It felt like I was in some odd kind of utopia exploring Pandora’s new jewellery manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, Facebook Thailand. And as I toured around the salubrious site, other perks started to emerge. I was told by Pandora’s long-time factory manager, who was based at the brand’s original site in Bangkok before relocating, that pregnant women at the Pandora Thai factory wear blue dresses, as opposed to blood red tunics, to mark them out so that they avoid doing any manual labour and can take breaks when needed. It drew a sharp contrast to the city streets nearby, where car fumes scented the air and our toes were dusted brown from the arid ground. It was difficult to put my finger on it. Working for the joy of it? One of the first things to catch my eye were huddles of women wearing blue dresses passing by. With this pleasant ambiance, it was easy to see why jobs at the new Pandora unit are in high demand. A new dawn for renters? On walking into the sparkling new factory – part of a of a DKK 1.8billion (£209.2million) investment by the Copenhagen-headquartered company – there were birds chirping, fountains flowing and a cool breeze softening the sticky 35-degree Celsius heat.

It almost had a monastic feel as we watched the blue-dressed ladies glide by. The brand is much-loved in Thailand and jobs are in very high demand. And when I look at women on the London Underground, I can easily spot a mix of charms and rings adorning them. After snaking around a large lake at the heart of the industrial site, we wandered into the giant canteen, which boasts very high ceilings and open walls to act as a natural form of air conditioning. Today its products are sold in more than 100 countries on six continents through over 8,100 points of sale, including around 2,100 concept stores. The workers also get their clothing washed for free and it appeared the day I visited was laundry day. Lightbulb moment: The company, which was founded in 1982, was the brainchild of Per Enevoldsen and his ex-wife Winnie. For one round of open interviews in Bangkok 10,000 people showed up to fill 800 positions, with queues snaking around the block. The company, which was founded in 1982, was the brainchild of Per Enevoldsen and his ex-wife Winnie. In 1987, the company employed its first in-house designer to create original designs. Back to the canteen, the factory hires local vendors to rustle up lunch time bites in a bid to support the neighbouring communities. All workers get their lunches subsidised. It was just before lunchtime and I spotted a woman folding a heap of uniforms. More than 85 per cent of the gold and silver grains used in the crafting process also originate from recycled sources. The birthstone range, which launched a couple of years ago, has also been a phenomenal success. Apparently the Princess Ring is one of their best-sellers. One big thing about Pandora’s newest Thai factory is the eco-friendly aspect. They started by importing jewellery from Thailand – and, after witnessing success on the wholesale market, he and his wife decided to start a retail venture. The facility is installed with a number of energy-saving pieces of equipment which mean 86 per cent of waste is recycled. Pandora’s success story has long intrigued me – it’s only been going 35 years ago in but now it’s the biggest jewellery producer in the world – and I was keen to learn more, jumping at the opportunity to explore the company’s second factory which opened in March. In 2000, Pandora’s charm bracelet concept was first launched in the Danish market and it quickly caught on. ‘I think it’s the low price point and the high quality which really attracts people,’ Pandora’s marketing manager told me as we started a more in depth factory tour. Last year the firm produced 122 million pieces of jewellery with revenue topping DKK 20 billion (£232.6 million). Two years later, in 1989, the Enevoldsens decided to start manufacturing their jewellery in Thailand.

Pandora’s more high market range where prices top £2,000.

One journalist refused to go on the factory tour on grounds of bribery. Silver charms, however, start at £15. Spending a good few hours touring the gargantuan factory I discovered the vast amount of work that goes into making the Pandora pieces. I encountered hundreds of workers working in synchronization, meticulously constructing tiny charms, earrings and bracelets. The brand’s new factory space is split into various rooms, with each facilitating part of the production process, from molding to casting. On initial inspection the trinkets might appear to be factory-made but each piece has been hand finished by a team of highly-skilled workers. They were all in gold, which is part of Pandora’s more high market range where prices top £2,000. The atmosphere is bright and unlike most factories I’ve been in, it’s easy to breathe with air purifiers sucking up clouds of dust. But it didn’t feel like I was being pressured by a sales pitch and I could tell the young woman clearly loved the brand. I saw that she was wearing about ten Pandora rings in various configurations on her fingers and numerous bracelets. I was shocked at how much work goes into making the pieces.

In one room we stopped in I had a go at enamelling an earring and, trust me, it’s no easy feat. Apparently a lot of the workers meet their partners at the production plant and there have been hundreds of ‘Pandora weddings’. Earlier in the month shares dropped six per cent off the back of slow growth across the U.S. The firm’s Danish business culture has a real charm but those at the helm realise that they need to adapt to an ever-changing market in a bid to retain that sparkle. A female worker told me I’d done well, but I think she was being kind. Everyone appeared to pretty buoyant and there was a good male to female ratio. A steady hand required! My eyes stung a little as I focused them in deep concentration. I had to use a foot pump to push air through a tiny syringe-like tool and feed enamel out. In the canteen numerous flatsceen TVs showed some of the employees in action. I struggled to comprehend the amount of patience it would take to enamel hundreds of these tiny objects day after day. Free meals, strict finishes at 5pm, free yoga sessions, massages and manicures. A steady hand is definitely a prerequisite for working at the Pandora factory as it takes high precision to craft, cut and decorate the tint pieces of jewellery. Soaking up the sun: One big thing about Pandora’s newest Thai factory is the eco-friendly aspect. I was told workers can star in their own soap operas and they even host their own singing contests in the style of America’s Got Talent. Other on-site facilities I visited included a hospital, prayer room, study room and small supermarket. A small dab of the coloured gel had to be squirted into a minuscule silver setting. Maybe this is why Pandora is such a success. But it’s not just in Thailand where the Pandora staff are treated well, and I’m told that employees in London and Denmark also adhere to the Danish pace of life. In another we wandered into, staff were applying minuscule cubic zirconia stones to products using tweezers and other fiddly tools. It’s rare to see such pride in working for a company. Further aiding things on the social front, is Pandora’s very own TV channel and radio station. I visited the onsite recording studio which was located next to a big library where workers can take out books for free. I heard a few workers cracking a joke.

If you’re as magpie-like about jewellery as I am, you’ll always be on the lookout for new brands and original pieces to add to your collection. All Grove & Vae jewellery is designed in London, and created using 14k gold vermeil and rhodium-plated sterling (site web https://www.backtoglamour.com/blog/2025/01/25/sterling-silver-rings-to-suit-your-personality/) silver. There are so many amazing affordable and mid-range jewellery brands out there today, with a plethora of choice no matter what your style. Her signature T-bar necklaces – this – have been worn by the likes of Taylor Swift. But along with the prominent brands we all know and love, there are a load of under-the-radar gems (no pun intended) out there just waiting to be discovered. This British brand was launched in the autumn of 2024 by Tofi Caroline Adedoyin, a former investment banking director. If you love keeping things unique and prefer to shop independent, these jewellery brands are worth checking out and keeping in mind for your next purchase. The brand’s founders, sisters Christie and Rosanna Wollenberg, believe you shouldn’t just save beautiful jewellery for best, so the sculptural rings and earrings are as practical as they are elegant. Otiumberg positions itself as a demi-fine jewellery brand. Tilly Sveaas founded her eponymous brand in 2016. Born in Hong Kong to British-Norwegian parents, London-based Tilly has been a jewellery designer for over 25 years, creating her first pieces during an extended trip to Bali, where she still produces to this day. Their goal is to make pieces that ‘will be your go-to for years to come’.