Born in 1967, Elegance Jewellers, a proudly home grown South African company can be considered one of the country’s leading fine jewellery merchants, offering the most coveted jewels on the African Continent. 

Elegance began with the bangle programme four years ago and is ecstatic to be afforded the opportunity to showcase our design expertise on the international stage.

The 46664 Legacy Bangle 

Designed by Elegance’s Creative Director Oresti Mavrodaris assisted by Talia Savva and including the manufacturing team of Andrew Balay, Gilbert Dube and Antonio De Figueiredo.

Our bangle was first inspired by Nelson Mandela’s name, Rolihlahla, which means pulling on a branch. This spurred the idea of using wood, a material never used in a legacy bangle. The story began to unfold when we discovered that the wood we chose for its durability and beauty, African Black wood, can only be found in the Transkei, Mandela’s birth place, and a few isolated places around the world. There is an African folk story surrounding the boy who pulled the branch across his city. It was said that this boy would grow up to lead his nation; this prophecy came to life in South Africa with Rolihlahla Mandela.

The bangle began to be filled with life as we researched further. The brown and white diamonds imbedded into the wood represent Mandela’s attitude on Robben Island which is best described by a poem by Richard Lovelace “stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage”. Mandela was able to see past his situation toward creating a better future, one where diversity is embraced. The brown and white diamonds are a symbol of this diversity, bringing us to the name of the Legacy bangle of 2011…Ukungafani, the Xhosa word for ‘the spirit of diversity’.

The rose gold wire work represents the threads of life, each person diverse yet connected in some way or another a lesson loved and taught by Nelson Mandela, a lesson called Ubuntu. “I am who I am because of who you all are.” Mandela.

N.O.M 

The Elegance Cord bracelets N.O.M are designed and made in our very own workshops. Here we are inspired to teach skills and create employment for young women who did not necessarily know they had these hidden talents. The N.O.M bracelets come in any desired colour, we also custom design, personalize or engrave a charm for you, the range is limitless.

Sparkling diamonds, bold designs, dazzling shine and ornate shapes are captured in Elegance's catalogue for December 2011.

Elegance boutiques offers a curated collection of the best local and international design and showcase products from international brands including Montblanc, Cartier and Piaget, but to name a few.