Family Jewels: How Much Does DNA Dictate Success?

By Amy Elliott | September 09, 2026

You won’t find the answer to this question in the recently published book Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems (ACC Art Books, 2026), but authors Beth Bernstein and Sonia Esther Soltani do invite you to draw your own conclusions through their intimate and informative portraits of nearly two dozen brands and designers.

From Jade Trau to Niveet Nagpal, many of the brand profiles illustrate how familial relationships are the cornerstone of the jewelry and gemstone trade. As the prominent New York City–based jewelry designer Renato Cipullo writes in the Jewelry Creators foreword, “Family is important for most people, but when family and work are woven together, that importance takes on a new dimension; it becomes the fabric of legacy.”

renato image — *Renato (r.) and Serena Cipullo are a father-daughter team.*

Cipullo would likely agree that genetics play an important role in brand success, having worked alongside his brother Aldo Cipullo in the 1970s. Today, his youngest daughter, Serena, serves as his business partner: “We understand each other’s visions,” he writes. “It’s one of the most rewarding partnerships of life—teaching, learning, and growing in this craft alongside my daughter.”

JadeTrauportrait — Jade Trau is a fifth-generation founder and designer whose family’s history in the diamond trade dates from the late 1800s with her grandfather’s father, Chaim Trau. Her grandfather had an office on 47th Street that she would visit frequently, where she would play with diamonds. Trau founded her own brand in 2012. “The goal is not to fill someone else’s shoes but instead to stand firmly in your own,” she says in the book.

Omiportrait — Niveet Nagpal (c., with his parents) is the sixth-generation president of Omi Gems and Omi Privé. “I remember going to the Tucson gem show when I was 6 years old. That was my first exposure to the gemstone industry, besides what I saw in my parents’ office,” he says in the book. “The world has evolved with technology. Yet the relationships we build are still vital—business done with a handshake—and the passion for what we do is the same as it has always been.”

Some of the jewelry industry’s most famous brands have been family-centered, and -led, for hundreds of years. “Sonia and I were inspired by these remarkable histories,” Bernstein tells JCK. “Their success has often been rooted in generational continuity and creative partnerships. Louis-François Cartier founded the legendary maison, which was later led by his son Alfred Cartier in 1874. Alfred’s three sons—Louis, Pierre, and Jacques—were instrumental in establishing Cartier’s global prominence.

“On this side of the Atlantic, Tiffany & Co. began with the vision of Charles Lewis Tiffany, which was carried forward by his son Louis Comfort Tiffany,” she adds. “And of course the family bonds of houses such as Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Buccellati, whose trailblazing influences continue today.”

A perusal of those highlighted in the book reveals two scenarios: A well-established family business elevates a younger family member, allowing the company to innovate through the influence of a younger voice. Or a descendant strikes out on their own and, based on what they learned from previous generations through exposure or hands-on experience, builds a new brand from the ground up.

SelimMouzannarPortrait — Designer Selim Mouzannar says in the book that he would spend school vacations at his father’s shop and workshop in the jewelry souk of Beirut. He initially resisted the idea of joining the family business because he had dreams of becoming a journalist. “However, my family’s heritage in the jewelry trade ultimately drew me back and I found my passion in the world of design and craftsmanship,” he adds. “My aim is to inject more joy and contemporary elements into the designs, all while honoring the craftsmanship and techniques passed down through the generations.”

SethiCoutureportrait — Sisters Prerna Sethi and Pratima Sethi founded Sethi Couture in 2009. Their parents had built a thriving diamond and gemstone business and the women grew up “hearing stories about vintage-cut diamonds,” Prerna says in the book. “My sister and I would dream in whispered conversations about one day creating jewelry that exudes the same timeless enchantment.” While they initially pursued careers in the corporate world, “our hearts led us back to those same vintage-cut and natural-color diamonds that had captured our imagination as children.”

As a group of talents, says Bernstein, “they bring a sense of legacy, of commitment, and of carrying on what they all have said they have learned in this industry: trust, loyalty and a business built on relationships. Jewelry really does carry more meaning when it’s attached to these attributes.

“And even though they might be similar in the fact that jewelry is in their genes, each brings an understanding of what their generation wants, a unique perspective, a voice to the industry at large, and a great story to tell.”

To learn more about the book, Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City is hosting a book signing and panel discussion on Thursday, Sept. 14. Bernstein will be joined on stage by some of the featured brands in Jewelry Creators, including Corina Madilian of Single Stone, Martin and Mark Klein of Julius Klein, Kim and Nicole Carosella of Sorellina, Jade Trau, and Monica Rich Kosann.

Top: “When personal bonds meet creative purpose, something extraordinary happens,” Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems coauthor Sonia Esther Soltani says in the press release. “These pages are filled with the joy of building on a family story, and of shaping tomorrow’s heirlooms.” (All photos courtesy of ACC Art Books)

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