The story behind Rihanna’s charm bracelet by Annoushka

By Kim Parker

This week, whilst out walking in LA, Rihanna revealed the latest addition to her enviable jewellery box – a gold charm bracelet by the London jeweller Annoushka Ducas. The singer has been serving up some seriously amazing looks since she and partner A$AP Rocky announced they were expecting back in January. And that includes jewellery – Rihanna has showcased some incredible vintage-style pieces, belly-grazing chains, layered gold jewellery and glittering fringed earrings alongside her growing bump over the past few months.

The glittering charm bracelet, Annoushka Ducas reveals, was a bespoke piece purchased by A$AP Rocky for Rihanna in London, earlier this month. “[He] was very keen to know the meanings behind each charm and chose them based on these,” she says of the 10 sparkling charms crafted in 18ct yellow gold and gemstones. “All of the charms chosen represent something very imbued with love and happiness and seem significant for the new chapter they are heading into together.”

Alongside a lucky gold and malachite clover, Rocky also chose a miniature sapphire bluebird charm “for happiness”, ruby and sapphire magic mushroom charm “for energy”, and a tiny book charm, to represent “new chapters”, the jeweller said. Eagle-eyed jewellery buffs will also spot a carved malachite tulip, which represents new life, an evil eye charm to ward off bad luck, a diamond-embellished compass representing new directions, and a minute golden love letter engraved with SWALK, for ‘sealed with a loving kiss’.

Finally, the rapper chose a gold and sapphire mermaid charm, perched on a white pearl, to represent fertility, an emerald locket, which is the birthstone for May and a wild rose encrusted with rubies, which stands for beauty.

“Charms are the ultimate way of telling a story through your jewellery. They can be collected and cherished through life and then passed on to the next generation,” notes Ducas. “I love that these 10 charms were chosen for personal reasons and gifted to Rhianna, on the cusp of her becoming a mother – I hope they will become special family heirlooms for her children.”

Launched in 2020 to celebrate 10 years of her jewellery business, Ducas’ custom ‘My Life in Charms’ bracelets became so popular during the Pandemic, they spawned a spin-off podcast, ‘My Life in Seven Charms.’ Formatted like the BBC’s popular Desert Island Discs show, Ducas invited inspiring guests including the athlete Denise Lewis, author Jung Chang, the singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor and fashion icon Joan Burstein, the founder of Browns, to reveal the seven charms that would make up the story of their lives.

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