Alice Weil - My notebook & camera

ALICE My notebook & camera

WEIL MICHAEL PRYKE

Platinum Sponsors

My notebook & camera The biography of a remarkable woman

MICHAEL PRYKE

Š Isikhova Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Cover Photograph Daniel Levy ISBN 978-0-620-81085-2 First edition, first impression 2018 Published by Isikhova Publishing & Communications PO Box 651793 Benmore, 2010 South Africa Printed by NOVUS Print

PREFACE Andrew Meyer

As publisher of this book honouring an icon in the jewellery and diamond industry, I would like to thank the following people who made it possible to publish this book.

Alice, thank you for your support in the industry over the past 20 years. Without you this book would not have existed. Michael, thanks for the writing and bringing to life a remarkable story for us to read. Joanne and Mirah, thanks for the lovely design and layout. Gwen, as always thanks for the sterling editing job.

To all the people and family of Alice who made their time so freely available to be interviewed, many thanks for giving us your insight to this remarkable lady.

Last but not least, thanks to the people and companies who sponsored this book - without your financial help, this project would not have been possible. It is due to this sponsorship that we are also able to give each and every subscriber to SA Jewellery News a free copy of My Notebook & Camera. We are indebted to the following for their generosity: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Rolex Metal Concentrators Bacher & Co Stern Family CJR Gift Sales Cape Precious Metals The Diamond Dealers Club of South Africa European Gemological Laboratory of Gemology Jack Friedman The Jewellery Council of South Africa Luxco Importers The Tanzanite Company Dr Petré Prins Picot & Moss SM Watch Sundelson Brothers Swatch Group Treger Brands AA Watch

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My notebook and camera

The biography of a remarkable woman

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he clock on the wall signals the silent rush of time. The woman looks up, pausing in concentration and then continues to type. Her frail fingers dance on the keyboard like practised ballerinas as the flow of her words spread across the screen, capturing the vibrancy of her ever-active brain.

She has, in her time, composed millions of words – perhaps billions. Through research, global travel, life experience and a deeply enquiring mind, her verbal choreography has entertained and informed a discriminating audience for 40 years.

She glances at her watch, an elegant timepiece given to her by her good friend, Raymond Weil, founder of the world-famous Swiss watchmaking company. Aware that a computer technician is due to arrive at 2.30pm to update Microsoft Word, she wants to finish this draft before he arrives. As always, she has a deadline – her life has been an ongoing series of deadlines, invariably self-imposed … as always, time is very important to her. In fact, time and timepieces have played a significant role in her busy and energy-infused career in the world of fine watches, diamonds and jewellery.

Most people who have striven and succeeded in a 40-year career would be considering retirement. Not this woman – she still has so much more to contribute. More remarkable, however, is that her current career commenced at the age of 60!

This is the remarkable story of a lifetime of relationships, determination, personal growth, love, loss and success. It is an intoxicating exposé of what happens when

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preparation, opportunity and desire collide. This is the story of Alice Weil, who, in the months before her 100th birthday, has allowed her inspiring life to be shared.

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he early years of the 20th century were punctuated by a number of events, both historically and commercially. In Paris 1904, Louis Cartier creates the first Cartier wristwatch. Prompted by his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, a legendary Brazilian aviator who complains that pocket watches are unreliable and dangerous to use while flying, Cartier develops the Santos wristwatch with a square face and flat profile.

ROLEX, founded in 1905 in London, England, by 24-year-old Hans Wilsdorf, becomes the first wristwatch in the world to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision in 2010.

In July 1914, World War I breaks out.

After seeing Renault tanks in action on the Western Front, Louis Cartier creates the Tank watch in 1917, which becomes Cartier’s signature model, worn by some of the most famous women in history – including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Princess Diana and Angelina Jolie.

After four years of war in Britain and Europe, resulting in the loss of ten million lives, peace resumes in 1918. During the following year, two significant events make scientific history in England: the first is official verification that Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is correct. The second is the splitting of the atom by Prof Rutherford at Manchester University. During the same year, Jan Smuts becomes Prime Minister of South Africa and Alice Stern is born.

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A

lice’s father, Elias, a farmer in the Barclay East district, was also the local Postmaster. While he lived there, the area was named Eliasdale in his honour. It is

still called Eliasdale today. Alice’s mother, Ella Tamaris, was from Aliwal North. As their courtship progressed, Ella told Elias that she would only marry him on condi-

tion that they did not live in the countryside. As a result, Elias bought a business in Cape Town.

When Alice was nearly three years old, they moved to 35 Burnside Road in Tamboerskloof. Engraved on the gatepost was the name of the house, “Goiemoed”.

Today, over a century later, the house still looks exactly the same, except for burglar bars that have since been installed.

Alice recalls enjoying the fresh fruit from the two fig trees in the garden, a black and a yellow – plus an apricot tree and grape vines. The house had a coal stove. They had neither a radio, an electric stove, nor a refrigerator – these appliances were not yet available. Blocks of ice were delivered weekly by the “ice man”. Every week, Sammy, an Indian fruit and vegetable vendor, arrived at the back gate with his horse and cart.

She enjoyed a delightful childhood in the tightly-knit Jewish community. The economic depression that followed World War I did not adversely affect their lives. She says that even before the age of three, she had developed a good memory and has a clear mental picture of her new-born brother, Aubrey, in the bath.

Parents and children alike were very friendly. Even today, Alice can remember at least 15 of the families in the area who were in their circle of friends. At the age of

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six, she started her schooling at Tamboerskloof Public School (TKPS), a co-educational institution where she says they “taught kids proper sense”.

Alice walked to and from school every day, regardless of the weather. Motor cars were a new arrival on the Cape Town scene, as were cinemas. Although her father owned a metallic honey-coloured Dodge sedan, it was seldom used, except for Sunday outings. Her mother took the tram to the grocer’s, Fletcher & Cartwright, her favourite store in the centre of town, while the car remained in the garage. Alice recalls that on one occasion, her father reversed the car into a pole outside the property, snagging the bumper around the pole. The only way to free the vehicle was by removing the bumper. Thereafter her father never drove. The main mode of public transport was the tram, which ran on rails embedded in the road.

Cape Town, the legislative capital of early 20th-century SA, was the proud home of the grand Parliament buildings. Numerous other monuments and buildings that characterise the city today were built during this era. The Rhodes Memorial (1912) represented the nostalgia for the imperial era. The “Cape Dutch” movement inspired architect Sir Herbert Baker to add his distinctive design to a variety of buildings around the city.

During Alice’s youth in Cape Town, it became clear that economic and political power would reside in the Transvaal. Thus, Cape Town responded by promoting itself as the cultural centre and worked at defining South African identity in terms of its historical roots – the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck, the influx of slave labour from Asia and the Imperial era – asserting itself as the “Mother City” of South Africa.

Simultaneously, numerous developments were instrumental in consolidating Cape Town’s position as the cultural centre. The beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden was established in 1913 as a showcase for southern African flora. The National Gallery was built with public gardens containing WWI memorials. The University of Cape Town (UCT), formally established in 1918 following bequests

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from mining magnates, was built on land bequeathed by Rhodes from his Groote Schuur estate.

Within this unique environment, Alice spent her developmental years. She enjoyed a carefree and joyful youth. However, some days did have minor challenges. The last stretch of the walk home from her secondary school was a steep uphill climb through the picturesque suburban streets of Tamboerskloof. A number of homes had dogs, of which Alice harboured an unusual fear. In order to feel more comfortable, she always ensured she walked with a fellow pupil who had to reach her own house via Alice’s.

Alice looked forward to getting home and finding her mother, invariably sitting in the lounge engrossed in her needlework. The front garden was full of flowers and she enjoyed helping her father, to whom she was very close, in the garden.

In order to curb her fear of dogs, her father bought a Doberman Pinscher called Leo who became very much a part of the family. Leo loved the beach and joined the family in the car on their Sunday outings to Muizenberg. One Sunday, when the car was so full that there was not even space for Leo, the family pet had to remain at home. He exacted his revenge by redesigning the upholstery of the lounge couch, which he distributed around the house.

Around the age of eight, Alice started piano lessons with the first of four teachers, a young woman in her late teens, Adelaide Newman. At that time Alice had no way of knowing the significant impact that Adelaide would have on the direction of her life over 25 years later. Indeed, it was through Adelaide that Alice was steered into her ultimate career as a professional writer.

When she was 12, Alice moved on to the Good Hope Seminary, which, back then, was a private girls’ school. Entertainment came in many simple forms. In those days, Cape Town had only a small harbour with a wooden pier, which had been

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constructed in 1925 – the docks did not yet exist. In summer, Alice and her friends loved jumping into the chilly water from the Cape Town pier. Life in pre-apartheid Cape Town was slow and social relations were easy-going. She often accompanied her parents to the home of Max and Lena Engers, which was exciting because they always had the first of everything new, whether a car or some other invention.

