Last week Thursday, the 24th of October, I had the pleasure of joining in the festivities with Browns as they launched their newest collection and announced their Alpha Woman Competition. Held at the beautiful Summer Place in Hyde Park, the evening was a magical affair filled with glamour and luxury.
Upon arrival, we were given a very warm welcome by Mr Larry Brown himself, who many of you may know is the co-owner of Browns. Mr Larry Brown took over the Browns business in the early 1980’s and has since built Brown’s into a brand known for it’s exceptional quality, incredible customer service and of course the most exquisite designs.
With the very first Browns store opening as far back as 1934 in Fox Street, downtown Johannesburg, Brown’s has seen incredible growth and now has stores in various parts of South Africa, as well as in London.

As the evening went on, as voted the winner of the Alpha Women Competition was announced. Social Justice Chair and M-Plan founder. Advocate and founder of Thuma Foundation, author, Life activist on Justice – Human Rights – Rule of Law Governance and one who has conquered Kilimanjaro, the honorable Professor Thuli Madonsela went on to take the prize. Unfortunately, she couldn’t grace us with her presence but her R100 000 prize will be donated to a charity of her choice.
It was then time for the biggest revel of the evening, the big reveal of the newest collection by Browns – The Safari Collection. Inspired by the African Woman, every piece of the collection tells a beautiful and balanced story paying homage to Africa.

What I enjoy the most about this collection is how well thought out the design was. Mr Brown took the time to share with us the inspiration behind the design, and it really made me appreciate each of the pieces so much more.

The shape is inspired by the African shield, which we call ihawu in IsiZulu. In ancient times, it was used during times of impi (war) and is now still a big part of our celebrations as Africans. At the centre of the shield is the Browns angel, which is a signature element at Browns and tells a unique story of its own. The Browns angel also brings in that balance of femininity to the masculine shield. The natural stones are available in six colors which each represent Africa. And finally, gold milgrain beads frame the natural stones as inspired by African gold beads.

My personal favorite is Tiger’s eye. It was love at first sight for me, and I was further drawn to this beaut when I discovered that it symbolized Harmony and balance. If you know me, you’ll know that as a Libra sign, balance and harmony mean everything to me.
If you’re looking for a beautiful and meaningful gift for self or the one you love, you can’t go wrong with one of these beautiful stones.
A piece of fine diamond jewellery is a miniature work of art that captures a special moment in time and symbolises our most precious relationships.