After collaborating with Sotheby’s Diamonds, the London-based designer plans to continue creating one-of-a-kind pieces.
Lily Gabriella had a private bespoke fine-jewelry business in London until she was thrust into the world of high jewelry.
This happened when Patti Wong, founder and chairman of Sotheby’s Diamonds, the international auction house’s 15-year-old retail venture, saw some of Gabriella’s drawings. In mid-2018, Wong asked the young designer to create a capsule collection of jewels with yellow diamonds supplied by Sotheby’s Diamonds. The result, released early last year, is nine one-of-a-kind jewels inspired by art and architecture.
The pieces feature yellow diamonds paired with colorless diamonds, pink sapphires, black enamel and other colorful gems. They are classic high jewels with some subtle surprises. For one ring, she chose a radiant-cut, 6.78-carat, fancy-intense-pink diamond surrounded by pavé-set, light-green grossular garnet. Earrings inspired by India’s Holi festival are a colorful, celebratory mix of yellow diamonds, pink sapphires, white diamonds and enamel set on twisted 18-karat rose gold.
This traditional approach with unexpected, whimsical flourishes is the foundation for the creations of the 33-year-old designer.
“There’s this conflict within me, one side classical, the other grungy and modern. I kind of combine both,” Gabriella says. “My upbringing was quite traditional and at one point I wanted to be rebellious. There’s a tension within me, and this reflects my jewelry. It’s kind of all over the place. I tried to create miniature sculptures that are wearable, colorful and have this three-dimensionality to them. Some of it is romantic, some of it is modern.”
High-end toys
Gabriella’s upbringing was quite influential. Raised in Brazil and Monaco, her grandmother was Lily Safra, the Brazilian-Monegasque billionaire philanthropist who famously raised $38 million by selling 70 pieces of her personal jewelry collection at Christie’s, including 18 pieces by JAR. She donated the entire profits to 32 charitable institutions around the world. It’s not every child who played with artistic high jewels by JAR, Cartier and Belperron.
“I was very fortunate that I grew up in a family that collects art and jewelry. I’ve always been quite creative and so it’s always been quite natural to be involved with jewelry,” Gabriella says. “My mother and grandmother have been an influence. As a kid I just played with their jewels. The good thing about both of them is they never put any barriers on me. They allowed me to explore and discover things for myself. That goes for my brothers as well. They let us be curious, which was great.”
No limits
Gabriella studied fine arts at Brandeis University and received her Graduate Gemologist diploma at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in New York. She worked at Christie’s for nearly two years before starting her business, Lily Gabriella Fine Jewellery, six years ago. Her influences are varied, combining contemporary artists, architects and jewelers with artists and craftspeople from the Art Deco era. Some of the names may seem unsurprising, considering her “toys” as a child. They include JAR, Viren Bhagat, Suzanne Belperron, James de Givenchy and contemporary artist Anish Kapoor.
“I like pieces that push boundaries,” she says.
Gabriella has shown she isn’t afraid to push boundaries as well. She has created pieces using a variety of materials such as Italian marble, wood, enamel and less expensive gemstones. She also inserts her personality into her creations.
“It’s nice to be able to introduce other colors,” she says. “There are so many beautiful colors out there and so much you can play with to enhance those [precious gems]. I just enjoy surprising people.”
Gabriella is currently looking for a retail space in London as an extension of her bespoke work.
“A lot of people are asking for it,” she says. “I just want to have this one space. I want to remain quite small. It used to be back in the day when you had your own private jeweler. You know who you’re designing for and it’s great to create things for people who come to me. The jewels speak to them.”
Main image: Lily Gabriella wearing her one-of-a-kind Damali gold earrings with 5.40 carats of cognac diamonds, orange sapphires and blue topaz.
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