They owned a crystal radio set and Alice remembers how indistinct and scratchy it sounded.

In her teenage years, Muizenberg was a favourite family holiday destination and every December her parents would hire a house for the year-end season. Her father continued to work during this period and commuted in the opposite direction to his offices and factory in Observatory. His business, involved in the manufacture and distribution of household wares – brooms, brushes and the like – continues in the family today, three generations later. The business has grown into the large Addisware company which dominates this sector and is run by Elias’s grandson.

On Sundays in winter, one of the family treats was tea at the Roundhouse at the Glen near Camps Bay. Alice and her brother Aubrey walked with their parents up Kloof Nek to the scenic spot at the foot of Table Mountain and would return home by tram, having to change halfway. It was only much later that the tram system was converted to electricity through the introduction of trolley buses with overhead cables.

Her first taste of travel, a pursuit which was to become a significant part of her later life, was around the age of 13, when the family took a two-week Union Castle cruise up the East Coast to Lourenço Marques.

During this period, Alice continued her music lessons and by the age of 14, she had learned to play jazz, primarily under the tutorship of a teacher aptly named Felix de Cola. Her bubbly personality and growing accomplishment on the keyboard became recognised by her friends, who often asked her to play at the frequent teen-

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age parties. One of her main crowd-pleasers was the quasi-ragtime composition Kitten on the Keys, written by Zez Confrey in 1921. Although it was a challenging piece, the syncopated melody was full of fun and Alice revelled in the appreciation of her friends.

She also played other classic jazz numbers, like Nola and Marigold.

In addition to solo performances, she often played with other talented pianists and one in particular, Leonard Schach, invariably observed by Lionel Bowman. With Leonard as her partner, they became popular performers playing jazz duets at parties. Later, at university, Alice and Leonard spent many hours learning and practising the intricate composition, Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin, at the Herring Bequest Institute, where two pianos were available. The highlight of their musical association was to have been their performance at the Annual Rag Concert at the Cape Town City Hall. Sadly, their duet was thwarted by the Rag Committee’s inability to afford the hire of a second piano.

In 1926 a major leap is created by Rolex with the introduction of the world’s first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch. Given the name “Oyster”, this watch features a hermetically sealed case which provides optimal protection for the movement.

Many years later, Leonard became a revered theatrical producer in Israel. Lionel went on to become a well-known classical pianist whose recordings are still aired on Classic FM. At school, Alice was particularly good at mathematics, enhanced by the fact that she really liked her teacher. Another subject at which she excelled was French and Alice remembers that the French teacher became engaged to one of the members of the famous Scott Antarctic expedition. However, the history teacher was a tyrant who terrorised Alice. As a result, she claims to have been hopeless at the subject.

In 1931, when Alice was 12, Rolex invented and patented the world’s first self-winding mechanism – an ingenious work of art and technology. Today this mechanism is at the heart of every self-winding watch.

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During her final year at school, aged 16, Alice went on a school tour with about 20 boys and girls, to Johannesburg to view the Empire Exhibition. It was her first trip to the “Big City”, which seemed very vibrant and exciting compared with “sleepy” Cape Town. Being more interested in the social aspects that the outing offered, plus the attractions of Johannesburg, Alice had little recollection of the exhibits.

After finishing school, Alice was not sure what to do. Throughout her school years she was always writing, but the subject of journalism was never raised. Perhaps it was considered a trade for the rough and ready – certainly not for young girls from a protected environment. Her mother, Ella, had already recognised that Alice had an artistic aptitude, so it was decided that she should be allowed to develop her creative talents.

Thus it was that she went on to enrol at Cape Town’s Michaelis School of Art, where she experienced significant personal growth and fulfilment. During her first year, she studied the history of art, architecture, geometry and perspective, life-drawing, watercolours, printing processes and lettering. Alice admits to battling with the subject perspective. The course – commercial art – was taken at the insistence of her father, who wisely advised that while fine art might be more enjoyable, it would not help her earn a living, if necessary.

On Mondays, the students went to the medical school to learn about the human muscular-skeletal system and later they practised life-drawing from a nude model.

The course included lettering and the printing process, where they were required to draw images on a lithographic stone, the original process of printing. They also did watercolour painting and Alice’s pièce de résistance was an iris in pencil and wash.

During their final year, Alice and her fellow students had to create an entire advertising campaign around a product of their choice. Alice chose a product which she named “Glade Mushrooms”. Her artwork for the branding incorporated a stylised letter “G” as the cap of the mushroom and “LADE” as the stem.

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As in school, the theme that insinuated its way through her time at Michaelis was her writing… she was always writing and she had contributed to the school magazine.

In 1935, Rolex was united in the quest for speed with Sir Malcolm Campbell. At the wheel of Bluebird and wearing a Rolex watch, the “King of Speed” set a land speed record of 485 km/h at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA. It was during 1937/38 that Alice had the privilege of going on a National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) tour of Europe and the Mediterranean as one of a group of 12 students. Her father had insisted that this should form a part of broadening her education. Every night Alice wrote a letter to her father, describing in detail her experiences of the day. He kept every letter and was enormously proud of his daughter. Her mother eventually gave all the letters back to her and she kept them for over 40 years. In 1980, when Alice moved into her townhouse, she felt it was time to dispose of this treasure of memories.

The tour covered a range of historical monuments, temples, excavations and famous artworks throughout Italy, Mandatory Palestine, France, Austria, Switzerland, the French Riviera, Greece, Rhodes, Hungary, Egypt and London. Altogether, they toured through 13 countries by ship, rail and camel transport for a period of three months. Little could Alice have foreseen how important Switzerland would become in her later life. There, she met her uncle and two cousins (who were in their late teens) for the first time. This uncle, who was a professor of physics at the Zurich Technicon, organised a tour of the Lindt Chocolate factory. Alice remembers having blue trout in a restaurant, a new epicurean adventure.

Despite the rumblings of war, it was an incredible experience during which the group of young adults, immaculately attired every day, were immersed in a world of culture and exposed to an abundance of classical masterpieces.

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At the final dinner of the tour, Alice read out a toast she had composed in prose. It is written in beautiful script on the last pages of her photo album of the tour: “Members of the NUSAS party, From the land of glorious sunshine, Happily three months have spended, Now are sorrow’d midst the parting.

Gallantly our leader Harry, Strives to keep the party cheerful, Even joyful Pud is dismal, Dismal at the thought of morrow.

To our re-assembling toast I, To our leader, to our Joey, To our effervescing Sheila, To our Pud and tangerines, To our pair of loving sisters, To our Joan and brother Allan, Manly Manfred and our Gladys, And the absent members of us.

Raise your glasses up and drain them, And remember while you’re drinking All the toasts we drank together To the sound of glasses clinking.”

The photo album, full of carefully composed photographs, provides conclusive evidence of Alice’s artistry of composition and mastery of the camera. The ship on which they toured, SS Guilio Cesare, was later converted to a troop carrier during the war. Tragically, it was torpedoed by the Germans and there were no survivors.

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Back home in South Africa, Alice completed the third year of her commercial art diploma. Thereafter, for a period she worked as a commercial artist, designing cardboard boxes. She was utterly bored.

A few months later, she was on an outing at Tygervale with two young men one Sunday when they heard Neville Chamberlain announcing on the radio that Britain was at war with Germany.

Aware of the impact of the war and wanting to contribute in some way, in 1939 Alice volunteered as a full-time member of the South African Women’s Auxiliary Services (SAWAS). She donned the uniform in burnt orange complete with hat and became the assistant to Commandant Skaife. Their offices were in the famous Cape Town Drill Hall and their role was to look after the soldiers, providing what they needed, including social interaction. On occasions she and a close friend would go to the docks at Table Bay, which was afloat with troop ships, mooring during their voyages from England, North Africa and Italy. They would befriend two or three soldiers whom they invited back to their homes for an evening of entertainment, away from the horror of war. Six young men from Alice’s social circle never returned from the war.

In August 1942, Ruth – a friend of Alice’s whom she had met in Johannesburg – persuaded her to come and visit her there. It was a period of social engagements and excitement, amplified by the activity of the big city. The highlight of her visit was a tennis party. Alice spent the first hour or two chatting with her new friends. She noticed a young man arriving late, without a racquet. She was introduced to him and learnt that his name was Aubrey Levy and he had hurt his back and was unable to play. Apparently, he had not wanted to attend the party, but his mother had insisted that he go. They sat and chatted together for the remainder of the party.

