South Africa has plentiful reserves of high-quality gold and diamonds. For hundreds of years, these precious resources have been used in magnificent items of jewellery, coveted the world over. South African gold and diamonds are well worth exploring.

In recent years, major players such as De Beers and AngloGold Ashanti have put considerable effort into the development of the industry, supported by the South African Jewellery Council. Initiatives such as gold jewellery design competitions and investments in gold jewellery manufacturers like Oroafrica are complemented by efforts to train young African designers in jewellery manufacturing.

The industry is primarily based in the Gauteng and Western Cape regions, with some manufacturing existing in the Durban and Bloemfontein areas. But you will find retail jewellery outlets in all major centres across South Africa.

Gold jewellery is extremely wearer-friendly, as pure gold doesn't react with other elements to create tarnish. To get the full effect of this when buying gold jewellery, it is important to understand the system used to describe the percentage of pure gold a piece contains. The higher the carat number, the higher the percentage of gold in the piece.

South African diamonds, possibly more coveted even than gold, are also subject to a system of quality assurance. When buying a diamond, always ask to see a copy of its certificate, as this is your only guarantee of the quality and value of that diamond.

Be mindful of the carat weight, which is the actual weight of the diamond; its clarity, as the fewer irregularities or imperfections, the more valuable the diamond is; its colour, because colourless diamonds are the most valuable; and its cut (not shape), which gives a diamond its brilliance and determines the number of facets in it.

Shopping for food and fashion is a favourite preoccupation of stylish travellers the world over.

With ever-more South African fashion designers showcasing their collections in the fashion capitals of the world, the famous by-line, New York, London, Milan and Paris, will soon include the suffix: Mzansi (a popular nickname for South Africa).

Unquestionably one of South Africa’s top food and fashion spots is Sandton City, in Johannesburg. Among the largest shopping malls in southern Africa, here you’ll find Avenue des Champs-Élysées stores like Louise Vuitton, Dior, Yves St Laurent and Chanel, along with local fashion celebs like Marion and Lindie, David Tlale and Jenni Button.

For lunch, it has to be the adjoining Nelson Mandela Square, where you can stretch out your legs (to show off your latest Laboutin platform pumps), and mull over whether to eat seafood, steak, haute African, Thai or posh Indian from the myriad restaurants on the piazza.

In northern Johannesburg, within an 11km radius of Sandton, you’ll find even more must-visit places to shop for food and fashion. Hyde Park Corner, Rosebank Mall and the leisure and lifestyle precinct of Melrose Arch stock international clothing labels and funky local designers galore.

Hungry shoppers will delight in Hyde Park Corner’s Asian-inspired, seafood and steakhouse restaurants, while Melrose Arch's and Rosebank's chic outdoor piazzas are adored by those who love to preen and be seen eating at upmarket franchise restaurants.

Nearer to central Johannesburg, 44 Stanley Avenue is style-central for food- and fashion-seekers. Unusual clothing outlets with Africa-inspired fashion go well with the selection of artisan bakeries and trendy outdoor cafés serving planet-friendly food.

Not to be outdone, Cape Town is also foremost with its food and fashion offerings.