A shy teenager growing up in Long Island, Penny Preville knew the typical retail or waitressing job wasn’t for her. She was a lover of nature with an artist’s soul and believed whole-heartedly in self-expression. She was taught this lesson early on from her grandmothers. On her father’s side, there was the “Park Avenue” type, always stylish and on trend, while her maternal grandmother was an artist with an eclectic and free spirit. Between the two of them, they instilled a love for jewelry that speaks to and from the heart of the person that wears it. Out of their combined influence was born what has become Penny Preville’s trademark style: jewelry that is the perfect blend of elegance and naturistic essence.  

Growing up in Long Island, Preville recalls being surrounded by nature all the time: whether they were riding bikes, playing on the beach, or horseback riding. Her love of the outdoors began early, and this is where she drew much of her inspiration, even to this day. Stars, moons, flowers, feathers, and garlands are some of the distinguishing features in her designs. She also finds inspiration in vintage jewelry with their splashes of colorful gems and pearls and adds them to her own. Although her jewelry recalls a time of yesteryear, her designs also possess the clean geometric lines that define modern times. Above all else, the heart of her collection is the diamond, or what she lovingly refers to as “the fairy tale stone”.  

Preville’s attention to detail comes through in each handcrafted piece. She only uses the finest materials and manufactures exclusively in 18K green, rose, white gold, and platinum. With each piece, Preville says she desires to speak to the wearer’s personal sense of style, their independence, and celebration of their femininity. Preville seeks to create jewelry that women connect to in a meaningful way. One of her first “celebrity” customers was Jackie Kennedy. It didn’t take long for others to follow in the former First Lady’s’ footsteps. Other big-name wearers include Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicole Kidman. Because Preville is committed to procuring all her gemstones, diamonds, and metals through socially and environmentally responsible means, it isn’t hard to see why her collections are showing up everywhere.   

Preville has won numerous accolades for her work, including the WJA Award for Excellence in Design, but her most important honor happened in 2009, when her son was proposing, and she designed the engagement ring. This launched her foray into bridal jewelry and has now become one of her biggest sellers. It clearly shines through each piece that Preville’s intention is to make jewelry that brings her clients joy. “Jewelry is my self-expression”, Preville says. It’s been almost forty-five years since she began selling her signature modern vintage pieces, but there is no sign of her slowing down. Preville says her goal has always been to design jewelry that felt romantic but fit into a modern woman’s lifestyle. Impossible to not see that this has been done, her heirloom-like pieces are those that women will put on and never want to take off. 

Visit one of our Schwarzschild Jewelers locations in Charlottesville, Midlothian or Richmond to explore our wide selection of jewelry!