Ten days later they were engaged!

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Six months later, in 1943, they were married at the Gardens Synagogue in Cape Town at a ceremony attended by 200 guests. Alice moved to Johannesburg with her new husband and for the first year, they lived at Sylberta Court in Hillbrow. She became very close to her mother-in-law, Dora, who was of Irish descent and became Alice’s best friend for 25 years. It was Dora who found them a charming new house in Orange Grove, next to Paterson Park. Aubrey suffered the first of a series of heart attacks 21 months after their marriage. The process of cardiac bypass surgery was still in its infancy in the USA – sadly, too early for application in South Africa. How different Alice’s life journey would have been had this process been more advanced.

Their son Andrew was born in 1947, the same year that Cartier celebrated its centenary.

When Andrew started at nursery school at the age of two-and-a-half, Alice became very involved in the nursery school association, attending meetings and discussions and assisting wherever she could. Even so, she felt somewhat unfulfilled and hankered to do something more – something to stimulate her mind. She was offered a job running the music library at the SABC, but Aubrey was insistent that she did not need to work.

Alice therefore became involved with politics. The United Party was in power at that time and was fighting an election to retain the important Langlaagte seat. She assisted with election preparations and also on Election Day. Thereafter, she was involved in locating missing voters and was subsequently asked to oversee the Johannesburg North constituency of the party, which had been renamed the Progressive Party. She had an acquaintance and professional relationship with Helen Suzman, probably the most powerful woman in South African politics at the time.

In one amusing incident years later, Alice was on a Swissair flight to Zurich when a passenger approached her and exclaimed what an honour it was to be on the same flight as Helen Suzman. He had mistaken her for the intrepid politician!

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The summiting of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made world headlines in 1953. The expedition members were equipped with Rolex Oyster Perpetual wristwatches. This timepiece immediately acquired iconic status.

In 1956, Alice and Aubrey sent Andrew to his grandparents in Cape Town while they went on a three-month tour of England and Ireland. The outbound voyage on the Edinburgh Castle took two weeks. They travelled by rail and road throughout England and Ireland, visiting all the significant historical sites, tourist spots, museums and places of interest, staying in lodgings both famous and quaint. While in Ireland, they stayed for a period at Ashford Castle, situated on the shore of Loch Corrib in County Mayo. Twenty years later, this inspired a short story for SABC radio, entitled The Luck of the Irish. They also attended every production playing in the West End. During the same trip, Alice wrote the script for a 16 mm home movie that she and Aubrey filmed. She called the production High Street London, using the River Thames as the high street of the city which grew along its banks as the metaphor and it displayed all the city’s highlights in an artistic representation. Later, they entered it in a Johannesburg Photographic Society competition.

It was a memorable episode culminating in a multitude of enjoyable experiences together.

The happiness of Alice and Aubrey was destined to be cut short. Sadly, in 1958, at the age of 41, Aubrey suffered his seventh heart attack and died. Alice, at 39, with a 10-year-old son, became a widow. Her brother, concerned for her well-being, offered her a job three mornings a week, supervising distribution, stock-control and ordering in the Johannesburg depot of the family business. Some three years later, she realised she required additional skills and she enrolled for shorthand and typing classes, not knowing the extent to which these skills would contribute to her subsequent career.

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A couple of years into the job, Alice accompanied Andrew on a trip to Victoria Falls.

During the plane trip, she was introduced to Cynthia, who was travelling to (then) Rhodesia to meet up with her husband, who was on a job there. Cynthia took Alice’s number and promised to contact her.

One afternoon, on the patio of the Victoria Falls Hotel, a man approached Alice and, recognising her, asked whether they had met before. It turned out that they knew each other from the Tamboerskloof days. They developed a friendship for two years, which helped Alice through her tough times, although they eventually drifted apart when Alice went to stay with her friends, Shirley and Harold Sergay, in Salisbury. Shirley now lives in Johannesburg and remains Alice’s oldest surviving friend of their generation.

Alice travelled the country and the major story of the era was the massive construction of the Kariba Dam – at that time, the largest dam in the world. When she visited the area, the water was still rising and the treetops projected eerily above the waterline. During this period, between 1958 and 1964, Rupert Fothergill became world-famous in Operation Noah as the saviour of over 6 000 animals, from ant-eaters to elephant and zebra… and everything in between. Alice also toured the Eastern Highlands and stayed at the famous Leopard Rock Hotel, a favourite of Princess Margaret.

During 1960, another underwater event made international history. The Rolex Deep Sea Special experimental watch was attached to the bathyscaphe, the Trieste, which successfully descended into the Mariana Trench, the deepest known depression on the earth’s surface. With Lieutenant Don Walsh at the helm, accompanied by Jacques Piccard, the Trieste accomplished a feat so incredible that it forever raised the bar for deep-ocean exploration. The Rolex was in perfect working order, surviving a depth of 10 916 m (37 800 feet) following the historic dive.

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Cynthia kept her word and around a year later, while she was sitting with Alice and a number of other people at the Killarney Country Club, a young man joined the group. He was introduced as David Gevisser and had recently relocated from Durban to Johannesburg to run the family business, Moshal Gevisser. He revealed some weeks later that he was looking for a secretary. It was at this point that one of life’s remarkably lucky breaks occurred. When David learnt of Alice’s shorthand and typing skills, he offered her the job. What unfolded for Alice was an exciting career in a world she could never have imagined.

David held a degree in forestry from Stellenbosch University and his activities included visiting the forests and sawmills that were a division of the company’s interests in the Sabie area. Alice became his executive assistant and often drove with him on his sawmill visits. While he was engaged in meetings, he encouraged her to use the car to enjoy the scenic grandeur of the eastern area. She visited a number of the natural beauty spots in the region, including the Mac Mac Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and quaint settlements like Hazyview and Barberton.

Her job took an unexpected twist through the intervention of Charles Engelhardt in David’s career. Charles, an American millionaire and owner of Engelhardt Industries, a global conglomerate, had a business in South Africa named Engelhardt Hanovia. The company had interests in a variety of industries, including Acme Timber Industries and SA Forest Investments, listed on the stock exchange, as well as holdings in businesses involved in the plastics and precious metals industries. He was an original shareholder in Rustenburg Platinum Mine.

Charles asked David to become CEO of all his interests in South Africa. Alice moved with him into this next phase of her own ascent in the world of business. It was a heady and exciting environment. They had numerous American visitors, highlighted always by the arrival of Charles Engelhardt from Newark NY in his private plane, accompanied by a dedicated retinue, including his personal chef and favourite dog!

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Charles was a close friend of Harry Oppenheimer and was a larger-than-life character. He pushed personal and business boundaries, fuelled by the copious quantities of Coca-Cola which he drank throughout the day!

Alice further developed her writing skills during this period through innumerable written projects that she completed for David. Among other unusual and exciting things that she witnessed was the innovative export of gold from South Africa during WWII, when it was illegal to export gold bullion. Charles disguised the gold by having it cast into figurines and objects which could pass scrutiny. The gold was re-cast as legal ingots on arrival at destination. It is rumoured that this was the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s James Bond novel, Goldfinger.

Alice recalls the 10 years she and David worked together as being utterly wonderful and, to this day, she remains friendly with his widow. Their eldest son, Mark Gevisser, is a renowned political journalist.

It was while working with David that Alice attended a New Year’s Eve party at a friend’s house in 1963. At the party, she met Alan Weil. There was mutual attraction and they started going out together. They were married five months later.

Charles Engelhardt’s high-flying lifestyle caught up with him and while only in his 50s, he died. He had always promised his friend, Harry Oppenheimer, that if his company were to be sold, Anglo American would have first option. Thus Charles’s legacy was absorbed into the mighty empire of South Africa’s largest business. Alice had in-depth knowledge of the working environment within Anglo and after the freedom and responsibility of being David’s executive assistant, could not envisage becoming pigeon-holed in a secretarial pool at Anglo American.

Consequently, aged 60, Alice retired! However, her “retirement” was not destined to last.

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In the interim, her daughter, Patricia and son, David, had arrived on the scene.

1970 was another year of loss for Alice. On the same day that Andrew departed to study industrial relations at Leeds University in the UK, her father died. Alice remembers standing on the balcony of her parents’ Sea Point apartment watching the departing ship with Andrew and his wife, sailing out to sea, lamenting the loss of two of the most important people in her life.

In 1972, Cartier was bought by a group of investors and ceased to be a family-owned business.

