Rare gem of city’s jewellery market

POLOKWANE – When it comes to making hand-made jewellery, Annamie Ohlenschláger is one of the few people who really know the tricks of the trade.

With no less than 14 years of experience, Annamie says she has some of the weirdest and most wonderful requests for jewellery settings.

“I have had to set items like kidney stones, lion’s nails, children’s teeth and even some hair and bones from different animals,” Annamie says.

Her weirdest request came from a man who wanted her to make a bracelet from his deceased wife’s long blonde hair, while her largest request was a belt buckle she made for a man in Texas in the US, who wanted the entire head of a warthog on his belt.

Annamie says she has not come across anything she could not turn into jewellery. “I have always had a passion for making wonderful things. This has become my career and I cannot ask for a better job.”

As she runs her business from her home, she says there is no such thing as working hours.

“This is a full-time job because people phone me at all hours of the day to find out about the jewellery I make. I am also always available to my daughter. I keep an open door policy at home while I am working. It is important to be there for my daughter whenever she needs me,” she says.

Annamie believes that it is important to be successful both at home and in professional capacity.

She says she is a “what you see is what you get” type of person and she also values that in other people.

“You must accept any person for who and what they are, no matter where they come from, what they do for a living or what their bank balance is.”

Annamie does all her own designs and is well known for her jewellery exhibitions in the US.

“The hardest thing is to get used to driving on the left side of the road again after you come back from a trip to the US. I usually get in trouble with my daughter when I get back as I either drive on the wrong side of the road or watch for cars in the wrong direction.”

She shares her know-ledge with learners from rural schools who often visit her business.

“I have been called ‘teacher jewellery’ by many of the learners and I enjoy showing them what I can do,” she says.

She loves spending time in the outdoors where she says she feels free and can relax.

The one thing no one knows about her is that she trusts too easily, which has been a problem in the past.

Her advice to those who aspire to go into the hand- made jewellery business?

“People must realise that the hand-made jewellery business is a dying business as most of the jewellery made these days is made with machines. There are only a few people left who make handcrafted jewellery.

“It is a job that becomes your passion and your life. I love what I do, especially when I can take some old ring and transform it into a brand new creation.

“The possibilities are endless and the only limit is your own imagination,” she says.