bigsinky

The price for an unadorned gold bracelet. Beads for the bracelet sold separately.

Bracelets approx £1000

16 beads + 4 spacers x £150. for the bracelet. = £3000 (I am taking £150 as an average here)

total price £4000

I dont want to be cheap but that is taking the pish. I know I/she could buy the beads over time but **** me that's a dear old bit of jewelry.

Lady Luck

Personally, I find it all an overpriced over hyped gimmick that someone couldnt pay me to wear due to the sheer cost of it.

You can find the same murano beads etc by other reputable makers for a fraction of the cost.

Question is, would the lady notice if you gave her a £4k pandora or a £300 leading competitor brand?

(price made up there like)

bigsinky

she wouldn't care, just so long as it looked pretty.

GlesgaKiss

What's wrong with a pearl necklace?

Lady Luck

Get her the cheaper one and then if she complains its the snidey cheap one, tell her you'll buy her summat else with the money saved... it would work on me

Both free AND on trend. win win all round.

mgcvk

It is an overpriced gimmick but is now a very strong brand. My mate does the electrics for the stores in Yorkshire and they are opening more and more. On the other hand, my wife was bought a bracelet with one charm by her aunt and it is an easy birthday present for a bloke to go and buy a charm or two. Prices start from £20 I think and this is why they are doing so well. Personally I wouldn't buy any of the gold stuff in Pandora as it is trinkety. If you are looking at spending thousands I would be looking at proper grown up jewelry. Get yourself down Hatton Garden and have a haggle!

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

And that right there is their secret. It's marketing genius and if you saw the International Jewllery Trade Show in London this year the number of copycat brands is amazing (leaving aside the fact that Pandora copied the idea in the first place).

While I take your point on the price they offer lots of far cheaper alternatives, market well and are building one heck of a brand. Best of luck to them.

bigsinky

had a look at the cheaper stuff and some of the silver stuff is quite reasonable circa £80 - £150. I think the shock has worn off me now and as others have said the old pearl necklace is pretty much a win - win for me

Lee247

I love the Pandora stuff, as does my daughter and most of her friends.
Silver is the most popular, obviously for the price. But it really is excellent quality. Loads and loads of charms.
One of my Clients has opened a shop dedicated to Pandora, you have no idea how much money he is taking

Clarebabes

I came across this guy today: http://www.lampworkbeadsbyrob.com/index.htm

I would much rather this type of thing than the Love Links type stuff

mgcvk

Yes, but people are like sheep! Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.....

Clarebabes

Yes, they are. Shame!

deanb1980

£4000 would buy a nice rolex or a very nice tiffany bracelet with loads of change

njkmrs

I wouldnt mind seeing more of Pandoras Box !!!

Turbohot

A friend of mine's 16 yr. old son broke his EMA money to get her GF a 20 quido pandora bracelet for her birthday. Mummy was heartbroken when her son deserted her in Traffod Centre for this gift hunting for his young love. My friend said that it was sod all to look at. Only a few beads in a string, with an initial engraved metal square hanging to it.

I don't know what the fuss is about. I must go and check this pandora stuff out this weekend.

billythekid

My wife has a pandora bracelet. Its full now, almost all silver charms. Got 2 or 3 charms for occasions / treats over a couple of years - soon filled up. Got her a gold love heart charm (£250 ish IIRC ) on our wedding day.

She wants another bracelet so she can start another one...

Still, its worth it as it means I always have something to get her!

Hysteria1983

I think it is a bit of a branded item, BUT they are selling well.

I have a leather one rather then the silver bracelet as I am not into silver in a big way, but I do not like the gold Pandora items as they are over priced and look a bit tacky.

The price can vary a lot, and the leather ones are cheaper, and are a lot more casual than silver or gold.

I have had mine for a while now, and I didn't know anything about the brand at the time, I just loved how different it was.

I think any women to be given onw would be pleased, especially as they can be so personal and individual. Also it gives you plenty of birthday and Christmas gifts on a plate.

r32

Pandora ................