During the same year, Alice’s former childhood piano teacher, Adelaide Newman, with whom she had re-established contact, suggested to her that she pursue her talent for writing. Adelaide offered to introduce Alice to John Boulter, who was the SABC producer of a weekly radio programme entitled Short Stories From Near and Far. The first story she submitted was broadcast and this encouraged her to continue writing stories, most of which were inspired by the travels and relationships that contributed to her rich life experiences. They formed part of her continuing involvement with writing and many were broadcast by the SABC during the Seventies.

During our conversations, Alice showed me a typewritten letter from SABC Head Office dated 9 May 1977, confirming the broadcast of one of her stories in the Short Stories From Near and Far series entitled The Late Rise. The fee was R30 and the letter, signed by Jack Mullen, Drama Producer, ended with the words: “We look forward to receiving further contributions from you.”

By now, Alice’s new life outside the corporate world allowed her to visit the hairdresser every Friday for a 4.30pm appointment. There she got to know a young woman who regularly came at the same time. One day, the young woman phoned Alice. She explained that she had a friend who was emigrating and had asked her

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to find someone who could replace her at a magazine related to the jewellery industry. “I think you’d be ideal for the job,” she said.

Alice responded: “But I’m retired!”

Nevertheless, she allowed the woman to tell her about the job. The position was as Johannesburg correspondent for a magazine named Diamond News and SA Jeweller, edited in Durban, printed and published in Kimberley, but with its main readership in Johannesburg. However, Alice was less than enthusiastic and even when her young friend sent her copies of the magazine, Alice threw them onto the desk in the entrance hallway.

Andrew saw them lying there when he came home from university. Without even knowing the details, his close relationship and deep understanding of his mother prompted him to remark: “That would be a nice challenge for you!” And so it was that fate once again played a role in determining the journey of a woman who had already had a full life – a woman who had already decided that another formal career was not even a consideration.

Alice went for an interview with Peter Gibson, who had continued as publisher after the death of his friend and founder of the magazine, Herbert Brailey. The magazine, still owned by Betty Brailey, Herbert’s widow, was originally issued as a supplement to the Diamond Fields Advertiser and printed in black and white. Peter was impressed with Alice and offered her the position of Johannesburg correspondent.

This would entail selling advertising space and collating news items about the industry for publication.

At this point in our conversation, Alice sat back with a smile and said: “Now, that was the era of the ‘dolly birds’ – young, blonde, buxom and beautiful … which I was anything but! I asked Peter: ‘Are you sure you want me? I’m 60!’ He replied: ‘That’s an advantage. I’m hiring you for your maturity and ability.’”

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Alice went home and asked Alan what she should do. He seemed to like the idea and suggested that she give it a try, adding that she could always resign if she didn’t like it. That was in 1979, nearly 40 years ago!

Three years earlier in 1976, Cartier had revealed its first collection of watches (together with other luxury items) under the new “Les Must de Cartier” slogan.

In her early days with the magazine, Alice spent her hours visiting diamond and jewellery retailers, gathering news and information which she wrote up as articles. Her writing skills – developed through school and university, her letters to her father and then further enhanced through her work with David and the more recent short stories – now blossomed into a passion at which she excelled. Through her personable and sincere character, she gained the trust of the industry and the magazine’s advertising space was always filled to capacity.

Alice loved mixing with different people and was delighted with the job. As a result of her energetic involvement, advertising revenues increased and readership expanded. Four years later, the success of the magazine led to the introduction of colour and Alice was proud when she sold both the first front and back covers in full colour. At that time, most of the advertising was from diamond dealers and jewellery manufacturers.

In her capacity as Johannesburg correspondent, Alice had to remain up-to-date with current and developing trends and activities in the industry. She began to attend the Jewellery Council of South Africa meetings run by PR consultant Errol Fyfe.

This gave her greater exposure to the world of jewellery manufacturers.

At these meetings, she often sat next to Pio Egstein, a Swiss gentleman who was CEO of Credit Suisse in SA. They became friendly and one day he remarked that while Alice was now becoming an authority on diamonds and jewellery, it would be beneficial for her to learn about the wristwatch side of the trade. He recommended

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to the Swiss Watch Federation, based in Bienne, that they extend an invitation to her to attend the Basel Fair, now named Baselworld.

The original show, held in 1917, was introduced as Schweizer Mustermesse Basel (MUBA), with a small section devoted to jewellery and watches in particular.

The event grew in participation and several manufacturers displayed their latest watch designs in a dedicated pavilion. During the following two decades, the show remained a showcase for the Swiss watchmaking industry. However, its position of privilege was given a serious jolt in the 1960s, with the introduction of quartz technology, the new power source for an innovative breed of watches, by Seiko of Japan. Although Swiss watchmaking companies were technologically advanced and knew of quartz battery technology, they had chosen not to pursue it. Threatened with this development, Swiss watchmakers realised that they needed to re-establish their pre-eminent position and they initiated a bold public relations exercise.

Part of this initiative was an invitation to a group of international industry journalists selected from North and South America, India, Australia and South Africa to attend the show.

In 1979, Alice and 11 other journalists were given VIP tours of the Basel show in order to learn about the Swiss watchmaking industry and its products. They were wined and dined by the Federation Horlogerie (FH), which sponsored conducted tours of watch factories and Switzerland’s beauty spots and hosted them at a government reception. This opened up a new world of learning and appreciation for Alice. She was mesmerised by the precision and beauty of these delicate timepieces and developed an immediate passion for knowledge.

For the next 35 years, Alice was to attend the Basel show. Initially, it was a relatively small event. However, the numbers of attendees and exhibitors grew and in 1986, exhibitors from outside Europe were invited to exhibit, increasing numbers still further. The Baselworld show is today acknowledged as the most important gather-

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ing of the global watchmaking and jewellery industries. Recognised as an exciting platform for innovation and design, it attracts over 145Â 000 visitors, journalists and buyers.

The Baselworld experience always incorporated a social side during which the different brands offered entertainment and promotional functions. One year, Omega took Alice and two other senior journalists on a three-hour journey of Switzerland on the Orient Express, which included a lavish lunch in the company of a very convincing Hercules Poirot impersonator!

On another occasion, Alice and a group of journalists were taken out for the day from Lucerne in a vehicle which took them up the winding roads to a restaurant at the top of a high peak. The vehicle departed and they were entertained to a delightful lunch, after which they were informed that they would be transported down the mountain by cable-car. Already suffering from extreme vertigo, Alice was terrified when she saw that the cable-car consisted of nothing more than a tiny wooden-sided box. Initially, she refused to step into it, but relented when she was informed that the only other alternative was to walk down. She maintained her courage by taking copious photographs during the downward journey, but was adamant that this was one experience she would never like to repeat.

Alice fell in love with Switzerland and always arranged to stay over an extra 10 or 12 days after Baselworld. She developed close personal relationships with most of the prominent watch manufacturers and became friendly with many of their families.

These friends showed her the entire country, including ski resorts like Gstaad, Davos, Zermatt and Verbier, as well as at least eight of the famous thermal baths. She recalls soaking in the steaming mineral waters of one outdoor pool, surrounded by deep snow and looking up towards the mountainside where she spotted a Chamois daintily making its way through the crisp whiteness.

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Alice was intrigued by the Montreux area, home to many celebrities. One of the many meticulously composed and annotated photograph albums that she has created over the years contains pictures of herself standing next to statues of Charlie Chaplin and Freddie Mercury. She visited the grave and home of Audrey Hepburn, who lived there when not filming on location. Near the picturesque village of Chamby, Alice revelled in the beautiful sight of wild narcissi blanketing the fields below the mountains.

In 2004, in celebration of the centenary of the Santos luxury watch, Cartier premièred the Santos 100, in honour of the first-ever wristwatch which it had created a century before.

A number of companies continue sending Alice their latest catalogues and books.

In June 2018, during one of the many conversations we had together in her downstairs study (she has two – the other “working study” is upstairs), we counted over 40 exquisite hard-cover books published by Cartier which it had sent or presented to her during her 39-year relationship with the company. The shelves of this study are also crammed with books from most of the other major watchmaking and jewellery brands, plus auction catalogues and other books relating to industry personalities and events.

In 1989, Cartier invited Alice to the launch of its most famous update, the Tank Americaine timepieces in Geneva, attended by the glitterati of Europe and America, including John Kennedy Jr, who later died tragically in an aviation accident. This wristwatch, with a longer, smoother case, became an instant icon.

Alice regards Louis Cartier as one of the most influential and historical figures of the jewellery industry and he has inspired many of the articles she has had published over the years. She wears a Cartier friendship ring, consisting of three interlocking bands in yellow, pink and white gold styled after the unique Russian wedding ring.

