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Description
X Choice by Charmaine Taylor: Inspired by South Africa’s First Democratic Election – April 1994
Led by the late, great Nelson Mandela, South Africa stepped into freedom after decades of oppression. This artwork is created to remind us how vital it is to exercise our democratic right to VOTE. The gold-foiled X symbolises the mark placed next to your choice on a ballot paper — a simple act with the power to change a nation.
The African continent in this artwork is shaped from twisted wire cut from the original Robben Island prison fence — the same fence that once held Mandela captive. The leader who endured 18 years on that island went on to unite a divided nation and free his country from the apartheid regime.
The gold X marks where South Africa is on the African continent, a symbolic reminder of the country’s journey from oppression to democracy.
Sizes:
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Unframed artwork: ± A4 size
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Framed artwork: Outer frame approx. 320 x 420 mm / 12.5 x 16.5 inches
Price shown is for the unframed artwork. To frame this piece, please email us for a quote at info@legacycollection.org.
About Legacy Collection
Legacy Collection is crafted from authentic pieces of the Robben Island prison fence — a powerful symbol of South Africa’s struggle for freedom. Each piece is designed to spark conversation, evoke emotion, and serve as a reminder that the fight for human rights continues, both in South Africa and across the world. Wearing Legacy Collection jewellery is an act of solidarity with all who have faced oppression.
Significance
Every design is a limited edition, named in honour of South Africa’s journey to democracy and the individuals who helped shape it.
Product Features
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Made from the original Robben Island prison fence.
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Each piece is tagged with a unique serial number and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
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All pieces are carefully catalogued to ensure their provenance.
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A portion of profits supports sustainable employment projects in South Africa.
Design
Each Legacy Collection piece is thoughtfully designed as a wearable work of art, handcrafted from the original Robben Island fence. What once stood as a barrier of oppression has been transformed into a symbol of resilience, hope, and South Africa’s remarkable journey toward freedom. Meticulously made by local artisans in Cape Town, every design reflects one of our meaningful ranges—Peace, Rights, Justice, Liberty, Grace—each carrying a story that honours the nation’s path to democracy. Our commitment to ethical craftsmanship ensures that every piece not only preserves history, but also empowers previously disadvantaged individuals, helping to build a brighter future through creativity, skill, and opportunity.
Care Instructions
STORAGE FOR PLATED ITEMS
- Keep jewellery DRY.
- Store in a saleable container or bag if possible.
- Do not store gold and silver plated items together. The different metals will cause each other to tarnish, fade and / or turn colours.
- A rest room or bathroom is not an ideal place as the humidity thins the plating.
SUGGESTED CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS
- Do not clean with chemicals.
- Any alcohol-based products can tarnish gold and silver plating irreparably.
- Wipe gently. Use a damp soft cloth or a children’s soft toothbrush.
- Soak in warm water for about 10 minutes with a mild detergent. Do NOT put in hot water.
- Use a mild dish washing liquid. If the dish washing liquid reacts on your hands, do not use on your jewellery.
- Rinse in plenty of water after brushing and ensure the detergent does not remain on the jewellery.
- Leave the jewellery to dry and then use a gold or silver care cloth to polish to its original shine.
Disclaimer
The jewelry you have purchased is partly made from a rusted metal material from Robben Island, which is coated and sealed completely to prevent further oxidation. The sealing of your jewelry is made with TarBender which is a clear liquid epoxy which provides a strong UV resistant high gloss coating. Each piece could vary in color shape and size due to the unique nature of the Robben Island Fence.
Other metals used are platinum, gold, sterling silver and plated gold. Gold and sterling silver are typically a safe metal for sensitive skin types. However some skin reactions may appear as green / dark / black marks on the skin around the area of contact. As well as redness, swelling and itching. Legacy Collection does not bear any responsibility for any discoloration or allergic reactions to the skin. Sterling silver by its nature does tarnish with time, but polishing the item will remedy this, especially a jewelry polishing cloth. Plating responds differently to various skin types owing to the varying acidity levels of each individual skin. Sweat, humidity and heat may also contribute to higher skin acidity levels. While some skin types may have no perceptible effect on the plating. Individuals with a higher acidity level could affect the plating wear rate. We cannot guarantee plating as it is purely a decorative effect and not a pure metal. We highly recommend purchasing pure metals rather than plated items.
Legacy Collection takes great care to make sure that all our jewelry has been thoroughly sealed and is a high quality plating.
However, in the event that the sealing breaks down and the metal is exposed, brown spots may appear. In this event, please contact us immediately, and we will reseal your artifacts for you.
JEWELRY IS EXTREMELY FRAGILE especially rings, necklace chains and bracelets can break / snap when pulled or hard pressure placed on the soft metals. Please do not bend the jewelry as the fence may break and / or crack open the Robben Island Fence resin coating. Please do not go to strenuous exercise, rock climb, swim in a pool or ocean, and do not pick up heavy objects / suitcases with your ring or bracelets on your arms.
Any sharp ends have been rounded off to prevent any cuts. However, we cannot be held responsible for injuries sustained by negligent including accidental breakages of jewelry.
The certificate of authenticity reflects the unique item number of the associated piece. This number is an element of our audit process, which in conjunction with RIACT, ensure the sales and use of the fence is tightly controlled. Legacy Collection designer Charmaine Taylor holds the world-wide rights to create jewelry out of the Robben Island prison fence.