technique passed on through generations of pupils of the Amati.