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On two occasions, Cartier invited Alice to exhibitions of its museum pieces of jewellery in Lausanne in Switzerland. On the second occasion, in Zurich, her friend – the woman who headed the museum – spent three hours explaining every piece on show, including the actual wrist watch which Louis Cartier had specially made for his friend, Brazilian pioneer aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont (1873-1932).

The late Raymond Weil – who was not related to Alice, but whom she knew for 39 years – called her his “cousin of the heart”. He had founded his watchmaking company in response to the watchmaking industry crisis in 1976. She got to know his family well and they met every year and enjoyed dinners together, discussing their common appreciation of music. In fact, music was Raymond’s constant source of inspiration. His deep love for it prompted him to name each of his watch designs with a musical connotation. Amadeus, Toccata, Maestro, Tango, Othello and Fantasia were early names. Recent names include Beatles Limited Edition, Nabucco Gibson Guitars, David Bowie, Buddy Holly, Abbey Road, Elvis Presley, Bob Marley, Maestro Blues and Nabucco Cello Tourbillon.

One of Alice’s prized possessions was the unique burgundy wristwatch Raymond gave her. Many years later, when Raymond’s successor and son-in-law, Olivier Bernheim, heard that it had been stolen from her, he instructed his watchmakers to scour their old store of spares in order to recreate that particular timepiece. When it was completed, he sent it to her.

In later years, Alice – partly sponsored by Cartier – was invited many times to the show as a guest of Salon Internationale de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH). Later, she met and interviewed the then international CEO of Cartier International, Alain Dominic Perrim, in his Paris office. The article was subsequently published in SA Jewellery News. Alice travelled to visit the Salon Bijorca Jewellery exhibition in Paris on five occasions.

Throughout her career in the world of jewellery and fine wristwatches, Alice has remained hungry for knowledge. She is forever reading industry publications for inspira-

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tion for new articles or researching information to ensure that everything she writes is accurate. She has also attended trade seminars and workshops whenever possible in order to remain abreast of developing trends, although she has recently reduced this level of involvement. Previously, she attended a number of seminars on platinum, organised by Bernard and Hilary Stern, owners at the time of Metal Concentrators, which is a large independent refiner of precious metals. The business was acquired by the Crosse family in 2015.

In Paris, she visited Giverny, home of Impressionist artist Claude Monet and her subsequent article was published in the May 1990 edition of Signature magazine.

Locally, she toured the Koffiefontein open-cast diamond mine and attended the Jewellex Expo since its inception, where she took photographs, interviewed people and thereafter wrote articles. She had a close relationship with De Beers, which used to provide her with enormous amounts of useful information. Sadly, this did not continue after the influence of the Oppenheimers ceased.

Other learning experiences have included visits to the manufacturing premises of most of the Swatch brands, including Omega, Longines, Tissot, Rado and Swatch.

She also went to the factory that manufactures sapphire crystal, which is used for the glass by all top-end watches, and subsequently wrote a fascinating article about this unique material. Her visits to numerous other watch factories included most of the famous global brands.

It was a particular honour for Alice to be invited to the Rolex factory in Geneva, which traditionally does not encourage visitors. However, in another example of the special relationships she has enjoyed with so many personalities in the industry, the visit to Rolex was at the behest of the woman who headed the organisation’s public relations, whom Alice had known for a number of years.

One year, as a result of the visit to Johannesburg of the then Director of the Jewellery Division of Christie’s, Alice was invited to spend two days in Geneva at the

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auction sale of “Magnificent Jewellery” and to attend the celebrity dinner. Her relationship with Christie’s has expanded to include the other international auction house, Sotheby’s, where she remains close to an extremely informative contact.

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A

nother important aspect of Alice’s work was her numerous visits to Vincenza.

Called the “City of Gold” because of the number of jewellers who specialise in

manufacturing jewellery in gold, Vicenza is notable for the well-preserved Palladian buildings designed by architect Andrea Palladio. Alice’s trips, sponsored by Ente de Fiera de Vicenza, included airfares and accommodation at five-star hotels and luxury villas built by the merchants of the 16th and 17th centuries. Alice has always been a great admirer of Italian jewellery design and, during her 12 visits to this city, became highly knowledgeable on the subject. She also visited the manufacturing premises of prominent gold chain manufacturers, for which the area is famous, and marvelled at the kilometres of chain that were produced. In July 2000, the Vicenza Trade Fair Board presented her with a magnificent plaque in appreciation of her support of the Italian jewellery industry in South Africa. The plaque displays a solid gold cast of one of Vicenza’s grand buildings and is proudly displayed in her lounge.

The French style of jewellery design is very different from that of Italian design and to further broaden her knowledge of it, Alice attended many of the jewellery trade shows in Paris. As always, she took time to immerse herself in the cultural side of the country, visiting the Louvre to view Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, which she

had originally seen as a student on the NUSAS tour during her youth. She also went to the home of famed sculptor Auguste Rodin to view the impressive collection of his works. In Giverny, she visited the home of impressionist artist Claude Monet, where the gardens are still maintained in the style he enjoyed during his lifetime.

Another year, en route to Paris, she went to see an exhibition of Marc Chagall’s work in the French Riviera.

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During a family holiday on Portugal’s Algarve coast, Alice went to Lisbon for the specific purpose of seeing the Lalique jewellery collection at the Calouste Gulbekian Museum.

To this day, most of the major brands make a point of keeping Alice informed of developments and she is fondly remembered by the many people with whom she has connected over the past 40 years in her second career. When Robert Wilson, of Seiko UK Ltd heard that Alice’s remarkable life story was being recorded in a biography, he contributed the following: “It has been my pleasure to know Alice for over 20 years and I have nothing but the fondest memories of and affection for, her.

“My dealings with Alice have all been in relation to Seiko. I was European Marketing Director of Seiko from the mid-Eighties until recently and now have a consultancy role within the company. I do not recall when we first met, but I do remember Alice’s unfailing attendance over so many years at Seiko’s press conferences at the Basel Fair. I can see her now, always on time, sitting in one of the front row seats with her notebook and pen at the ready, paying careful attention to our new releases and displaying her characteristic professionalism and quiet authority. To us Seiko people at those press conferences, it was an honour to see Alice every year at these events and to see that she commanded such great respect and friendship among the press corps that reports on our industry.

“While she and I met very often at Basel and a few times when I visited South Africa, I have three specific images in my mind that seem to define something about her.

“In the days when the SSIH and Basel fairs were close together, Alice would go to both and this, of course, would involve transferring from Geneva to Basel. Alice would take the train and one year, for reasons I do not recall (coincidence was most likely involved), I was at the station when she arrived in Basel. Alice came striding

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purposefully down the platform carrying a suitcase, a briefcase and a handbag as if they were empty and looking absolutely impeccable. There was nothing of the well-travelled , crumpled journalist about her; she was elegance and grace personified.

“At one Basel Fair about 10 years ago, Alice came onto the Seiko stand and we had our annual interview at which I was able to show her the new collection close up and answer her questions about it. After her pen had stopped flying across her notebook, we chatted for a few minutes and I learnt that she had no dinner plans that evening. A few hours later, we were at the celebrated Stucki restaurant and I learnt all about the London branch of Alice’s family. Our dinner was a complete delight and, in that short time, I felt a close acquaintance become a friendship.

“Three years ago, Alice was unable to make it to Basel. So Daniel Treger, Stewart Arvan and I did the next-best thing. When I visited South Africa a few weeks later, we took Basel to Alice. She kindly invited us to her home and, over tea and biscuits, I had the chance to show her our new collection. As she always did, Alice took copious notes, asked all the right questions and a Seiko at Basel article duly appeared.

“My colleagues at Seiko and Treger Brands and I wish Alice the very best of health, happiness and prosperity.”

Another person who knows Alice very well is Carol Besler, who was the Editor and publisher of Canadian Jeweller magazine for 15 years and Editor of the Ladies’ edition of International Watch for four years.

For the past 10 years she has been a freelance journalist specialising in watches and jewellery, contributing to Forbes, Rob Report, Watch Journal, Nuvo, Rapaport magazine, Journal Haute Horlogerie and many others. She is also Editorial Director of Tufts Communications, a custom publishing company.

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Carol contributed the following: “The first time I attended the Basel watch and jewellery fair was in 1990. As a newly-minted ‘watch’ journalist, I became keenly aware of two things right away: one, it turned out you needed to make appointments in advance to go inside the stands to look at the new watches; and two, Basel was a rather more dressy affair than I’d expected. I wasn’t exactly wearing blue jeans, but I was pretty casual compared with absolutely everyone else at the fair, and I definitely needed to take things up a notch in the wardrobe department. Luckily, that was the same year I met Alice Weil.

