My connection with Janine and Scarab goes back to the Observatory days. Janine made my first piece of proper jewellery. I had been traveling around the world and came back with a sapphire from Thailand. She made me a beautiful ring which I wore for many years until it was stolen by painters! It was a stone connected to a past boyfriend, time had moved on and perhaps so too the ring.

Some years later I returned as my wedding ring needed to be changed. It had been made in Johannesburg as I was living there at the time. I hadn’t been happy with this ring from the start. I had sent a magazine page of what I wanted and the ring came back looking different. I didn’t feel like I could complain. Yet I didn’t like it. I wore this ring for about 5 years, had it altered again and still wasn’t happy and finally arrived at Janine to get her to remedy the situation once and for all! I explained my story and described what I had initially wanted. Janine said hold on. She hauled out her big grey folder with millions of plastic sleeves containing magazine reference pages. She paged around and said is this what you are wanting? It was exactly the same magazine page I had sent to the original jeweller all those years ago! I knew in that moment that Janine understood what I liked and that was that.

Since then I have acquired a number of beautiful pieces of jewellery. Her style speaks to me. It’s the only stuff I wear! I had a beautiful diamond pendant that Brian gave me and some diamond earrings that my brother gave to me post organising his wedding in Cape Town. I didn’t wear these pieces enough. They needed to be worn for ‘special occasions’ and my lifestyle had changed and was now much more casual. I had worn them for a 50thbirthday celebration and that night at the party, I thought this is crazy I need to get these diamonds reset. I went to see Janine the next day with my pieces and she said – leave it to me! She suggested setting the diamond in the silver band I wear everyday. I was absolutely delighted.

I am a Scarab woman through and through. But mostly I love my friendship with Janine and our walks in the forest and swims in the sea. We walk early most mornings and count our blessings especially in these uncertain times. That’s the real joy – the friendship and connection and the beautiful pieces.