Ballout locks into jewellery niche

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Monday September 13, 2010 00:00

Ballout has struck a niche market in the jewellery manufacturing industry which is still a new field in the country. She said the jewellery manufacturing business she has been running for eight years is striving.  Unlike most Batswana who like whining, Ballout is not complaining about business.  Ballout, who has been operating at African Mall in Gaborone, is even thinking about expanding her business. She revealed that they are intending to open another workshop at a new shopping complex near the Gaborone bus rank. She also intends to open branches in places like Palapye and Maun.  Ballout said her customers are from all over the country. 

She has since realised that Batswana are also into 'bling', especially necklaces. However, she noticed that the local people cannot differentiate between real gold and a gold plated jewellery piece. As a result, traders take customers for a ride.  Ballout's business entails manufacturing rings of nine and 18 gold carats. They also repair watches as well as renewing rings and other jewellery.  In addition, they fix frames for spectacles. Another service includes the setting of cubics and diamonds on rings.  Most of their customers are bridal couples.

They design the rings according to the customers' specifications. They also buy gold jewellery.  Ballout says customers can also bring their old jewellery and they could smelt it to produce rings.  

Ballout revealed that her company has just acquired manufacturing equipment. 'We are about to embark on mass production,' she discloses.

Currently, she employs 15 people but intends to increase the staff once the business expands.  Ballout's future plans include opening a jewellery school. She has realised that many Batswana are not into jewellery manufacturing. The only challenge that her business faces is that of sourcing raw materials.  Gold, which is one of the materials that is needed, is not available in the country. She has to source the product from South Africa. The same applies to precious stones. Ballout said it is also not easy to acquire a licence to buy diamonds from Debswana.  She said the companies that have been granted such licences belong to foreigners. She considers this to be ironic because the country is one of the top diamond producers in the world.

She said she has often been approached by foreign tourists who want rings that are designed with Botswana diamonds. However, she has found it difficult to source diamonds from local suppliers.