Our Story

In 1961, Patrick Hepburn was commissioned as the first Game warden of the famous Chobe National Park in Northern Botswana. Relocating from a cattle ranch in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), he & his family moved into a small house, on the banks of the Chobe River.

Growing up in the game parks of Northern Botswana, Peter Hepburn, his youngest son, learnt the technique of tying the traditional style bracelets out of strands of elephant tail hair, from local tribal hunters.

In the late 1990’s Peter began substituting elephant hair with sterling silver & gold wire. Together with his children, who were raised in the same game park that their father grew up in, the Hepburn family has established African Safari Jewellery. With a passion & love for the Botswana bush, the family creates traditionally African inspired, handcrafted & bespoke luxury jewellery.

The African Elephant Hair Bracelet

In past centuries, tribal elephant hunters made an expandable bracelet from the tail hairs of elephant.

These bracelets were given as gifts & were thought to possess magical powers. They were worn with the belief that the wearer would be blessed with good health.

We have now re-created the bracelets in precious metals. Each expandable bracelet is personally hand-crafted with time & care by the Hepburn family using quality sterling silver and 14 k gold-filled wire.

They are also available in 9k & 14k gold, rose gold, & patina blackened sterling silver.

The legendary good fortune promised by the wearing of these bracelets is second only to the pleasure of owning this fine piece of jewellery.