Today I am continuing my reviews of the Pandora Winter 2014 collection, with a look at the gorgeous silver Galaxy openwork! There is little news on the Pandora front at the moment, especially since we have our previews of the Pandora Valentine’s Day 2015 collection early this year – however I hope that these reviews will help to tide you over a little. ;)
This charm instantly appealed to me thanks to its wonderfully intricate detailing and subtle sparkle; it’s one of the only star-themed pieces I’ll be buying from the collection.
On an unrelated note, I’ve had a few queries regarding the lovely Fascinating Aventurescent murano from the Winter collection. Just to update you: this has been discontinued and, once stores sell out, they are gone! I have one on its way to me from Australia and I will write more fully about this when it arrives. :)
The charm
The idea with this charm is, obviously, that it represents the galaxy, with a cosmic swirl of silver threads and clear cubic zirconia stones. It is a beautiful statement piece, and it’s extremely delicate and pretty in person. There is also a gold version of this charm, but that’s considerably out of my price range! ;)
It’s an openwork, meaning that it isn’t threaded (as you can see in the following pictures) and will just slide on to your bracelet. The abstract pattern of the silver lines does not repeat, unlike other openwork charms, meaning that each side of the charm looks different:
The hallmark is on the side of the charm, alongside the rim:
As has been the case with numerous pieces from Pandora recently, my issue with this charm is the price point. While the design is intricate, in terms of materials it is not exactly substantial. Nonetheless, the presence of cubic zirconia detailing allows Pandora to push the price point up. However, the charm itself is lovely and I’m not surprised that it’s become one of the more popular pieces from this collection.
Styling
When I first thought about how I would review this charm, this winter design instantly popped into my head, with some icy colours and a playful Christmas theme. I would love to add the Cinderella slipper and the snowflake charms from the Disney collection, with their pretty blue gemstones.
I love the icy combination of the teal and the white muranos – it would be great for a bracelet modelled on Frozen, for example. The clear cubic zirconia of the Galaxy really help to set off the wintry colour scheme.
I wanted this bracelet to have a sense of fun, so I’ve added a number of my favourite Christmas charms to this bracelet, including the adorable Mittens dangle, the Stocking and the Black Friday 2013 charm. The Carousel is a recent addition to my collection, and I love the little detail of the writing on base of the charm!
Thinking about other designs, its abstract design and lack of colour mean that the Galaxy openwork is an incredibly versatile charm. It looks great with the new Midnight Fizzle muranos, constructing a beautiful representation of the night sky:
However, if you’re not feeling Christmas or stars, it works very well just as an eye-catching decorative piece. I like the contrast here between the dramatic look of the Galaxy and the softer aesthetic of floral charms such as the Darling Daisy clip. This is also my older oxidised bracelet – I love the faded oxidised effect here, which adds nicely to the vintage look.
Conclusion
While this charm works really well with the other starry pieces from the Winter 2014 collection, its abstract design means that it is versatile enough to work with any number of bracelet styles. For me, this is an example of cubic zirconia detailing done right – the sparkling effect is perfect for conjuring up an image of constellations of stars. My only reservation is that the price point for this charm seems high for what it is, but perhaps it represents better value for money in other currencies. :)
The Galaxy charm retails for £45 in the UK or $50 in the US. If you’re in the UK, you can buy it along with the rest of the Pandora Christmas collection from John Greed Jewellery.
Have you bought this charm or is it on your wish list?
I love it and will get one :)
Yay! It is gorgeous, definitely one of my must-haves from this collection :)
Can’t wait for your review of the midnight murano. I’m still hoping I can get one. The galaxy is also a favorite of mine but in your opinion is it worth $50?
Yes, I can’t wait for it to arrive! Hopefully they’ll still be around in December for you :)
The Galaxy is absolutely gorgeous but I do think that the price point on it is high. It’s an openwork and the amount of silver is pretty insubstantial – the cubic zirconia are really the only thing pushing the price up. That’s objectively speaking, but of course it really depends on how much you love it as to whether it’s worth it or not!
I was going to pass on this charm until I saw it pictured with the midnight fizzle. That is a beautiful combo. Thanks for the review!
You’re welcome, I’m really glad it was useful! They do look absolutely stunning together – it’s how I’ll be wearing mine. I’m also keen to see whether the Fascinating Aventurescent looks as good with them!
I meant the fascinating aventurescent lol I can’t wait for that review
Aha I knew which you meant! ^^
I almost gave this collection a pass until I read your post on Midnight Effervescence and this Galaxy charm! Just got my paws on 2 Midnight Effervescence and 1 Galaxy. They looked absolute stunning together! I especially loved how the colour changes at different angles. Burnt a little hole in my pocket, but I’m not regretting one bit.
Thanks for the awesome review as usual!
Oh brilliant, they are beautiful together! Definitely my favourite two pieces of the collection – they are perhaps subtler than some of the other more blingy starry pieces, but they still make such an impact in person. I’m still aiming for a couple of other charms from the collection, but those were my must-haves. :D
I’m glad you enjoyed the review, and thanks very much for commenting! Enjoy your new charms! ;)
I bought on Black Friday and absolutly love it!!
Yay! It is definitely a highlight of this collection for me <3