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Original poster

to not understand the Pandora obsession?

235 replies

MycatsaPirate · 27/11/2017 20:23

Just that really!

A neighbour of ours is obsessed with it, every Christmas/birthday/mother's day she is constantly tagging her husband on fb with endless Pandora ads saying 'hint hint hubby!'. She has loads of it. And so does one of my DSD's.

Why spend so much money on stuff that so many other people are also wearing?

Each to their own but I don't get it. And surely it will be worth nothing in a few years time?

I'm not overly bothered about jewellery, I wear my engagement ring (which was made specifically for me) and a pair of pretty plain white gold earrings every day .

Would just love to know why Pandora is so popular? And why some people want the entire collection?

OP posts:
Eleanorsummer · 28/11/2017 14:29

I think it is overrated, guess some people jump on the bandwagon, but they have some nice rings.

LaurieMarlow · 28/11/2017 14:41

I don't have anything Pandora myself, but my experience is that those who do feel that the charms have a lot of meaning for them.

If people don't understand that and are bemused by it, then I suggest you try harder to understand rather than simply hoke up the judgy pants. Talk to these people, get their point of view, understand it from their side.

custarddinosaur · 28/11/2017 14:51

And surely it will be worth nothing in a few years' time?

Correct - I was browsing in a jeweller's shop recently and while I was there, someone came in wanting to sell some second-hand Pandora charms. They were very put out to discover that they were worth precisely the scrap silver value by weight (not much) and that the jeweller wasn't interested in buying otherwise.

SleepFreeZone · 28/11/2017 14:56

You'll find that most jewellery doesn't hold its value. You've only got to see the value of engagement and wedding rings once the relationship breaks down and you want to flog them. Unless they're very special you won't get your money back.

bowtieandheels · 28/11/2017 15:02

Totally agree, don’t get it at all and I’m a jewellery lover! Why would you pay so much for something so common, understand splashing out on a rare or unusual thing but everyone has those bracelets. Glad you started this thread as I really thought it was just me!

Lea060398 · 28/11/2017 15:06

My pandora bracelet holds charms gifted to me from my son from birth (bought by my DH) up to the year my son died. May be worthless tat in some people’s eyes but to me it is priceless. Each to their own I guess.

DeloresJaneUmbridge · 28/11/2017 15:09

I have a Pandora bracelet bought for me by a friend and I treasure it. I only very put Pandora charms on it but I also buy from wholesale jewellers who buy in bulk and sell far cheaper than Pandora. My charms are half the price of th shop ones.

My SIL works in a jewellers and so I know the mark up on stuff. Pandora knocks most jewellers out of the water for mark up.

HenryBride · 28/11/2017 15:23

I've never been a fan of pandora as it's not my style and there seems to be copies of it everywhere (I know trollbeads was the original, so pandora is the copycat), but you can get the same thing from Thomas Sabo, Hot Diamonds and plenty others.

I think it's great for a price point that teenagers can buy their own and buy it for their friends.

I haven't ever seen someone over the age of 23 wearing it.

Will Monica Vinader eventually go the same way for the 30+ women and be seen as tacky in 5 years time?

Valerrie · 28/11/2017 15:54

Bizarre. I'm 35 and I wear one. My GP is in her 50s and wears two. The head at my son's school wears one and she's in her 60s.

Valerrie · 28/11/2017 15:55

Why would you pay so much for something so common

Because I like it?

Because I wanted one?

Because it's fuck all to do with anyone else?

Oh, and "pay so much"? The bracelets are available for about £35 and the beads start at £20. That's really not much.

ferrier · 28/11/2017 16:00

That seems a lot to me. And that' s what I don't get about so much 'designer' stuff.
I wear jewellery that costs £10 and has more individuality. I do have a couple of 'proper' stones which I adore too.
But things like Pandora, Ugg, Radley, even All Saints, I'm sorry I don't get them either.

RJnomore1 · 28/11/2017 16:16

See, I like radley because I think it's well made and well designed and cheap. I don't think it's a designer brand or a status symbol by any means though. They do make good quality nice coloured leather bags though. I get lots of use out of them.

Also thinking about it things like pandora and uggs I do think of more as teenage fads?

SheGotBetteDavisEyes · 28/11/2017 16:45

Ugg sheepskin slippers are fairly amazing in winter to be fair.

