Robert Janjigian

Today’s Pragnell, the British jewelry firm, dates from the 1950s, when George Pragnell established an eponymous business in Stratford-upon-Avon. But the firm’s roots run deep, spanning six generations over 170 years. George began his career in 1930 at Queen Mary’s private jeweler, Biggs of Maidenhead, where he attended to the Queen’s needs. As a young trainee, George was often instructed to entertain Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret while their grandmother viewed the jewelry on display.

The cover of Jorie: The Extraordinary Life of Jorie Butler Kent (Courtesy of Pointed Leaf Press) Kent’s family has a long history as successful paper producers in the early 20th century, as champions of polo in the United States, and as the founders of Butler Aviation. Her brother Michael shaped the culture as the producer of the groundbreaking musical Hair in the 1960s.

Elizabeth Gage jewelry She believes each piece of her jewelry, made in 18- and 22-karat gold almost exclusively, tells a story, often incorporating ancient coins, vibrant enamels and textured gold work, Baroque pearls, architectural and mythological elements, and large, colorful gemstones. Clients and collectors are drawn to her aesthetic, which fuses the antique and the contemporary, the natural and the man-made, in a modern and luxurious fashion.