Review: Ballerina from Pandora Autumn 2014

Today’s post brings a review of the Ballerina pendant from the Pandora Autumn 2014 collection! It’s almost time for the debut of the Winter 2014 collection in ten days’ time, so I’m fitting in my last Autumn 2014 reviews. This charm has not, perhaps, received as much attention as other stand-out pieces from the collection, but its prettiness and sense of fun made it one of my first purchases.

In the shop where I work part-time (I’m a Masters student), we’ve already started putting up the Christmas displays and I’ve been in a bit of a prematurely-Christmassy mood! I find myself associating the Ballerina, and her glittering look, with the excitement of Christmas and ballet productions such as the Nutcracker, so I’ve opted to create a few winter designs that hopefully capture those associations without being prematurely festive. ;)

Alsooo, I have added the black enamel Mystic Floral and the Dove of Peace from Autumn 2014 to my collection as well – let me know if you want me to publish a closer look at either of those!

The Charm

In the stock image, it gives you quite a sense of movement , like she’s flying through the air. However, in person, there is more of a sense of poise. I’m also happy to say that her face is not at all creepy, unlike some Pandora humanoid designs. ;) I did read a comment from a ballet dancer saying that they thought that this charm’s position wasn’t quite right technically, but of course I don’t really have the expertise to ascertain that.

There is a significant amount of cubic zirconia detailing in this charm – however, I don’t think it looks overdone or overly bling-y. The clear stones in her skirt really make the charm pop. It’s a delicate compact design, and the subtle sparkle of the stones helps to make it stand out a little more.

In terms of technical details, the charm threads on to a bracelet; the ALE marks are on the underside of the charm’s base, either side of the silver hoop. This charm also does not catch on things at all – she’s got no dangerous edges, unlike a number of other Pandora dangles. ;)

Styling

This is a pretty, sparkly charm and consequently it needs a pretty, sparkly design! Therefore, in my main styling for the Ballerina charm, I opted for some pavé charms, plus some beautiful white muranos to set off the clear gemstones of her skirt. It gives a subtle, wintery effect, with Once Upon a Time book and King of the Jungle charms adding to that sense of winter fairy tale.

To add some contrast to the soft pastel shades, I styled the charms on the oxidised bracelet. I love how this instantly makes the muranos and the pavé charms pop – the oxidised chain is just my favourite bracelet at the moment, and I’m constantly thinking of new designs that I want to create with it! ^^

The Ballerina looks beautiful on her own, too, and this charm looks so pretty in combination with the pink leather bracelet:

Continuing the pavé theme, the Mother’s Day 2014 Pandora Circle of Love bangle looks lovely with the Ballerina and the other pavé charms. A couple of the floral pieces from the Autumn collection also add to the effect, especially the black enamel Mystic Floral.

While I love designs using more classic Pandora pieces, I do appreciate the more contemporary look that some of the more tasteful pavé charms have to offer.

Conclusion

The Ballerina, while perhaps not a stand-out charm from the Autumn 2014 collection, is a sweet offering from Pandora. I am not a dancer at all (although I did briefly attempt ballet when I was very young – ‘attempt’ being the operative word), but I also like the idea of seeking perfection, of mastering a skill, that is suggested by ballet – and so this charm appealed to me in that way, too.

For me it’s a charm that suits a pretty, feminine design, and I love it with other soft colours on the oxidised bracelet.

The Ballerina pendant is £40 in the UK and $45 in the US.

Have you bought the Ballerina charm, or is it on your wish list? Have you started thinking about any bracelets themed around the holidays?