I don't understand Bibi Bijoux

[Lady Madonna]

I feel the same as many posters, that the Bibi range sells for such exorbitant prices, because of the name. I do quite like the range but, unfortunately, being so petite, it is too chunky for me, and looks silly. I did purchase a bracelet and, although I liked it, had to return it for this very reason.
For jewellery which is a cheap base metal, and not even silver or even bronze, it is way overpriced. I like Clogau, yet I am aware there are those who feel it is expensive for silver/rose gold, and gold, with 9% welsh gold. Personally, I believe it is more exclusive than Pandora, which everyone and their mother seems to wear.
As long as Bibi ispopular, QVC will continue, understandably, to sell it. That Maxine lady does, imo, cheapen the brand image.

I think Pandora and Thomas Sabo are overpriced.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Maxine used to annoy me but then I kind of warmed to her and now I think she is quite good fun.

 

[shopperholic]

the balls are a major part of the range. bibi use an alloy that they make up themselves that resists tarnishing and it works i can tarnish anything lol..

I've had my eBay Bibi bracelet for two years and that's not tarnished either, not bad for £3.99.

 

[countrymaid]

A friend of mine wanted a Bibi bracelet, so I bought it for a Christmas present for her a few years ago. It was one of those with the heart, the key and a horrible looking bit of glass in the middle of something or other. Anyway, it was her choice. When it arrived I was shocked at the poor quality. The heart was sharp and hadn't been finished properly and it was tarnished. I sent it back refusing the pay the postage for shoddy goods. I gave her a beautiful pair of amber and silver earrings that I bought in a local market. She was delighted with them.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

I think Pandora and Thomas Sabo are overpriced.

Now see I like both Pandora and Thomas Sabo. I only have the clip on charms from TS. I have one Pandora bracelet with a few charms. I won't buy another and I probably won't buy any more charms. Its lovely to have had charms bought for me for Christmas and birthday gifts.

There are other ranges that are cheaper and very similar. Pays your money, takes your choice.

 

[srhgts]

I agree with the general consensus re Bibi; the designs look nice although they're very big and not the most expensive looking, and the prices are ludicrous given the materials.

Pandora really is ridiculously expensive as well, but it's also seriously lovely. I've looked at a lot of other charm based ranges in the hope of finding a cheaper one I liked but none of them come close to how nice Pandora stuff looks imo. It's also well made, good quality and as far as I know they don't use any base metal.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Having bought a pandora bangle it has turned out a very very expensive item and I only have 1 actual charm.

When you first buy the bangle/chain it doesn't seem that bad until you realise every charm is at least £35 AND you need spacers and stoppers and they run about £30 each. I have one charm with a heart stopper on either side and the 3 set me back £105 plus the bangle. No problem except the bleeding stoppers don't stop and they all slip around.

It is a fairly good job I don't want a whole load of charms or I would need a mortgage. You can try for eBay but a lot are fakes and even fairly well used ones go for as much as new ones.

It isn't something to go into lightly.

 

[srhgts]

Some charms are cheaper than £35, the cheapest ones are £20 I think. They do go up to like £100+ for all gold ones though, which is outrageous. Spacers start at £15 but go up similarly.

The clips stay put on bracelets but they really do slide around a lot on the bangles, which is very annoying. You can get little rubber ring thingies from ebay/amazon to put under them that keep them in place. They're about a pound or two for a big bag full of them. Obviously when paying the Pandora prices you certainly shouldn't need to fork out yet more money in order for things to work as they should, but it really does solve the problem.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Mine are already fitted with the rubber thingies and they still move.

I've got to say I've never been able to find any charms at those prices!

