REVIEW: Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Charms
“Imagination is the only weapon in the war with reality.”
Enter Alice’s wonderland with these enchanting Disney x Pandora charms!
The Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland range was released earlier this year as part of the Pandora Spring 2021 Collection. One of the most magical stories ever written is Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Filled with colourful scenes and quirky characters, it is an ideal palette to create outstanding Pandora charms.
Pandora kindly gifted me my three favourite pieces from the Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Collection; the Unbirthday Party Teapot (799345C01), The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (799348C01) and the Cheshire Cat & Absolem Caterpillar (799361C00) charms.
Dora Explores: Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Unbirthday Party Teapot Charm
Everyone who knows me, can testify about my love of tea and Pandora tea themed charms. I already have the retired Tea Cup (790361) charm along with both the retired two tone Teapot (790250) and the Enchanted Tea Pot (797065CZ) charms. However there is always room for more tea and more tea themed charms and I was delighted to receive the new Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Unbirthday Party Teapot (799345C01).
There are a few things that really set it apart from the other Pandora teapot charms. First, the core runs through the spout of the teapot design. Besides being aesthetically pleasing, this also means the spout won’t catch on your clothes. Secondly, a tiny pocket watch hangs beneath the teapot with the Dormouse clasping onto the little silver chain. And thirdly, there is a sleepy-eyed Dormouse with a brown enamel nose hiding inside!
The core of the Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Unbirthday Party Teapot (799345C01) has been cleverly placed. It runs through the teapot at an angle with the handle placed to one side of the core. A Victorian style pattern of silver roses decorates the teapot which is hand finished with bright blue enamel.
The details on the Alice in Wonderland Unbirthday Party Teapot are superb! But Lewis Carroll fans may notice that the charm is based on Walt Disney’s adaption of Alice in Wonderland and not the book. For instance, the pocket watch on the charm belongs to the White Rabbit who Alice first spotted rushing around declaring, “I shall be too late!”. His watch is stuck at 12:25 and the Mad Hatter discovers the watch is two days late and attempts to repair it. Unfortunately it ends up smashed and the White Rabbit laments that the was an unbirthday present.
In the original story by Lewis Carroll, the White Rabbit does not attend the tea party. Instead, the watch at the tea party belongs to the Mad Hatter. After falling out with Time, it is perpetually set at six o’clock, time for tea.
The hallmarks have been discreetly positioned on the Disney x Pandora Unbirthday Party Teapot. One side of the core is stamped with ‘©Disney’ while ‘PANDORA’ is engraved on the other side. The normal Pandora hallmark for silver, ‘S925 ALE’ is engraved on the oxidised base of the teapot.
Dora Explores: Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat & Absolem Caterpillar Charm
The Disney x Pandora Cheshire Cat & Absolem Caterpillar (799361C00) charm beautifully illustrates two scenes from Alice in Wonderland. One side features Alice and Absolem surrounded by mushrooms. The caterpillar instructs Alice that eating the mushroom on one side will make her taller, but the other side will make her smaller. A leafy vine attractively frames the entire scene.
On the other side of the Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat & Absolem Caterpillar charm, the Cheshire Cat grins inanely from his tree perch. Beneath the tree, path leads to the mysterious gates of the Wonderland forest. Another curly vine weaves around the scene to create a decorative border.
Embossed and cut out leaves decorate the sides of the Disney x Pandora Cheshire Cat & Absolem Caterpillar (799361C00) charm. Engraved on the top of the charm is the line ‘Nothing is impossible’. This is taken from the Alice in Wonderland quote, “Door: Why it’s simply impassible! Alice: Why, don’t you mean impossible? Door: No, I do mean impassible. (chuckles) Nothing’s impossible!”
The normal Pandora hallmarks for silver jewellery, ‘S925 ALE’ and ‘Pandora’ are engraved around the whole on one side of the Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat & Absolem Caterpillar charm.
The ‘©Disney’ mark is engraved on the other side of the Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat & Absolem Caterpillar.
Dora Explores: Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland & The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Charm
The Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland & The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (799348C01) charm is full of wow factor! On the rim of the hat, a shrunken Alice stands primly with her hands clasped behind her back as she peers at a little silver butterfly. Bright blue enamel is hand painted onto her dress while magenta, yellow and red enamel decorates the roses.
