The jeweller Lily Gabriella is sitting in the calm of her debut showroom in London’s Burlington Arcade. Large windows overlook Piccadilly, illuminating the apartment-like space. ‘It’s very bright and I wanted to encapsulate that with an ethereal, whimsical feel,’ Lily says. ‘Everything is hand-painted and colourful, like the jewellery.’ The walls have the effect of pink lapis lazuli, sprinkled with 24ct gold dust that makes them shimmer, adding to the dreamy atmosphere.

It’s a romantic spot in which to browse Lily’s jewellery, featuring designs that are both sculptural and bold. Born in Brazil and raised in Monaco, she studied fine art at university in Boston, and completed a GIA qualification in New York. She also worked for Christie’s in Geneva, where she learned to appraise jewellery.

Her inspiration comes from many sources. ‘I was fortunate to grow up around artists and architects,’ she says, and is a fan of Art Deco style and sculpture. Her biggest inspiration, however, was her grandmother, who was a significant collector of important jewellery. ‘She allowed me to “play” with her jewels – I could touch them and became curious about the materials used to create these precious pieces.’ Eight years ago, Lily showed jeweller friends some initial designs she had sketched and was urged to start her own brand.

Starting with a series of collections, she now focuses on one-off pieces. ‘These push you to go further with your imagination,’ she smiles. ‘I love creating pieces that are out of the ordinary.’

All the jewellery is handmade in Hatton Garden (bar the titanium pieces, made in Switzerland, and the marble rings, made in Italy). ‘I play with volume in all my jewellery, which is difficult to create,’ she says. ‘The craftsmen really rise to the challenge and we work together closely.’ She appreciates that there is a different craftsman for each step of the process. ‘It makes it so much more precise. It’s like working with an orchestra and they’re all great at what they each do.’

Take the innovative titanium earrings with a gradient in the colour, studded with similarly hued tiny gemstones. ‘Usually, titanium is one colour but in this case I tried to create a gradient in the colour and it’s a complicated technique to figure out how to achieve the ombre.’

There’s a beautiful ring in marble – ‘I love the incongruity between the marble and precious metal. The marble is a very thin layer and it’s challenging to create a tiny sculpture to wear.’ She plays with light and shadow and different finishes, and with movement. ‘But it all has to be a bit whimsical,’ she adds.

Bespoke commissions and getting to know clients – learning about other people’s experiences and working together to create something special– is what she’s now enjoying. ‘I can source whatever they’d like. I always try to add something, make it unique, an extension of the client’s character.’

This accomplished jeweller’s curiosity and imagination makes her work dynamic, impactful, fanciful, but always wearable. Lily loves a challenge and creates beautiful results.

Lily Gabriella, The Penthouse, 73 Burlington Arcade W1J 0QR; lilygabriella.com