Here was a woman clearly at the top of her game. I first spotted her at the annual press dinner and I wondered: ‘Who is that elegant woman?’ She was wearing a light pink pants suit, as I recall, with a matching silk scarf, her ubiquitous strand of pearls and the most stylish pair of shoes in the room. I soon got to know her and discovered that she was as nice and as funny as she was elegant. We became fast friends.

“Back in those days, there were maybe half the watch brands there are now, and covering the show was easy-peasy. Twenty appointments over six days did the trick, with time left over for sightseeing – or, in our case, shopping. ‘Come with me,’ said Alice one drizzly afternoon in Basel. ‘There’s a place across the river where I like to buy handkerchiefs.’ I trotted along with her, amazed that anyone still used a hankie in the days of disposable tissues. But I was in the presence of a true lady. The handkerchiefs weren’t just for show; I saw her use one once, very discreetly of course.

“In those first few years, during the 1990s, shopping became a regular Basel outing for Alice and me. Buying shoes was a particular tradition, especially as the fair grew bigger, justifying the purchase of more shoes so that we could wear a different pair every day to keep our feet happy. The outings spread to other cities – I remember power-shopping for leather gloves with her on the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich during a short break on a press trip. We also both frequently travelled to the jewellery show in Vicenza, Italy, and squealed with delight (well, I squealed; Alice doesn’t squeal) one year to find that right around the corner from the show, in an otherwise bleak

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industrial area, was a Bottega Veneta wholesale outlet. We went to that outlet store every year for at least a decade. I still have some of the things I bought there at ridiculously low prices, and I’ll bet Alice does too.

“We didn’t just shop – we also ate. Our Thursday night dinners at Basel were a longtime tradition, a night off from the hustle and bustle of brand dinners and big parties. Basel is hard work; it’s busy to the point of chaos and it’s easy to get lost in the hype and the madness. Having dinner with Alice always brought me back down to earth. Sometimes I arrived late after more than a couple of glasses of Champagne, but she never judged me or became angry. Mostly she looked at me with a wry, knowing smile. The last few times she attended the fair, our dinners took place at the restaurant in her hotel, the Munchnerhof, across the street from the fair, where the food was actually quite good and the staff all knew about her dietary restrictions and preferences. I still think of it as Alice’s hotel.

“Having said all of this, I think I should qualify that Alice is more than just a fashion plate. In fact, she isn’t even really that; with her it’s more about style. She was also one of the best trend and news reporters in the business. She was respected by the brands and, unlike me in those first few years, had no trouble getting interviews with the top brass. She attended the fair well into her 90s, and she has my deepest respect for that alone. Covering the Basel fair isn’t for the faint of heart – there are something like 58 km of aisles spread out over 160 000 m². It takes some 40 appointments to really cover it, and you have to sort through hundreds of photos and press releases to make sense of it all. We weren’t just there for the Champagne and the shopping. In fact, during the last few years, there was precious little time for that. Through it all, you could always count on seeing Alice, soldiering along through the watch halls, wearing her signature strand of pearls, notebook in hand.

“I’ve learnt a lot from Alice that has nothing to do with the watch and jewellery industries, or with publishing. She’s an inspiration and a mentor in the sense that she showed me what it was like to be a trooper well beyond the age that a woman

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– especially of her generation – was expected to carry on trooping. She also taught me something about composure and graciousness, in the face of both adversity and good fortune. I went to her house in Johannesburg for dinner once, but the closest I came to meeting her family was when her daughter-in-law accompanied her to Basel one year. You could sense the protective circle around her and the concern that the fair might have become too much for her. I actually don’t think it was; I think she stopped travelling so her family wouldn’t worry so much. I know she’s always prized her children and grandchildren above all.

“My dear Alice, I think this year marks an important birthday for you and I raise my glass from a distance in celebration. I miss our dinners in Basel. Thank you for your friendship!”

I had the pleasurable opportunity to meet with Alice’s elder son, Andrew Levy, at his home office in Atholl, in order to gain additional insights from her closest living relative. He is a very busy man and, as an employment law advisor, is greatly in demand both in international business circles and on the public speaking circuit. His office is reminiscent of the inner sanctum within a hunting and shooting club, with walls lined with musical instruments, trout rods, rifles and an eclectic assortment of gear that attest to his love of music, the outdoors and adventure.

“Your mother’s a remarkable woman. What are your early memories of her?” I asked.

“Music’s in her genes!” he stated. “My earliest musical recollections were from her.

She had a case of 12” ‘shellac’ records – long before the advent of the 33⅓ LP – mostly symphonic recordings that she played for me. It’s where I got my musical influence from. And, of course, she was an accomplished musician herself. She played the piano and I would sing. By the time I was eight, we had a large repertoire of jazz standards of the time… I can remember numbers like Cole Porter’s Foggy day in London Town and Gershwin’s S’Wonderful.

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“She also had an exceptional singing voice. One of the highlights of the year was her performance of the traditional Passover song, Echad Mi Yodea? at the Seder, the traditional Passover dinner and prayer service. At a young age her father had taught her Hebrew and my mother could sing the entire piece in flawless Hebrew without referring to the book. She still does, every year.

“At an early age, she took me to symphony concerts, especially when visiting performers came. She started me on piano lessons. However, I seldom practised. She said: ‘One day you’ll regret it’ – and I do, to this day!”

Although Andrew regrets not having practised more, he is a devoted musician and plays a variety of instruments – he admits to playing his clarinet almost every day.

“My mother also had great photographic talent. Although she wasn’t professionally trained, the foundation she gained at art school gave her a remarkable sense of picture composition. She also had a great sense of fashion, although she wasn’t a slavish follower of trends. But she always dressed impeccably and understood colour co-ordination and style. And she was outstanding at needlecraft – and knitting, too. Other members of the family always sought her advice on what to wear and style trends. In fact, she dressed me as an infant and a child very stylishly… and people often commented.

“Back then, she wasn’t one to buy clothing off the shelf – she knew instinctively what would match and had an unerring sense of what was classy, both in terms of what she wore and how she advised other women in the family. Later, when she started travelling extensively to Switzerland and Italy, she purchased extremely attractive garments that were always understated, but emphasised her great presence. People always commented – and still do – on how immaculately attired she is.

“My mother was something of a feminist – not outspoken, but in a genteel manner.

She never allowed her gender to get in her way. She was, I think, the first female

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graduate of Michaelis. She wasn’t prepared to play second fiddle and always displayed great self-confidence and self-reliance.

“She’s always utterly committed to whatever she does. She puts everything into it and won’t accept second-best for herself – or others! I inherited that trait from her.

“I remember wonderful holidays together with my mother and father. Both were very inclusive and always treated me as an equal, whether giving, teaching or sharing. Especially at the dinner table, our conversations were often quite intellectual and I felt a level of involvement as we debated and they listened to my input on topics revolving around art, music, literature and politics. And it was this sense of ‘you’re one of us’ that developed within me a degree of self-confidence. I was made aware of the political situation and for me, this was important. My mother’s sense of social justice was very well-developed. She was brought up in an orthodox Jewish home and she was more like her father than her mother. She was two years older than her brother, Aubrey, and she was aware that he had certain advantages within the traditional Jewish household. In terms of the views of the time, women were regarded as less important than men. However, she never let this deter her in any of her pursuits or the way she thought.

“She inherited the longevity gene from the Stern side of the family – her father lived to 97 and her mother, Ella Tamaris, was well over 100.”

“You are an admirable woman who has achieved so much in your life. You have taught me amazingly valuable lessons that have stood me in good stead my whole life. I salute you Mom.” David Weil, younger son.

“We are constantly amazed at how adept my Mom is at using a computer and love the ‘gems’ she produces which are eagerly awaited by her loyal fan club in Sydney.”

Patricia Skalsky , daughter.

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Lorna Lloyd, long-time CEO of the Jewellery Council of South Africa, has known Alice for many years. She also contributed: “I met Alice some 35 years ago, which was a long time ago. I remember she worked for what was then known as Diamond News and SA Jeweller magazine, as Assistant Editor and was also in charge of sales. This was, and still is, the official journal of the Jewellery Council of South Africa and is now known as the SA Jewellery News magazine.

“I’d see her at functions with her camera and her little notebook and she’d be mingling with guests. I also remember that she travelled to international shows around the world, specifically Baselworld, and would walk around the show with the South African watch importers/distributors to interview them about the brands they imported. She dressed beautifully and I remember asking her where she bought her clothes. She’d tell me which items she’d bought from which parts of the world.

“Alice was a member of the Jewellex Committee for many years and always had good, practical advice to offer on how we could grow and market the show. She was also a judge of the Best Stand Award for many years and would walk around the show with her clipboard and speak to all the people she’d known for so many years.

