Jewellers judge Pandora’s platinum-plated switch

The world’s largest jewellery brand, Pandora, recently confirmed plans to launch a new collection of platinum-plated products.

The company will launch a range of platinum-plated bracelets at 30 stores across northern Europe in the first half of this year. The products will also be available online. CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier said the shift to platinum-plating reflects the state of the market.

“With this innovation, we can navigate the new realities of raw-material costs while offering consumers precious metal jewellery that is exceptionally well-suited for everyday wear,” she said.

"I do not think the customer cares so much what the metal is when purchasing Pandora, but about the emotional attachment they feel to the charms."
Berta de Pablos-Barbier, Pandora

A special report from the NY Post has provided other jewellers with the opportunity to ‘weigh in’ on Pandora’s shift towards platinum products and the implications for the broader market.
Based in Florida, Vivian Grimes, founder of Henri Noël, explained that the sentimental value of jewellery often outweighs its material value.

"It's a strong play for Pandora so the company can keep prices comparable to their current sterling silver line," she said.

"I do not think the customer cares so much what the metal is when purchasing Pandora, but about the emotional attachment they feel to the charms."

Grimes suggested that volatility is forcing long-term reconsideration across the jewellery trade and suggested that if silver remains unstable, brands will continue experimenting with alternative production methods to keep price points stable.

Fine jewellery designer Vickie Riggs raised concerns about plating, noting that although platinum reduces costs, it may shorten a piece's lifespan.

"Plated jewellery always deals with the issue of the plating wearing off, and the piece becoming less attractive over time,” she said.

Riggs echoed Grimes's sentiment, saying that jewellery designers are increasingly forced to think outside the box amid surging precious metals prices.