James Avery Artisan Jewelry embarked on a grand experiment this year: Every month, the beloved Texas-based brand has brought back one of its archival designs, to honor its founder, meet customer demand, and woo shoppers.
Throughout 2025, clients new and old have snapped up James Avery’s Designs From Our Archives, reproductions of the brand’s retired jewelry pieces. The monthly releases feed collector zeal and generate excitement because of their limited-time availability—and they’ve gotten James Avery attention in news stories, on social media, and among those key loyal shoppers.
The response has been invigorating for the company, says James Avery Vice President of Merchandising and Design Sarah Herr, who notes that several of the reintroduced items sold out both online and in the brand’s stores.
“On the first of the month, there are people waiting at our stores for the next Design From Our Archives,” Herr says. “We time the release online to the time of our stores’ opening, so we also see online traffic spike when the designs come out. They’re waiting for it.”
Designs From Our Archives has allowed James Avery to showcase the Artisan part of its name, Herr says. An estimated 90% of its jewelry is made in Texas and often is intricately designed and crafted—something the late James Avery, who founded the company in 1954, always insisted on.
A team at the company selects the monthly reissues, looking for designs that offer “James Avery style,” says Herr, and ensuring variety in type of jewelry and price point.
Every rereleased jewel features a limited-edition “2025” mark. This was added to serve as a tribute to the Designs From Our Archives project and to distinguish these pieces from the originals, which is especially important for longtime James Avery collectors, Herr says.
“Our customers care about our brand, and we’re lucky to have that,” she says. “We’re also lucky to have 70 years of product to look back on. That’s Mr. Avery’s legacy, and we want to honor that.”
Herr says that it’s been fun to watch customers’ reactions and that the reissues have led to more social media interaction for the company, a hoped-for outcome.
Over the years, fans had asked via email, phone call, or social media post for certain designs to come back, so the project has gone over well with longtime customers, she adds.
Among the fan favorites to return are Robin’s Egg drop earrings, the first rerelease, in January; and the butterfly and flower link bracelet, May’s drop. Both were originally introduced in 1983, and the earrings stayed in James Avery’s product line for 25 years. Their simple, sculptural look is universal yet also specific to the James Avery point of view and feel, Herr says. The butterfly and flower bracelet is one of those pieces that many clients had asked to see again, she notes.
“We really listen to our customers. Every month, our design and merchandising team gives us a list of what people are asking for,” says Herr. “When we see something bubbling up or the same requests over and over, we pay attention.”
Top: James Avery reintroduced 1983’s butterfly and flower bracelet in May as part of its yearlong Designs From Our Archives project. (Photos courtesy of James Avery Artisan Jewelry)
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