I have not bought a new Pandora Disney bead in some time – not since last winter! – as the Spring/Summer collections have focused more heavily on Mickey and Minnie designs, of which I feel I have enough already. So I was delighted when the AW18 range proved to have such a heavy focus on other characters, bringing to life the more villainous side of Snow White and the wonderful world of Pinocchio.
My favourite from this collection was Pandora’s take on the adorable Jiminy Cricket, and I have indulged in just him from the collection, alongside a couple of regular Pandora Autumn 2018 pieces:
Today I’ll be reviewing him, with some close-up shots and a demonstration of how I’m styling him!
Pandora Jiminy Cricket charm review
I think Pandora absolutely hit the nail on the head in terms of this charm’s design. The combination of the vibrant enamel umbrella charm with the dangling Jiminy is perfect. It’s true that some of the finer points of the detail are lost from a far – the silver is so shiny – but the bold umbrella and the overall shape of the design make it pretty instantly recognisable. The umbrella might not be the right colour, but the cheerful sky blue is delightful and I think probably stands out better than the wine-coloured version of the original.
The colour of the umbrella in person (although this might vary, I suppose – I didn’t get a chance to look in store) matches the stock image very closely – it’s perhaps a little less pastel in tone. In any case, it’s a very pretty blue – although this does limit what you choose to put Jiminy with. He works amazingly well with the black enamel of the Figaro charm, but probably less so if you’ve gone for traditional Disney reds.
The detailing of the little Cricket is absolutely adorable all round. By making him a dangle, Pandora have been able to reproduce his features without constraint or consideration for weighting. Every detail is in place, down to the folds of his gloves to his coattails (please do forgive the undignified angle of this photo!).
And, this is how I’ll be wearing him! I don’t really have a full Disney design, I prefer to slot my Disney beads more subtly in with other bracelets. This bracelet is my sky blue dreamy theme. I’ve mixed a few charms that represent important things to me – the car for passing my driving test, the I love Reading charm, the Graduate Owl, the silver Present – with sky-themed beads. The Up and Away Balloon, the adorable Dumbo, the Heart of Freedom and the Origami Crane. The idea is peace and tranquility, and freedom.
I find it a very soothing little bracelet design, and Jiminy fits in nicely with his sky-blue umbrella, and again the idea of the umbrella and the sky.
Conclusion
This is my favourite kind of Disney charm – the main part of the charm is perfectly and delightfully detailed in plain silver, but given a beautiful pop of colour thanks to the pastel enamel. I love this kind of pastel/soft enamel detailing and it’s the perfect lick of Disney colour to really finish the design. It contrives to feel both like a proper charm and a dangle, and I feel like it marries the best of both worlds.
Jiminy Cricket retails for £55 or $65 USD. If you’re in the UK, you can purchase him from the stellar authorised Pandora UK retailer John Greed here.
Did you get this charm, or is he perhaps on your wish list? What would you put him with?
Ooo that goes so well. I love that little guy. Thanks for the review.
I’m waiting for him to come in the mail. So excited! Not sure yet…may just wear alone for a bit.
Always love to hear from you , Ellie.
Thanks so much,
Chris
Hi Ellie. Glad to hear from you. I´m not into Disney at all but your sky blue bracelet is gorgeous, as usual. I always get new ideas, which I´m not sure it´s a good thing, lol!.
I have been adding some things to my collection, too. I took it easy during the firts three weeks of September to recover a bit from holidays and went on an auto imposed short ban which ended three days ago, when I went a bit overboard ( I must confess I was on the verge of suffering from Pandora withdrawal symptoms, haha) and got last summer take-away coffee mug ( before summer memories get blurred with time), the fairy on the toadstool ( discontinued and hard to track) and the Radiant Grains of Energy. All at full price, since we haven´t seen any of those 3×2 promos going on in the rest of the world here,:( Maybe Pandora thinks some countries are on Mars!. So I´m afraid I have already blown my Pandora budget for October, even with Reflexions making its debut in a few days. I wonder if they will offer some GWP like they did when Shine was introduced(?). No wait, I must put myself straight away on another ban till November, GWP or not!
Changing the subject, you do very cute photos from undignified angles, so keep at it. You´ve got a natural talent, lolll!
Well, thank you for this review and for showing us your stylings. Have a nice weekend and waiting eagerly to your next post!
Woo Hoo, cricket bottoms, yay :-D.
Hi Ellie!
I love, love, love that bracelet!!! I like everything you do, but this is my all time favorite of all the bracelets you have shown.
