Avon Jewelry: Accessible Prices with Strong Design Appeal
Avon jewelry is widely appreciated for being accessible and affordable while still offering a high level of design appeal.
In particular, lines created in collaboration with well-known designers include many noteworthy pieces and are highly regarded among collectors.
The History of Avon and the Beginnings of Its Jewelry Line
Avon was founded in 1886 by David McConnell. The company initially began as a door-to-door book sales business, and McConnell would offer perfume samples as a gesture of thanks to customers who purchased books.
He soon noticed, however, that the housewives he visited were far more interested in the perfume than in the books themselves. This response prompted a shift in focus toward fragrance sales.
Starting with just five perfumes, the business grew rapidly, eventually establishing a direct-selling model that employed large numbers of sales representatives and achieved significant success.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the company expanded its product range under the name Avon Products, offering household items such as vanity sets and toothbrushes.
In 1939, the company officially changed its name to Avon, marking another stage of expansion.
The Launch of Avon’s Jewelry Business
Avon entered the jewelry market in 1971.
The earliest pieces were brooches and pendants designed to hold solid perfume, and they quickly proved to be extremely popular.
Encouraged by this success, Avon moved decisively into the jewelry business. One particularly notable development was the introduction of the Precious Pretenders Collection.
Although these pieces did not emphasize individual designer names, their richly decorative designs gained strong support and helped establish Avon’s presence in the costume jewelry market.
Characteristics and Appeal of Avon Jewelry
Avon jewelry is distinguished by its strong design sensibility despite its affordable price range.
In later years, collaborations with prominent designers—including Kenneth Jay Lane—further elevated the brand, resulting in elegant and refined pieces.
Thoughtful detailing, along with the use of beads and rhinestones, gives many Avon designs a striking visual presence as accessories.
At the same time, their approachable pricing has made Avon a popular brand for those who wish to enjoy costume jewelry casually and without hesitation.
In particular, brooches and pendants incorporating solid perfume remain uniquely appealing, allowing wearers to enjoy both fragrance and ornamentation—an enduring hallmark of Avon jewelry.
The first piece of jewelry, in 1971, was an owl brooch that could hold solid perfume.
"Precious Pretender" by an unknown designer in 1971
The Collectible Value of Avon Jewelry
Avon jewelry—particularly pieces produced from the mid-1970s through the 1980s—has become increasingly popular among collectors.
These designs reflect the aesthetics and materials of their era, and in recent years their appeal has been reassessed and more widely appreciated.
Named Designs and Distinctive Characteristics
Like the jewelry produced by Sarah Coventry, many Avon pieces were given individual names.
This practice makes Avon jewelry relatively easy to identify and collect, allowing enthusiasts to search for specific designs or series with confidence.
Named designs also give each piece a clear sense of identity and narrative, reflecting Avon’s thoughtful approach to creating jewelry with distinct character rather than anonymous accessories.
Collaborations with Other Jewelry Brands
Depending on the project and period, Avon also incorporated the involvement of other jewelry manufacturers and designers.
One particularly well-known example is the 100th Anniversary jewelry, which was designed by Trifari.
Through collaborations such as this, Avon produced many pieces that combined accessible pricing with a high level of design and craftsmanship.
This distinctive balance has helped Avon jewelry maintain enduring appeal among collectors.
Avon as a Collectible Brand
Avon jewelry from the 1970s and 1980s is often recognized as having influenced later costume jewelry design trends.
Among collectors, these pieces are now regarded as valuable examples of vintage costume jewelry, with particularly high appreciation for designs that demonstrate strong creativity and thoughtful use of materials.
Despite its background in large-scale production, Avon jewelry has earned its place as a meaningful collectible—accessories that reflect the style, culture, and spirit of their time.
Brooch designed by Trifari to commemorate the 100th anniversary.
1973 Tassel lariat designed by Juliana
The Most Highly Valued Collector Pieces in Avon Jewelry
Among Avon jewelry, the pieces most highly regarded as collector items are those associated with
Kenneth Jay Lane (KJL),
Jose Maria Barrera,
and Elizabeth Taylor.
These lines are widely considered to stand apart from other Avon jewelry, distinguished by their exceptional design quality and overall level of craftsmanship.
Kenneth Jay Lane (KJL) and His Appeal
Kenneth Jay Lane is renowned for his bold, dramatic designs and unmistakable personal style.
Through his collaboration with Avon, his work reached a broader audience and came to be recognized as some of the most highly valued jewelry within the brand.
Avon pieces designed by KJL are characterized by their eye-catching glamour and strong visual impact. Today, they are widely regarded as top-tier collector items within the Avon jewelry lineup.