Animation86 · 28/11/2017 17:08

See I'm a big kid at 31 really though, im all about pandora, VS Pink and falling for Hollister.

Not ready to grow up yet. A radley would be nice but its not my style.

MadForlt · 28/11/2017 17:28

people can not like what they want, no problem with that. The instant they post about 'not getting why some people like X', that becomes sneery.

No, not necessarily. If I was to say 'I don't get why' it would be because either a) I was genuinely interested to understand or b) to end the conversation on the subject as in 'I don't get it, but me not getting it isn't important so let's move on' (I wouldn't use those words but that would be the meaning). I don't get the Pandora love. But that's ok. People that love Pandora probably wouldn't get my choices either. I'm OK with that.

MadForlt · 28/11/2017 17:28

I've never heard of VS Pink. Maybe I'm in the wrong thread

Original poster
MycatsaPirate · 28/11/2017 17:39

lethaldrizzle Not superior, no.

I have skin which reacts badly to most metals. Therefore my engagement ring is platinum as gold makes my skin blister and my earrings are white gold which I can get away with as they are small hoops. I can't wear any other jewellery or even a watch as it just blisters and weeps. Even a watch marketed as being for those allergic brought me up in blisters and I just wouldn't want my dp or anyone else to buy me something I couldn't wear.

You clearly have an issue with the thread but less of the personal attacks eh?

OP posts:
Original poster
MycatsaPirate · 28/11/2017 17:40

animation I have no idea what VS Pink is? But DD1 brought back some Hollister body spray from the US last year and it's amazing! Smells like watermelon. I am a convert!

OP posts:
mehhh · 28/11/2017 17:42

The odd ring or necklace think are nice but all in all I'm not a fan

ShotsFired · 28/11/2017 17:56

There is an awful lot of anger from Pandora owners on here. Someone simply saying they don't like your choice of jewellery doesn't mean they are casting aspersions on you as a human.

I hate all shopping so live in clothes almost exclusively from Sainsbury's- I expect that would be laughed at by many people but I don't think that means they hate me as a person for it!

Bluntness100 · 28/11/2017 18:01

I think it’s a good marketing strategy. They have priced it at just affordable, because if it was too cheap people would not value it at all. If it was more expensive, like links, it would have a much more limited customer base. So it’s pricing strategy has hit the sweet spot in thr market.

They have also tried to market it as higher end than its price point. I’m not sure anyone believes it, but the two combined does make people who could not afford jewellery otherwise, have a collection and feel they have something of a little value.

It’s not my style, but I have very plain simple tastes in jewellery, pearl studs, watch, plain silver bangle, wedding end engagement rings. I don’t wear any necklaces, anything large or anything colourful, or anything fashiony. So I’m not their demographic.

I think they have found a gap in the market in positioning fashion jewellery at the higher end of easily affordable and widely accessible, and it’s worked very successfully. Thr charms are a master stroke because it basically guarantees them a continued income stream.

Clearly people like it and enjoy wearing it so it’s a win win.

Hulababy · 28/11/2017 18:04

VS Pink is an off shot of Victoria's Secret. It is more aimed at the teen/college student demographic and sells more sports and lounge wear type stuff.

forceslover · 28/11/2017 18:07

I love my Pandora bracelet and I can’t say I care what anyone thinks of it to be honest. It’s seems to be a look down your nose at people sort of thread to me, stop being so sneery.

dingdongdigeridoo · 28/11/2017 18:10

Jewellery has terrible resale value. If you’ve ever seen a TV show where someone pawns an antique ring or something to pay the rent, that’s bollocks. Unless it’s desirable because it’s from a certain brand or in a sought after style. So yeah, a lot of Pandora will be in charity shops in a few years.

I think it’s boring but their marketing is genius. Make people queue outside so it seems all exclusive. Sell beads with about 10p of silver in them for over £20 by putting them in a shitload of packaging. However, I can’t hate them as my hard to buy for SIL loves the brand, and it saves my life every birthday and Xmas!

OwlKiss · 28/11/2017 18:23

I didn't know what they were, and just looked at the website.

There don't seem to be that many different charms available. I don't see how everyone is managing to keep buying charms that are deeply personal and significant to them. Half the ones I looked at seemed to be related to Minnie Mouse. Or am I looking in the wrong place?

I thought there were going to be loads of different ones.

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