She’s always spoken her mind and I believe she’s respected for that.

“On a personal note, Alice has always been very caring to me and even when I went through my sadness, she showed me a great deal of empathy and compassion and gave me advice on life. I have a lot of respect for her and have always looked up to her with much love.”

In turn, Alice speaks very fondly of Lorna. She remembers an incident from the early Nineties when Lorna was doing administration at the Jewellery Council and Michael Goch was her business associate between 1990 and 1997.

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She recalls: “Lorna was a very accomplished woman and one day Michael said to me: ‘Don’t underestimate that young lady – she’s exceptionally competent and bright!’”

He was right. Today Lorna is the CEO of the Jewellery Council of South Africa.

Martin Foster, a journalist and reviewer of watches and luxury items for numerous prestigious publications, including Australian Watchmaker, Jeweller (Australia), Horological Journal (UK), International Watch (USA), Europa Star, TimePiece (UK), TickTalk (NZ) and SA Jewellery News, has known Alice for many years. Over that period, they have frequently met up at Baselworld as fellow journalists.

Martin recalls the delightful experience of accompanying Alice on the Orient Express, which was brought to Basel in 2004 for the entertainment of Omega agents and senior journalists. He contributed the photographs which record the event.

Andrew Meyer, for 19 years the publisher of SA Jewellery News, has worked closely with Alice since he took over the magazine. He explained how they initially met.

“For many years the diamond fraternity had published a magazine called Diamond News and SA Jeweller. In 2000, I approached them with the mandate of taking it over and turning it into a commercial entity. The diamond fraternity wanted to retain ownership of the title and Isikhova Publishing took over the publishing of the magazine. They retrenched everyone (except Alice, who’d been with the magazine for 20 years) and I took over all duties to run it as a commercial enterprise.

“Back then, I already harboured the unconscious bias that people should retire in their 60s and here was Alice, aged 81! However, when I met her, we immediately connected and I made the instantaneous decision to keep her.”

“What was it that made you decide to keep her on?” I asked.

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“In some ways, she took me on! I didn’t have that great a depth of knowledge of the industry and she took me under her wing and taught me an enormous amount. She wrote the back page column and all editorial relating to watches. I soon developed a great respect for her knowledge of the industry and experience through extensive travel.

“In 2008, the diamond fraternity sold the title of SA Jewellery News to the Jewellery Council of SA, with Isikhova retaining publishing rights. Alice is as much a part of the publication today as she was the day we took it on.

“In addition to her editorial contributions, Alice was responsible for part of the advertising revenue – and she was very successful. She had a remarkable way of doing business with people and managed to get them to do things no-one else could. She got people to visit her in her house – top visitors from overseas and even senior De Beers officials. Even though customers knew she’d try to sell them advertising space after speaking to them about news items, she insisted that they visit her in her home. Can you imagine trying that today?

“After many years of working together, there are many things about her I’ve come to admire – her broad general knowledge, enquiring mind, writing ability, photographic talent and her deep interest in all things. We went to countless industry functions and travelled together… and as she’s moved on in years, I’ve never really felt that she’s the age she is. However, there’s one idiosyncrasy of which I did become aware.

Wherever we went or stayed, she always took her own food – she remained very particular about that aspect of her diet.

“What was and remains remarkable is her ability to fit in with people of all ages. I remember a delightful incident relating to a concert. Every year I arranged for the staff to have a fun outing and one year this bunch of 20-something-year-olds decided to go to a Pink Floyd music tribute at the Civic Theatre in Braamfontein – a rock concert! I was sure Alice wouldn’t want to attend, but when I asked her, she replied:

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‘Pink Floyd? I like Pink Floyd!’ And there she was, in her 80s, without doubt the oldest person in the audience, enjoying the event with all the youngsters!

“A few years ago I received a call from Italy. The caller from Vincenza asked me if I thought it was fair to continue sending Alice overseas at her age. I had to reply: ‘I can’t stop her – she’s the one who insists on continuing!’

“A key aspect about Alice has been her determination to retain her independence.

Her driver takes her to shop at Thrupps and she runs her own kitchen. When she could no longer drive and had to take on a driver, she adapted to the new way of doing things. She’s always made the best of every situation. In fact, Alice is the most adaptable person I’ve ever known – and I think that’s been her formula for success: her acceptance of change.

“Alice isn’t big in physique, but she’s always been big in presence. I’ll forever remember her with her camera over her shoulder, her notepad in her hand and a purposeful look in her eye.

“Today, Alice remains a meaningful and respected contributor to the magazine.”

Adri Viviers, SAJN’s Editor since 2008 and in her mid-30s, was amazed at how Alice always slotted in without any problem, always maintaining professional relationships with everyone.

Sarah Levy is Andrew Levy’s daughter and Alice’s granddaughter. She is a law graduate but no longer practises, devoting her time to worthy causes, including the training of corporate groups in unconscious bias.

We met within the vibrant vibe of a popular coffee shop, buzzing with conversation.

After the pleasantries, Sarah launched into an enthusiastic discourse. It was obvious that she reveres and admires her grandmother.

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ALICE WEIL |

My notebook & camera

“All the friends and associates of my generation had grandmothers who never worked. And certainly, it was unheard of to have not one, but two careers! She leaves an enormous legacy to her three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

“For me, one of the truly remarkable things about her is her ability to build relationships. I had the pleasure of accompanying her on two trips to Baselworld and I was amazed at the way she connected with everyone with whom she came into contact.

Her collegiality with other journalists was a lesson in human relationships. And she was so respected that as we walked from one display to the next, she was afforded special privileges. She also got to see the senior people of the various watch brands without difficulty – even the ones who were quite selective about who they’d meet with. In fact, she made friends with an array of interesting people and diplomats, retaining these special relationships over many years.

“In addition to being well-informed, she has a delightful wit – and everyone is prepared to enjoy meaningful conversations with her, not just because she’s so engaging, but also because she’s prepared to debate an issue and even change her mind, when necessary.”

“What other characteristics do you admire about your grandmother?” I enquired.

“She’s the child of Russian Jewish parents whose forefathers had immigrated to South Africa in the mid-1800s. Her family is an example of the great resilience and courage of all early Jewish settlers who forged new lives in foreign countries in challenging circumstances.

“Throughout her life, my grandmother’s been a role model of strength, hard work and determination. As you know, she’s been through some extremely tough times, but she’s always bounced back stronger. She has great belief in herself and her ability as a woman to contribute to her environment meaningfully. I’ve always seen her

ALICE WEIL |

My notebook & camera

44

as a firm supporter of the abilities of women and the contribution they can make – and in some ways, she was a feminist before the term was even recognised.

“She also inspires the younger generation. About five years ago, my daughter Arielle did a presentation at school entitled My Google Granny, in which she shared aspects of her great-grandmother’s amazing life. Because we were living in Durban at the time, Arielle obtained all the information by questions through email with her great-grandmother, who was in her mid-90s!

“Two years ago, both my daughters gave a speech at their great-gran’s 98th birthday – they, too, are very fond of her.

“In fact, about three years ago, when Gabriella was five, she asked me the most amusing question: ‘Mommy, when great-granny was young, was the world in black and white?’

“What are your early memories of your grandmother?” I enquired.

“I remember the fun I had as a young girl playing in the garden of her house in Atholl-Oaklands. What made it so special was the way my grandmother created imaginative scenarios to stimulate our playing and make it enjoyable. I recall her giving me a brass ashtray to use as an imaginary cooking pot and I’d make meals from things I collected in the garden.

“On one occasion – I must have been about four years old – she took me with her to a wedding. She arranged a beautiful lace tablecloth around my head and draped it on my body like a long veil and wedding gown. I still remember how wonderful it made me feel.

“There were also times when she took me to the Civic Theatre to see ballets or pantomimes. I suppose it’s because of all the wonderful memories of things we did

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ALICE WEIL |

My notebook & camera

together and the way she treated me that I feel so very close to her.”

Sarah’s daughter, Arielle, gave the following speech at her great-grandmother’s birthday party.

“Today I am going to talk about my great-granny – Alexandra Stern-Levy-Weil.

She was born 14 March 1919.

That’s 98 years ago “The most interesting thing about my great-granny is that even though she is 98, she still works.

But before I tell you about her career, let me tell you a little about her.

“Alexandra Stern was born in Cape Town in 1919.

Although her name is Alexandra, she is known as Alice and we call her Granny Alice, or I like to call her the Google Granny.

When I was in Cape Town I visited her home in Cape Town.

“Alice went to primary school at the Tamboerskloof Primary School.

