Tous

It depends on what you love. TOUS is a Spanish house whose core business has always been jewelry, and shoppers tend to love the playful teddy-bear pieces for their charm and craftsmanship. Some find the bear motifs small for the price, so it comes down to whether you want dainty, characterful fine jewelry rather than something larger and bolder.

TOUS works in genuine precious metals, including gold, as a fine-jewelry maker rather than a costume brand. The house has produced jewelry since 1920 and has built its reputation on that craft, so quality is generally well regarded. As always with delicate pieces, the value judgement is personal.

Pandora is built around customizable silver charm bracelets at accessible prices, while TOUS is a fine-jewelry house whose signature is its whimsical teddy-bear design in precious metals. TOUS also reaches well beyond jewelry into bags, watches, perfumes, eyeglasses and small leather goods, so it reads more as a full Spanish accessories house than a charm specialist.

The teddy bear is the motif most people picture when they think of TOUS, appearing across pendants, earrings, bracelets and more. It gives the house its instantly recognizable, tender personality and is a natural first piece for anyone starting a TOUS collection.

A teddy-bear pendant or pair of earrings is the classic entry point, since the bear is the house's calling card and works for everyday wear or gifting. If you want something with more story, look to the collaborations and signature lines the house has developed over the years.

TOUS is a Spanish jewelry, accessories and fashion retailer based in Catalonia, Spain. It began in 1920, when Salvador Tous Blavi and his wife Teresa Ponsa Mas opened a small watch-repair workshop that gradually grew into a jewelry business.

It remains a family business. In 1965 Salvador Tous, the founder's son, married Rosa Oriol, and together they set out to design a new style of jewelry. Their four daughters, Rosa, Alba, Laura and Marta, later joined the company, so the creative direction has stayed within the family across generations.

Yes. TOUS launched a Manolo Blahnik for TOUS collection of pendants that faithfully reproduce, in gold and silver, his famous Campari shoe. The house has also developed a signature collaboration with Eugenia Martínez de Irujo, including releases such as Iluminada, Leyendas and Cercle.

TOUS has used several celebrity faces to build its international profile. Kylie Minogue has been one of the brand's images, and in 2011 Jennifer Lopez fronted its Spring-Summer campaign. These campaigns helped consolidate the house's recognition beyond Spain.

Yes. In 2012 TOUS was listed as a partner of the (RED) campaign, alongside brands such as Nike and Converse, supporting the mission to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. It is a piece of the brand's identity worth knowing if you care about where you shop.

Quite large. The brand has more than 400 stores across 45 countries, with a presence in cities including New York, Paris, Madrid, Milan and Tokyo. Its international expansion began in the 1990s with its first store in Japan, followed by markets such as Mexico and the United States.