Victorian charm

Annina Vogel's necklaces and bracelets, which tell a personal story

Jewellery designer Annina Vogel is a curator of charms. Her fascination with these tiny curios began on her eighth birthday – with two crisp £50 notes from her father she bought her first gold charm. Now she travels the world scouring vintage markets for the most winsome pieces, and with her treasure she creates contemporary layered designs, such as the long Signature Charm necklace (first and second picture, from £2,450) and the rose-cut diamond bracelet (third picture, £18,500), which are suited to the personalities of her clients.  

Her creative process starts with a simple vintage Victorian chain that she modernises with a tassel drop (from £1,150, depending on length). Then it’s time to cherry-pick the charms (from £95 each) from the hundreds on offer. Many are rare and unusual; some have moving parts, including a goose laying a golden egg or cars with wheels that turn. There’s also a jack-in-the-box that opens so “Jack” pops out and there are even music boxes that play a tune.

Each is positioned with thought – on the solar plexus to boost self-esteem or next to the heart. Such unravelling of sentimentalities and affections can be a surprisingly moving experience, says Vogel. “Customers can experience an array of emotions during a bespoke sitting, as they might be celebrating the birth of a child, letting someone know how special they are, or remembering a lost loved one.”

Charms people already own can also be woven into designs. “I love to take inherited jewellery that is collecting dust at the back of a drawer and make something that will be worn and loved every day,” she says.

Although Vogel designs ready-to-wear pieces, she says she is most proud of the bespoke ones because “it’s always a very rewarding process”. Available from this month to December is a series of Victorian signet rings and former cuff links (from £350), onto which quotes by Charles Dickens, Queen Victoria, Edgar Allan Poe and Edith Wharton have been engraved – although it is also possible to have a personal message inscribed.

Vogel’s designs are intricate and enchanting, and not only are no two rings, necklaces or bracelets the same, but each tells a unique story – giving them an unrivalled charm.