Ah the planet that Avatar was filmed on, no wonder the stuff is fecking expensive. They (the Green People) shut the mine down!

CrisPDuk

MrsD has one, as does the step-daughter.

I've told both of them that the only way they'll get me to buy them the charms is if they bring out a sheep one

Turbohot

Yes, Billy The Kid's post has kind of said what makes pandora so sellable. Their products are making huge profits by encashing consumer's eccentricity. Males go to model shops to gets bits and pieces to keep adding to their remote controlled helicopters etc, now women can also have pandora to hobby themselves with, in similar way. Panadora make pretty bracelets to keep adding shiny charms to, they make well-crafted beads to keep adding to the existing collection, they make stackable rings etc. etc. in silver and 14k gold. You can just keep buying (or let him buy for you) one after another to add to your collection! It's like once you pop, you can't flippin' stop! Great business idea of pandora enterprise, and it keeps female population chilled It is definitely better than buying millions of garden gnomes, one after the other, to light your face up.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Pandora is a great marketing concept - but it is by no means anything like the most expensive.

Links look cheaper but cost more - check out Storywheels and then faint!

zip106

So is Elizabeth Duke out of favour now?

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Must just be me, but I'm not a huge fan.

It's all too chunky and fussy for my taste, but I can see the appeal. And like said, charms are easy future presents.

I'm more in favour of more individual, different jewellery if you like. Stuff you'd see if you were looking hard for it, but not expensive.

I'd far rather have a gift that some real thought went into that was my style, than something popular that imo is quite overpriced. That is no offence to people who like it, it's just not my cup of tea.

Lady Luck

+1

Hysteria1983

I feel the same. My jewelry albeit limited is just that, limited. Most is hand crafted, one of only a few made. So this didn't really have any appeal. But it is the sort of thing that I just couldn't forget.
I was in two minds about it because the silver does look over priced, and cheap. One of the reasons I stick with the leather.

I can see how they are not everyones cup of tea, as they can look generic. But ad there are literally 100's of charms it can be quite unique.

Lady Luck

I don't wear jewellery, I wish I could but it annoys me and i end up never wearing it. I've bought countless fancy necklaces and bracelets but they all end up in the same place - my bedside drawer!

I wear my wedding ring / engagement ring, one on the other hand and thats it. I have loads of piercings so anything I do buy has to be silver / white gold to match them, spose I come with built in jewellery

If i was to buy a new piece of jewellery it would have to be something i know i wouldnt see 50 other people wearing in town on a Saturday, regardless of the possible combinations.

I stick to cheap and cheery costume jewellery if i need summat for a night out as it usually ends up broke or slung away

RJM25R

iTrader: (1)

They do look nice, but thy are expensive for what they are. At the end of the day they are just 'fashion' jewellery, a nice gold chain and cross or a diamond ring are always gonna be in fashion and potentially a family 'heirloom'

You pays your money....

Hysteria1983

I have never worn costume jewelry, other than on stage 'back in the day', up until about a month ago.

The necklace and cross, engagement and eternity ring are all I wear. Oh and a pair of studs. I'm not fond of yellow gold, so they are all White/yellow combinations.

Unfortunately I did some major damage to my cross and had to have it fixed. Luckily as it's hand made, it doesn't look odd now it's not 100% perfect. the only thing is, the fixing needs attention now, so it means another trip to Birmingham as I will only let one man touch it.

I have never wanted something that loads of people have either. Like you Lady Luck I like things to be one or few of a kind. That's why I don't own much. My chain was a gift from my fiancé for our first Christmas together, and it's the only one I wear. I'm gutted that it's not wearable at the moment, but most people won't even consider repairing it

Lee247

It's amazing how it has took off. Like I said, I do like it. I don't wear it though.
I'll stick with my toe rings

mgcvk

Build a Bear is the same sort of concept for kids. Very clever really to get repeat business from the same clients. Why can't I think of an idea?