Legendary British Jeweller Annoushka Ducas MBE Shares a Glimpse Into Her 9-5

In the world of British fine jewellery, few names are as instantly recognisable—or as quietly influential—as Annoushka Ducas MBE. Since launching her eponymous brand in 2009, the designer has built a loyal following for jewellery that feels personal, expressive and genuinely wearable. From playful charms to bold gold designs, her pieces are made for women who like their luxury to fit seamlessly into their everyday lives, winning her high-profile fans including Kate Middleton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Rihanna and Emma Watson.

Born into a family of jewellers, Ducas grew up surrounded by precious stones and craftsmanship—but her approach has always felt refreshingly modern. Her background in marketing, combined with an instinctive understanding of how women actually want to live, made her perfectly poised to create jewellery that moves easily between work, weekends and special occasions. She first co-founded cult British brand Links of London—that's credited with bringing contemporary fine jewellery to a wider audience—before forging her own path with her eponymous label. Today, her London-based business is driven by storytelling, meaningful design and a belief that jewellery should be worn, enjoyed and never kept just for best.

Here, Annoushka Ducas MBE shares what life really looks like behind the scenes of her nine-to-five—from daily routines and creative habits, to the important lessons she's learned along the way.

I can't start my morning without... A cup of hot water infused with lemon and ginger. The water has to be tepid rather than boiling, which I’ve learned is much kinder to your system first thing in the morning. And whenever I can, I follow it with my Tibetan exercises: twenty-one repetitions of five movements. I started practising them a few years ago, and they’ve become a quiet ritual that wakes everything up and keeps my body as supple as possible before the day takes off.

I’m usually in a tearing hurry in the mornings, so I tend to decide what I’m going to wear the night before. My day can vary between time in the studio and meeting clients in my bespoke space, and what I wear needs to work for both. I always think about how my jewellery will sit on an outfit, because I do a lot of stacking with necklaces and bracelets. Whatever I choose has to show that off properly. And because I often go straight from the office to meetings or dinner without time to go home, I rely on a great pair of earrings to elevate whatever I’m wearing in an instant.

My studio essentials are... Perfect light, fresh flowers, a scented candle and a beautifully curated playlist—in an ideal world, that is. But the truth is, no two days look the same. More often than not, I’m rushing between meetings with several projects on the go and a notepad that’s never quite where I left it. What I do rely on are the tactile things: trays of stones, wax models and half-formed ideas scattered across my desk. The studio comes alive when my incredible team and I are all around the table, sparking ideas off each other. So, while I love the fantasy of the perfectly styled studio, the real essentials are movement, materials, my team—and the creative chaos that keeps everything alive.

After work, I unwind by... Running a hot bath with a beautiful bath oil. My friend Cath Kidston has created a new brand called C.Atherley, and her oils are particularly wonderful. There’s nothing more soothing than a fragrant bath to mark the end of the day and ease out of work mode. After that, I often listen to Desert Island Discs—it’s actually where I found the inspiration for my own podcast. It’s the perfect way to settle my mind before bed.

I’ve always believed that jewellery is most powerful when it holds a story, so my inspiration usually begins with life itself... The places I travel, the objects I collect, the people I meet, and those small moments that unexpectedly stay with you. I’m very magpie-like and am constantly finding inspiration, often from something as simple as the curve of a leaf, a texture of a sweet or a line in a poem.

Every collection begins with a narrative and a series of sketches. We pair those hand sketches with digital modelling to explore movement, scale and structure in ways we couldn’t before. I work very closely with our workshops—many of whom I’ve collaborated with for over twenty years—to refine each piece until it feels effortless on the body. I’m obsessed with how a piece feels on the body: jewellery should be lived in, not stored away, so we refine again and again until the piece has the perfect balance of beauty, craftsmanship and ease.

After the success of Links of London, I genuinely didn’t think I’d return to jewellery... But over time, I found myself looking for something I couldn’t find: an independent place to buy fine jewellery for myself— pieces designed by a woman, with a sense of ease, playfulness and personality, rather than the traditional, rather aloof experience the industry was known for. I also felt a strong pull to work in fine materials; I was excited by the creative possibilities of gold, colour and precious stones, and by the idea of building a fine-jewellery brand that felt modern, warm, and full of joy. That became the spark for Annoushka: a desire to bring craftsmanship and creativity together in a way that felt playful, expressive and deeply personal.

The Annoushka woman is... Smart, curious and wonderfully individual. She wears jewellery to live in— pieces that carry meaning, that evolve with her, that bring joy. She’s confident in her own style, unafraid to mix high craftsmanship with playfulness, and she gravitates towards jewellery that says "this is who I am" rather than "look at me". She values quality, character, and the stories her pieces will tell over a lifetime.

The best thing about my job is... The stories behind the jewellery people choose. Jewellery marks moments and milestones in such a meaningful way, and hearing why someone is drawn to a particular piece is endlessly inspiring. Creating bespoke designs, whether it’s an engagement ring or a charm that captures something deeply personal, feels like a real privilege. You’re invited into someone’s story at a significant moment in their life, and being able to craft something that will hold that meaning for years to come is incredibly special.

The biggest pinch-me moment of my career so far... Was when the Victoria & Albert Museum requested a collection of charms I created for The Vampire’s Wife for their permanent collection. I’ve always looked to the V&A as an extraordinary source of inspiration, so knowing that those pieces will sit within such a revered institution feels like a wonderful legacy.

My proudest career achievement is... Receiving an MBE alongside my husband John for services to the jewellery industry. It was a recognition of the work we began together at Links of London all those years ago, and it meant a great deal to both of us.

The most important lesson I've learned in business is... The value of staying completely true to what you believe in. For me, that means working with real, natural materials and maintaining the integrity of traditional craftsmanship. I have always championed natural diamonds and solid 18 or 14 carat gold, and that commitment has shaped everything I create. More recently, I introduced sterling silver into the Knuckle collection so younger customers can enjoy beautifully made pieces at a more accessible price. Whatever the material, the principle is the same: authenticity matters, and people can feel it in the jewellery.

Right now, I'm working on... So many things! Our recently launched Bespoke Studio is alive with commissions, from engagement rings and push presents, to quieter milestones that matter just as much. Each commission feels like its own little universe, and it’s a privilege to help people mark their lives in gold. We’ve also just launched Knuckle in sterling silver, which has brought a whole new energy to the collection. Clients love its strength and simplicity, and seeing them make it their own is shaping how we think about the next chapter for Knuckle. So currently, it’s really about two things: deepening the personal, human side of what we do through bespoke, and building on the momentum of a collection that’s fast becoming a modern icon.

As for future plans? It’s an undeniably challenging moment, with gold prices at an all-time high and the world feeling more uncertain than ever—but it’s pushing us to be even more inventive and focussed, and that’s a good thing. Our Bespoke Studio is growing fast, and we’re developing new collections that take our design language into bolder, more modern territory. We’re also sharpening the client experience across every touchpoint and strengthening our digital presence so we can meet women exactly where they are. And like everyone, we’re energised by what AI can unlock, from creative exploration to smarter personalisation. It’s a time that demands innovation and clarity, and we’re leaning into both.

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