Designed by Jose Maria Barrera
Jose Maria Barrera is known for his intricate and luxurious approach to jewelry design.
The Avon pieces attributed to him are highly regarded among collectors for their meticulous detailing and refined, upscale finish.
With a presence reminiscent of haute couture jewelry, these designs are often treated as a special category within Avon jewelry, set apart by their richness and sophistication.
Elizabeth Taylor's Jewelry Line
The Elizabeth Taylor jewelry line was inspired by her film career as well as her personal jewelry collection.
Introduced in the 1990s, this line features bold, glamorous designs that stand out within the Avon catalog.
Blending cinematic flair with fashion sensibility, these pieces hold strong appeal for jewelry enthusiasts and continue to command significant collector value today.
Necklace by Jose Maria Barrera is very rare
"Blossoms of Spring" by Louis Feraud, 1984
KLJ Kenneth Jane Lane's 1989 piece Midnight Rose
There is no Avon stamp, just KJL.
The Non-Retail “Peacock Brooch” by Avon: A Collectible of Special Interest
Among Avon jewelry, one piece that has attracted considerable attention from collectors—despite being relatively modern—is the Peacock Brooch.
This brooch is widely believed to have been produced as a non-retail item, distributed as a special gift to Avon hostesses (sales representatives), rather than sold to the general public.
Because the number distributed was limited, relatively few examples are known to exist today. As a result, the Peacock Brooch is regarded as a highly scarce item and continues to draw strong interest from collectors.
Ornate Design and Notable Quality
The Peacock Brooch is distinguished by its bold, eye-catching design, featuring an abundance of sparkling rhinestones.
Its visual impact, refined detailing, and overall craftsmanship have earned it high praise in terms of design quality, finish, and brilliance.
The peacock motif itself symbolizes elegance and grace, lending the piece a refined and sophisticated presence. For this reason, the brooch is valued not only as a collectible but also as a striking accent for special occasions.
Collectible Significance
Within the long history of Avon, the Peacock Brooch is often regarded as a special-status piece.
Its reputation as a non-retail item, combined with its association with hostess incentive programs, makes it particularly difficult to acquire today.
Because of its rarity and the story surrounding its distribution, the Peacock Brooch is valued as more than just an accessory. It is considered a meaningful object that reflects Avon’s unique sales culture and brand history, holding lasting significance for collectors.
How the Value of Avon Jewelry Is Determined
When Avon jewelry is not associated with a specific well-known designer, its value tends to be assessed based on several key factors outlined below.
Uniqueness
Pieces that feature distinctive designs or clearly defined concepts are generally more highly valued.
In the case of Avon jewelry, examples that stand out under this criterion include solid-perfume pieces and designs with strong thematic motifs, such as animals or figurative forms.
Design Quality
Jewelry that is visually striking yet well balanced enjoys consistent popularity among collectors.
In particular, pieces that make effective use of rhinestones or decorative elements tend to receive higher evaluations within the Avon lineup.
Decorative Impact
For Avon jewelry, ornamentation itself is an important measure of value.
Designs with a high level of decoration and strong visual impact are more likely to be regarded as desirable collector items.
Characteristics of Higher-Valued Pieces
In many cases, Avon jewelry derives its value more from decorative richness than from simplicity.
Pieces that incorporate an abundance of rhinestones or bold color combinations are especially likely to be reappraised favorably in later years and continue to command strong interest in the collector market.
These patterns indicate that Avon jewelry is a brand whose value is shaped less by the rarity of materials and more by the completeness, creativity, and enjoyment of the design.
The Significance of Avon Jewelry
Avon jewelry occupies a uniquely distinct position, separate from what is typically considered high-end costume jewelry.
While rooted in large-scale production and accessible pricing, Avon pieces reflect the aesthetics of their time, thoughtful design concepts, and the company’s distinctive sales culture—factors that have drawn renewed attention in recent years.
The appeal of Avon jewelry does not lie solely in a small number of high-priced pieces.
Rather, it is found in the abundance of jewelry with stories to tell: solid-perfume designs, numerous named collections, and non-retail or commemorative pieces created for hostesses and special occasions.
Special lines associated with figures such as Kenneth Jay Lane and Elizabeth Taylor are treated as exceptional within the Avon catalog and are now highly valued by collectors. At the same time, the availability of affordable pieces suitable for everyday wear remains one of Avon’s greatest strengths.
Ultimately, the value of Avon jewelry is defined not by how expensive it is, but by how vividly it reflects the era and culture in which it was created.
For newcomers to costume jewelry, Avon offers an inviting point of entry; for experienced collectors, it provides a field rich in depth and discovery. This balance is the true essence of Avon jewelry.