Back with a bang… it’s Collector’s Corner!

After a little break during the Summer which extended into the Autumn (oops!) we are back with our weekly feature Collector’s Corner!

This evening we are chatting with one of our favourite readers and commenters, Pandora Collector Pat Wolf.

Good evening Pat, welcome to Collector’s Corner! I’ve just popped the kettle on and we can have a nice chin wag over a cup of tea. First, can you tell us how long you have you been collecting Pandora?

I think it’s been around 6 years. My first bracelets were the Pink Double Leather and the Grey Leather which I received free as a gift with purchase.

We all love a good Pandora promotion! So what was it that made you first fall in love with Pandora?

My very first European charm bracelet was by Rhona Sutton from Argos. I had a £20 voucher to spend and I was looking through their jewellery collection on the Internet and found a £125 bracelet that had been reduced to £19.99. The only one in the entire country was at my local store! I loved it so started researching the concept and came across Pandora. So when I saw the free Pandora Leather Bracelet promotion I thought I should try them. I’ve never looked back!

Could you tell us a little bit about your collection?

I like to have different coloured bracelets to match different outfits so I tend to colour theme more than anything. But my blue bracelet is also bird themed and my white one is flower themed. When I first started collecting I used to just put everything together but my bracelets have become more organised and themed overtime as Pandora have given me more bracelets and I have bought more charms. 

I originally didn’t put charms on my Pandora bangles but I have recently started to wear one charm on a bangle as a feature. But I may well take them off in future to put into a bracelet design. The charms I use have previously been part of other designs but ended up superfluous when I have found more suitable charms to take their place. For example, the pink Love & Hope beads used to be on my pink bracelet. 

I have also just started what I call a Memory Bracelet. This is one that commemorates memories of my family. Like when my parents bought me my Teddy Bear (which I still have); the time my Grandparents took me to Scarborough and I had my photograph taken with a monkey; the time my mum was scared by a mouse in the house so my dad put a fake mouse in the kitchen drawer; how my Nanna told me that we had to crush our eggshells otherwise the fairies at the bottom of the garden would use them as boats and sail away, and also Nanna’s swear word was ‘stars’; and how my husband is always trying to get rid of the slugs and snails in our garden.

I like to create colour themed designs to match my outfits too. I love the sound of your Memory Bracelet. Plus the picture of you and the monkey is too cute! What is your favourite piece of Pandora jewellery from your collection?

That probably changes more often than I change my underwear, lol, but at the moment it’s my pale pink bracelet. The silver one. Not the gold clasp one or the two leather ones, or the deep pink one with orange. I have a problem! lol ?

I think we all do! Really I should change the title of ‘Collector’s Corner’ to ‘Pandora Addicts’! So Pat, do you tend to keep your Pandora bracelet designs together or make up bracelets for different occasions?

I keep them made up but if I see something that would fit better on one of my bracelets then I will change things around. For example, I got a Magnolia charm in the recent 3 for 2 promotion. I planned to add it on the sparkly pink friendship style bracelet. But I liked it so much on my pale pink bracelet that I had to get another one! Then of course, another charm for on the sparkly bracelet. ?

Oh well! At least you were saving in the 3 for 2! Can you share with us what items are currently on your Pandora wishlist?

I want the Butterfly Clasp Bracelet and the safety chain for my green bracelet, then the Pavé Heart Clasp Bracelet which will be free in the promotion. I just want to wear it with my Pavé Open My Heart clips on it. Also if I can track any down, I want the clear versions. Sadly I decided too late and everywhere seems to have sold out since they were included in the last Pandora sale. Really I would also like to put two different colours of the Open Heart clips on the bracelet. I actually bought the pink one with that in mind. Unfortunately Pandora have not released any other colours, but I’d like a pale blue one. I did get the striped version but ended up not being happy with that look. So I bought another one and put the two of them on my multicoloured bracelet instead. This is how things change, lol ?

And so the addiction… ahem collection grows!
As a Pandora collector how do you feel about the direction Pandora has taken during 2019?

I’m not overly fond of the robot charms but I love the way you styled the Floral Bella Bot so I might have to get her for my memories bracelet for my Nanna. I still like all the hearts and flowers but there are only so many of those a girl can have.

Ahh I am glad you liked the Floral Bella Bot designs. I do like some of the more fun Pandora charms like the Bots but I understand they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. Oh no! I’ve forgotten the tea…

[Rushes to make a fresh pot of tea]

Sorry Pat I was enjoying our chat so much I completely forgot the tea! Help yourself to milk and sugar. Oooh and do try one of my gingerbread men.

So back to Pandora… What would you like to see from them in the future?

More colours options for the Pavé Open My Heart clip of course! They made quite a few different colours in the Cosmic Stars range and I would also have liked to have seen clasps to match. I love the idea of clips to match the clasp, or having different colours in the same style as the clasp. I think they could be worn alone or a few different ones together in a stack. 

I have the Sparkling Heart Clasp Bracelet and for a long time only wore it with the matching clips. It was only since the recent sale that I put the Tassel charm on it but I’ve not actually worn it like that yet. Also I need a Sweetie/Toffee charm for my memory bracelet for my youngest son.

Oooh I love the simplicity of the Tassel charm on the bracelet. It look beautiful! Pat, I know you don’t have many Disney charms so what collaboration would you like to see Pandora make in the future?

True I don’t actually collect Disney charms but I do have a few pieces, just because I like them rather than because I’m a fan of Disney. I have never really given any thought to a collaboration but I would like a He-Man charm for my Memory Bracelet for my eldest son.

Thank you so much for visiting Pat! It has ben an absolute delight chatting with you and I hope you get the missing charms for your Memory Bracelet.

Please email me at dora@theartofpandora.com, if you would like to feature on Collector’s Corner.