I really like the Jiminy Cricket charm. I agree with everything you have said. But I didn’t bring him home with me this time. I was focused on finishing my Halloween bracelet, and I did. I got the Evil Queen and Figaro for that one. The rest of the year they will live on a black and silver themed bracelet. But I probably will end up with Pinocchio as well as Jiminy at some point.
Notice my restraint in not commenting on camera angles this time… Oops, I just did!
Thanks for sharing the lovely pictures of that bracelet.
Hi Ellie,
My Disney charms are very few & far between, my choice of course, however I do love dining out on your Disney enthusiasm & designs. Your photos of Jiminy are fabulous as is your design. Love the photos you take from every angle.lol
I am waiting for the Mary Poppins carpet bag! I don’t think that is Disney but if it is then I will add one actual charm to the two Disney Muranos I own. If it isn’t it will still be a fab charm from one of my favourite childhood stores. Will you be getting that charm, hope so because I would love to see how you style that one too.
Cheers
Lisa K
Mary Poppins is absolutely Disney! They are coming out with a sequel soon called Mary Poppins Returns staring Emily Blunt as MP. Not sure how i feel about that but I liked the original as a kid!
Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious! (I have no idea if I spelled it correctly, but you get the idea.)
Looks right to me! ??
Lovely charm he’s so cute and I love your blue bracelet theme.
Procuro uma bruxinha da Pandora . Era um charme antigo. Não consegui comprar.
Adorable! It looks great on your bracelet; good idea! I’m not sure why PANDORA chose a light blue enamel. I think a more neutral color would have probably been better but you incorporated it nicely into your sky blue theme. I probably won’t be getting this charm any time soon but not for lack of want. Just because I’ve been spending too much buying older Mickey/Minnie charms, which is taking up my Pandora budget haha.
Jiminy Cricket was one of my favorites as a child. Love the charm. Thank you for sharing your bracelet.
Hi Ellie. His umbrella is such a lovely shade of blue. Love that you find your bracelet soothing. Please continue with your rear end photos – hehe. Seeing the charms from all angles is really helpful.
Hello Ellie,
Your photo of Jiminy Cricket from the back is such a good angle. Love it! Your bracelet is a soothing colour and the different shades of blue – so well put together. I am not a Disney fan but I appreciate the beauty and intricacy of the charms. Muranos are so essential for adding colours. Have a great weekend?.
Jiminy fits nicely on your dreamy blue bracelet. I’m glad Pandora used blue. There are so many charms with pink and purple. It’s nice to get light blue for a change.
I think the bead would be better with oxidation, but it’s still pretty nice. I’m not sure if I’ll get Jiminy or not, but if I do, I’ll probably get Pinocchio, too.
Hi Ellie, i have a similar sky blue bracelet and have a few of the same charms as yours on it. ? Jiminy cricket is a charm that i would like to add on my bracelet. However, some adjustments need to be made to make room for him. Keep up the good work of picturing the rear view of charms. It gives us a different perspective. ?
Hello Ellie,
Thanks for reviewing Jiminy Cricket and for sharing your pretty bracelet designs. I knew I had to have Jiminy at first glance. The little umbrella did it for me. I took part in the 3 for 2 sale and picked up Jiminy along with Pinocchio to get the University of Alabama Crimson Tide dangle free. Thought about using Jiminy with my Cinderella blues. I’ve waited forever for something nice in black and lucked up getting two Evil Queen’s Black Magic with the third one being free. I finally got my hands on the Russian Fairytale Fish a while back and picked up a pair of the Radiant Grains of Energy charms with Snow White’s Bird as my free charm. I really like the Sweet Pumpkin, so I decided to go ahead and get a pair of Seeds of Elegance clips to get the pumpkin free. The Regal Heart Padlock bracelet is so lovely in person. It’s on my wish list along with Bruno and the Iridescent muranos in both silver and rose. It never ends, lol.
I hope you’re doing well, Ellie. I’m lost without you!
Hi,
I am a Pandora fan since August this year so my bracelet has four beads only but one of them is Jimini Cricket! Afer your review I had to buy it! I do love all those nice photos you post, they are such a great inspiration for me. Also I saw the origami Bird dangle and I decided to by it too ;) It was a little challenge because the item is no available in my country. I had to ask my friend to ask her friends in Germany to order it for me ;) Now I wait for postman, I hope he will bring it to me next week.
Sooo… I have four beads (plus origami crane) and to of the were bought because your reviews… I am afraid of the next ones… ;)
My whish list is so long with Scarecrow and Mary Poppins charms among the others. Do you have any photos of Mary Poppins charms?
Best regards from Poland :)
I love how detailed he is. I stopped following Pandora for some time, only just getting back into it. And i am glad they he is not sprinkled with pave. Very nice design