She and her friends said that TKPS stood for ‘Teach Kids Proper Sense’ She told me she never minded going to school, as she had lots of friends who lived close by to her house BUT it was a long walk, ESPECIALLY in the heat and the rain, ESPECIALLY as it was uphill.

“Her father, Elias Stern, started the plastics factory called Addis.

Your Tupperware may even have been made by the company.

“She married Aubrey Levy at the Gardens Synagogue in Cape Town and moved to Johannesburg, where she had one child – who is my grandfather, Andrew David Levy.

Aubrey Levy died in 1958, when my grandfather was 11.

ALICE WEIL |

My notebook & camera

46

Soon after that she started working and remarried Alan Weil, also known as ‘Boss’ and had two children, Besi and David.

“She had a good career and then she retired.

That could have been the end of her working life.

“BUT In 1978 she started working as a journalist. She was 59. She worked for a magazine called SA Jeweller and still works for them!

She writes eight articles a month for the magazine and is very well known in the jewellery business.

Through her work she travelled to lots of interesting places, including Hong Kong, Paris, Geneva, Zurich and Venice.

She says the best part of her job was the travel and the many friends she made all around the world.

“I would love to have a career that lets me travel and meet lots of friends.

“So why do I call her the Google Granny?

“She says that work has changed drastically: The work she does has changed because of technology. She uses the Internet for a lot of her research and told me she loves Google!

The way the magazine is produced has also changed.

Also, she says a computer is better than a typewriter!

She really is the Google Granny.”

Currently, Alice spends three or four days a week writing her monthly articles for SA Jewellery News, the pre-eminent publication of the jewellery and watch trade.

Each month she writes two specific articles: one – which she has penned for over

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ALICE WEIL |

My notebook & camera

30 years – is Little Gems, the back-page article. Over the years, the scope and diversity of these articles have been exceptional, always covering unique and fascinating topics in her well-researched and superbly articulate style. The book, which collates an amazing assembly of her Little Gems, is a truly engrossing read. The other piece is her contribution mainly relating to watches, where her incomparable experience and knowledge are legendary.

In addition to South Africa, Alice has been published in the USA and England – and is due to be published in Australia later this year.

Sadly, she is no longer able to go on international flights, but that has not diminished her zest for life.

During one of our last conversations, which always were scheduled for a Monday morning and while we were going through her photograph albums, Alice commented on her love of gardens. “I’m getting ready to plant my spring garden,” she said, looking out from her lounge into the garden.

“Will you be planting bulbs?” I enquired.

“Not this year,” she replied. “But hopefully I can next year!”

“Have you ever considered retirement?” I asked.

“People often ask me that – and my answer’s always the same. I love what I do – it keeps me mentally active and in touch with younger people. As long as my company wants me, I’ll continue to contribute as long as I can.”

I hope Alice does plant bulbs next spring and that they provide her with the beauty she has always so admired. I also continue to look forward to her monthly articles – may her notebook always be filled with new ideas and inspiration.

ALICE WEIL |

My notebook & camera

Alice turns 100 next year!

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Alice as a baby, 23 December 1919.

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Elias and Ella Stern, proud parents with new-born baby Alice.

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Ella and Elias Stern, Alice’s parents.

Alice and her brother Aubrey Stern as young children in 1926.

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Alice aged eight in a dance display.

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Alice at age 21.

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UCT student tour of Europe 1937.

A page from Alice’s album – student tour of Europe, 1937.

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Alice in the 1940s.

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Alice’s wedding to Aubrey Levy in 1943.

A group photo from Alice’s first wedding.

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Alice in the 1950s.

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Alice’s family business started by her father, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 1969.

Alice and her second husband, Alan Weil.

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Alan Weil on the golf course.

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Andrew Levy, Alice’s first-born son.

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David Weil, Alice’s second son.

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Pat Skalsky, Alice’s only daughter.

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Anna, Michael, Pat and Ben Skalsky, Alice’s daughter and family in Australia.

Alice’s daughters-in-law, Ann Levy and the late Suzanne Weil.

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Sarah, Rachel and Daniel Levy, Alice’s grandchildren.

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With grandchildren Daniel and Sarah Levy celebrating working on the magazine for 20 years.

Alice at SIHH in Switzerland, International Watch Show – Geneva.

Visiting Omega, watch company.

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Alice judging jewellery for a competition with Sharon Cohen.

Alice and businessman Tokyo Sexwale.

Alice’s signature page at the back of every issue of SA Jewellery News since 1988.

Basel Fair in Switzerland, the world’s premium watch show.

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Alice next to the statue of Charlie Chaplin in Montreux in the 1980s.

The flower clock garden in Geneva, Switzerland.

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Dinner in Basel with Jim James (journalist).

An award given to Alice in July 2000 by the Vicenza Fair in Italy for support given to the Italian jewellery industry.

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Alice with the Jewellex Committee in mid-2000. (From left): Arnold Hirschman (Chairman), Lorna Delport (later Lloyd) from the Jewellery Council of SA, Alice (SA Jewellery News representative on the Jewellex Committee), Ivonah Heck (JCSA) and Rowan Jacobson (CJR).

Alice receiving a certificate from the then Chairman of the Jewellex Committee, Arnold Hirschman, for services rendered to the industry over many years.

Alice with Ivan Hayden, past Chairman of the Jewellery Council of SA.

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A birthday function organised by Bernard and Hilary Stern for Alice.

At Jewellex in 2006 with the launch of the first daily newspaper for the Trade Fair, Jewellex Today. (From left): Karen Haverson (Editor), Alice (editorial team), Ayleen Chiladis (Advertising Sales), Jenny Justice (Advertising Sales) and Gill Hyslop (Editor).

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Alice with Andrew Meyer, CEO of Isikhova Publishing and publisher of SA Jewellery News since 2000.

At a jewellery function in the early 2000s. (From left): Alice, Michael Ellis, Lorna (Delport) Lloyd and Sarel Snyman.

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A trip on the Orient Express during a special function at the Basel Show with journalist Martyn Foster on the right. The person in the middle is unknown.

Alice on the Orient Express next to an actor impersonating detective Hercule Poirot.

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Alice in a field of wild narcissi with Rosemarie Dudli.

Alice at a spa in Switzerland.

One of Alice’s favourite cities, Lucerne in Switzerland, with the original old wooden bridge before a fire destroyed it. It was subsequently rebuilt.

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Alice in Vicenza with Italian journalist Brunelde Rivoli.

Lorna (Delport) Lloyd, Lionel Noach and Alice.

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Gold Sponsors

Thank you to Colin Biddle and the team at Bacher & Co

Stern family

Thank you to Bernard, Hillary and the Stern family.

Silver Sponsors CJR Gift Sales Cape Precious Metals The Diamond Dealers Club of South Africa European Gemological Laboratory of Gemology Jack Friedman The Jewellery Council of South Africa Luxco Importers The Tanzanite Company Dr PetrĂŠ Prins Picot & Moss SM Watch Sundelson Brothers Swatch Group Treger Brands AA Watch

ALICE My notebook & camera

ALICE WEIL

WEIL

My notebook & camera

The biography of a remarkable woman MICHAEL PRYKE Approximately three years ago, Gabriella (Alice Weil’s great-granddaughter) asked her mom the following: “Mommy, when great-granny was young, was the world in black and white?”

“All the friends and associates of my generation had grandmothers who never worked. It certainly was unheard of to have not one, but two careers! She leaves an enormous legacy to her three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.”

Sarah Levy, granddaughter “A key aspect about Alice has been her determination to retain her independence. Her driver takes her to shop at Thrupps and she runs her own kitchen. When she could no longer drive and had to take on a driver, she adapted to the new way of doing things. She’s always made the best of every situation. In fact, Alice is the most adaptable person I’ve ever known – and I think that has been her formula for success: her acceptance of change.”

Andrew Meyer, Publisher of SA Jewellery News “She also had an exceptional singing voice. One of the highlights of the year was her performance of the traditional Passover song, Echad Mi Yodea? at the Seder, the traditional Passover dinner and prayer service. At a young age her father had taught her Hebrew and my mother could sing the entire piece in flawless Hebrew without referring to the book. She still does, every year.”

Andrew Levy, elder son

ISBN number 978-0-620-81085-2

MICHAEL PRYKE

“I’ve learnt a lot from Alice that has nothing to do with the watch and jewellery industries, or with publishing. She’s an inspiration and a mentor in the sense that she showed me what it was like to be a trooper well beyond the age that a woman – especially of her generation – was expected to carry on trooping. She also taught me something about composure and graciousness, in the face of both adversity and good fortune.”

Carol Besler, international journalist

ALICE My notebook & camera

WEIL MICHAEL PRYKE