The 1970s
Jewelry in the 1970s ranged from earthy to glamorous. Bohemian style carried on from the ’60s with turquoise, natural stones and long beaded necklaces, while disco brought out layers of gold chains. Zodiac medallions were popular too. Men wore jewelry as well, and by the end of the decade plenty of them wore chains around their necks and rings on their fingers.
Everyday style in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, 1973. Photo: Harry Schaefer for the EPA’s DOCUMERICA project, U.S. National Archives (public domain)
This was also when a designer’s name started to matter as much as the jewelry house. In 1974, Elsa Peretti joined Tiffany & Co. Her first collection sold out on its first day, and her smooth, sculptural designs in sterling silver and gold became classics, among them the Bone Cuff, the Bean, the Open Heart and Diamonds by the Yard.
Avon, long known for cosmetics, added a full jewelry section to its catalog in 1971. It was sold the way Avon always sold, by the Avon representative in your living room.
From our collection
The Elsa Peretti Bean, one of the designs she created for Tiffany in the 1970s, and two zodiac pendants.