The other side of the The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party charm reveals a few playing cards with red enamel hearts are tucked into the ribbon of the hat for safe keeping. A large white enamel sign displays the price of the hat as ten shillings and sixpence showing that the Mad Hatter is either a great businessman or as mad as his name suggests!
Interestingly the phrase ‘As mad as a hatter’ is based on actual hatters going mad from using harmful chemicals in their hat making. For example mercurous nitrate was used in curing felt and prolonged exposure to the vapours caused mercury poisoning.
A small butterfly sits on top of the Alice in Wonderland & The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party charm. Well, it is small compared to the size of the hat but huge in comparison to Alice!
Engraved on one side of the Disney x Pandora The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party charm are the words, ‘We’re all mad here’. This is part of famous quote of the Cheshire Cat explaining to Alice, “We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
The hallmarks are nicely positioned on the Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland & The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (799348C01) charm. Hidden inside the hat is the standard Pandora hallmark for silver jewellery, ‘S925 ALE’. The other two hallmarks, ‘PANDORA’ and ‘©Disney’ are engraved on bottom of the hat’s rim.
Down the Rabbit Hole
“It was all very well to say “Drink me,” but the wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry. “No, I’ll look first,” she said, “and see whether it’s marked ‘poison’ or not.”
Lewis Carroll, alice in wonderland
“But it’s no use now,” thought poor Alice, “to pretend to be two people! Why, there’s hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!”
LEWIS CARROLL, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English).”
LEWIS CARROLL, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
My first styling with the new Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland charms is a mini design set on the lightweight Pandora Moments Mesh Bracelet (596543). I love using the Mesh bracelet for scaled down styles and it is especially comfortable to wear in warmer weather.
The new Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland charms harmonise beautifully with the retired designs. I mixed the old with the new with the retired Alice’s Magic Potion Dangle (791897ENMX) handing at the centre of the bracelet. This fun charm was originally released with the Spring 2016 collection, however the new Alice in Wonderland Drink Me Dangle (799334C01) is very similar but with a more ornate bale. Two openwork charms are positioned on either side; the Disney x Pandora Cheshire Cat & Absolem Caterpillar (799361C00) and the retired Alice’s Tea Party (791896ENMX) charm. Both charms feature characters that Alice encounters after she fell down the rabbit hole.
Pretty Darling Daisies (79149EN12) spacer charms are interspersed into the design, creating the feel of a garden in spring time. The Alice in Wonderland & The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (799348C01) and Unbirthday Party Teapot (799345C01) charms attractively complete the bracelet with matching blue enamel on each end.
It’s Always Tea Time
“Have I gone mad?” asked the Mad Hatter, sadly
LEWIS CARROLL, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
“I’m afraid so,” said Alice.
“You’re entirely Bonkers. But shall I tell you a secret?
All the best people usually are.”
“Mad Hatter: Would you like a little more tea?
Alice: Well, I haven’t had any yet, so I can’t very well take more.
March Hare: Ah, you mean you can’t very well take less.
Mad Hatter: Yes. You can always take more than nothing.”
LEWIS CARROLL, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
“We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”
LEWIS CARROLL, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
My second styling with the new Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland charms is titled “It’s Always Tea Time”. This is not just a bracelet theme but is also my life’s motto.
This colourful design recreates Alice’s adventures in Wonderland and is set on the Disney x Pandora Moments Sparkling Mickey Mouse Snake Chain Bracelet (590731CZ). Again the Alice’s Magic Potion Dangle is positioned at the centre of the bracelet while the Vintage Butterfly (791255CZ) and Keys of Love (797654NPMMX) dangles balance out the design. Two of Ariel’s (791641) and Tinker Bell’s Signature Colour (791639) Murano charms provide a burst of colour which blends with the bright enamel shades.
The Disney Parks Alice in a Tea Cup and Enchanted Teapot (797065CZ) are tucked alongside the new Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland charms. A few Pandora Friends have also joined the tea party including Daisy the Rabbit (798763C00) and the Mushroom & Frog (798558C00).
My verdict of the Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Charms?
Dora
Impossibly beautiful and madly wonderful.
In the UK the Disney x Pandora Alice in Wonderland Unbirthday Party Teapot Charm (799345C01) is £60, The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Charm (799348C01) is £55 and the Cheshire Cat & Absolem Caterpillar Charm (799361C00) is £35. All are available from our preferred Pandora retailer the Pandora UK eStore.
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