Talk to me about Pandora/Trollbeads etc.

**Peony** · 26-05-2012, 06:57am

I'm sure I did one of these threads last year and I'm still deliberating.

Do you mix and match beads from different manufacturers (I know some only fit certain bracelets)? Do you have some fake/cheap ones along with more expensive ones? Could anyone recommend me some lower priced but still nice beads for filling in?

I'd probably only want a few coloured beads on at a time but would like to have the option of swapping them for a different set and am looking for the more natural wood/raw stone type beads probably to go on a leather bracelet.

**Funky Mum** · 26-05-2012, 09:06am

I have Trollbeads - they are the original beads and originate in Denmark. On a Trollbeads bracelet you can have beads from other manufacturers, such as Pandora and the cheaper ones.

Pandora bracelets have a 'screw' type thing on them, and only Pandora beads will fit on them. Pandora appear to be the biggest brand in the UK but, as I said, Trollbeads were the original ones. Trollbeads are the biggest brand in Denmark and Sweden.

I don't mix beads (OCD alert!) - I only buy Trollbeads (I'm sounding like an advert here but that's not intentional, I promise!). I'm a bit fussy about my beads and it would feel weird to be wearing one that's not 'true'.

You can, of course, buy whatever beads you like - I'm sure no-one would notice, and you can get them from pretty much everywhere now, for just a few £££s. I think Argos do their own charm bracelet of this kind, and Amazon sell loads.

I don't know much about the leather bracelets/necklaces as all mine are silver.

**DietCoke** · 26-05-2012, 02:06pm

I have three different pandora bracelets that I wear all together. I only have pandora beads though. Wish I had more beads as mine are a bit sparse!

**DietCoke** · 26-05-2012, 02:07pm

Oh and one of mine is the double strap leather in Rowan and I love it - you can only put five beads on or it stretches apparently, I have just three wooden ones on mine.

**DietCoke** · 26-05-2012, 02:08pm

Rowan?? That should've been brown!

**Chell** · 26-05-2012, 04:46pm

I'd avoid the leather Pandora. I have taken now back to the store today. It snapped yesterday, the £65 charm/pendant was missing when I discovered it.

I am mid argument with the store, they are contacting Pandora on Monday. Pandora now only guarantee the leather bracelets for three weeks! If the metal is at fault it is a year but only three weeks for the actual leather part. On mine the leather has some apart from the metal.

When I bought it last Summer the guarantee was a year. The jewellers have had another back this week. I am waiting for a response from the store but will be contacting trading standards if they don't replace it.

**kelly** · 26-05-2012, 05:03pm

My leather necklace has done that too Chell.

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**Peony** · 26-05-2012, 07:15pm

That's shocking. Actually on the John Greed jewellery site there were similar complaints about the silver ends of the leather lariat coming off too.

Funky mum, that's kind of what I was thinking - is it weird to mix brands...

I was on Endangered Trolls blog and she mixes Trollbeads with Redbalifrog (who have some stunning and really different silver beads) and it looked good.

**Biba** · 26-05-2012, 08:19pm

I have both a silver and two leather pandora bracelets, I have a few pandora beads but also have a few beads from jillybeads which are cheaper and good quality for the price.