 

[Breeze]

I have a couple of Psndora bracelets. Some of the charms on it are Pandora & others are Chamilia which are silver, like Pandora, less expensive & fit the Pandora bracelets, which ones like Trollbeads don't.
I have a Lovelinks one too, a present, & the charms for that are more affordable too. I can put the Lovelinks charms on the Pandora bracelets but not the other way round.
This article explains the fit of different makes quite well
http://www.rosecottagejewellery.co.uk/charm-bead-guide-4-w.asp

 

[sharonk]

I don't get the BB either.
I've always been a yellow gold or rose gold girl. Heck I remember wearing rose gold in the 80s and 90s then gold went out of fashion and silver took over.I carried on wearing gold right up to March this year when I fell for the My Imenso range. I was after a product that people could buy bits for. I resisted a pandora because so many people had them.
I wouldn't have said no to clogau and nearly started a bracelet off. I decided to go with the my imenso and love how I can swap things around depending on mood and colours I am wearing.
Found a great shop in Peterborough in the arcade off the Queensgate centre called style that had some gorgeous necklaces in, only thing is, they also had my imenso in stock and I left with three new pieces with a list to share with hubby.

http://myimenso-store.com/my-imenso2/medallions-pendants/33mm-medallions

 

[Tiddlywinks]

I'm a BIG Pandora fan and ask for charms as pressies if people ask what I want.

I also get murano beads from Amazon - the Bling brand is good quality and they do bundles which are good value:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/node/ind...FLPPJB6&merchant=A2F3YS5FLPPJB6&redirect=true

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DP60QSW/?tag=shoppingcom03-21

These beads are also good for keeping charms in place:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008AQTGEW/?tag=shoppingcom03-21

Also, there's a couple of sellers on ebay that do good lookey-likey charms which are Pandora compatible, sterling silver and a third of the price:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/charmschooluk/

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/For-Him-Fo...083720010&_sid=73900110&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

I won't buy beads that are said to be branded Pandora on ebay as there are just too many fakes.

 

[srhgts]

Mine are already fitted with the rubber thingies and they still move.

I've got to say I've never been able to find any charms at those prices!

Oh right, I'm baffled then. I had that problem with a bangle and they fixed it completely. I thought they only did the one style of bangle but maybe not.

Maybe it depends when you're looking/buying, obviously the ranges vary so I guess prices will too. There are definitely some £20 silver charms at the moment though.

Fgs, just browsed the website and they've got some little gold and zirconia charms for £325! Ludicrous.

 

[srhgts]

I won't buy beads that are said to be branded Pandora on ebay as there are just too many fakes.

I think that's most folk's attitude to it now really. I had a couple of charms which I didn't like how they sat on my bracelets, that I stupidly didn't return. I tried to ebay them and no one was remotely interested, presumably for that reason. It's no wonder really when like you say there are so many fakes, but I said in my listings that I could send the receipts for them or pictures of the receipts to prove they're legit. That didn't seem to hold any sway at all. Oh well. It's a shame, they're lovely looking charms but I just don't like the way they move.

 

[Julius]

What's there to understand? They're making something cheap, trying to give it some cachet or air of exclusivity and tout it for more money than it's worth. You don't like it and don't buy it. Can't say I blame you, either!

 

[boffy]

genuine bibi does hold its value on e bay someone somewhere gets it lol

 

[Julius]

I wonder what people like about that other new brand. I forget what it's called but it's something Italian, it's essentially some cheap old base metal plated with a bit of rose gold.

 

[boffy]

I wonder what people like about that other new brand. I forget what it's called but it's something Italian, it's essentially some cheap old base metal plated with a bit of rose gold.

i like it but it tarnishes on me. looks lovely for a while then turns green. its not cheap either and for its price gram weight is more than likely more expensive than bibi. like it but it dont like me. many years and my tiny bibi collection still looks lovely. i dont wear any silver only bibi.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

It has always been expensive to buy jewellery where you add charms, even in the 60's. The real eye opener is if you go into a shop where they have a full bracelet on show and you can see the eye watering price, albeit spent over a period of time.

Unfortunately I wouldn't want anyone to choose for me as I like to pick all my own jewellery, and I'm not sentimental so wouldn't be interested in having them bought for occasions.

 

[Weathergirl]

I like to choose my own jewellery too and I am very sentimental! I have a full Pandora bracelet that took me since 2008 to collect but each piece is significant as it covers the entire time from meeting hubby, house buying, getting engaged in"the big apple" getting married and having children. Also there are charms with a cat and another with a handbag, plus some with moon stone (a favourite stone) and my favourite colour blue, and my initial. Suffice to say it cost a fortune spread over time (particularly as it's mixed silver, gold and 2-tone charms) but many were discounted, all of them are genuine and very solid and heavy. I wear it every single day because I love it and it is the story of my life... or part of it. I clean it a couple of times a year with a silver cloth.