Avant Garde

Probably one of THE best, one-​of-​a-​kind, jewelry you’ll find anywhere in LA.
This is on my HIT list for sure.
All made by Parisian designers. All custom. Very different stuff here. Not overly pricey.
I purchased a brass bracelet for $ 143.00. Not cheap, but not expensive either. Really really like it… very rock-​n-​roll. It will go nicely with the LA style here.
Hooooray! for French designers. I have a lot of respect for them.

They carry many unique pieces, which I love! I bought earrings there a couple of years ago, lost one. Saddened I walked into the store crossing my fingers they would still have the same style. Not only did they have it, the owner replaced it for free! Now that’s service!

I live in New York and discovered this store on a trip to LA to see my brother. I had to calm myself down when I walked in! The jewelry is amazing and the quality is unbelievable! It took me a year to get back to LA and this is the first place I went to. I showed them a necklace i bought the year before and said it had a piece that scratched when I wore it. They restrung and polished the entire necklace for free! Unbelievable.
I save my money just to buy their jewelry. While I wish they had a website to purchase from, I kind of like that they don’t. Strangers stop me to compliment my jewelry, and ask where it’s from. I like that New Yorkers can’t get a hold of it!

It would be difficult to write a review that would give this wonderful store justice! Every time I stop at Avant Garde I can’t help myself to try on almost everything they have and leave with a few pieces. The creativity is amazing and the costumer service exemplary. One of my favorite place to shop in LA. Always a good spot to find a gift or send a friend. Over the years I have bought many, many pieces there, and still love them all today. The quality of the craftsmanship is rare to find and if anything goes wrong, the owners will fix it no question asked (rare to find in this city). Just one of my favorite store!

Absolutely the best place to buy jewelry. The selection is always amazing. I have been shopping there since the day it opened, and now all of my girlfriends go there too.
The owner, Ami, will repair any piece if it brakes (which is rare).
Wonderful place, make sure you have enough time when you go — you will not be able to leave before trying on everything they have!

Years ago I discovered Metal Pointu’s while shopping in Paris. A month later, I was back in LA and they had opened a shop less than a mile from my apartment! I was excited as the style of the jewelry was exactly my taste. Over the years, I have bought many many bracelets, rings, necklaces from the store. My friends also love the store from themselves and for the fact that they know anything they buy there, I will probably love.
At some point the name of the store changed to Avant Garde and I hadn’t been in the shop in a while. Today, my good friend needed a gift for his wife’s birthday and since we didn’t find anything at Fred Segal or anywhere else nearby, I thought we’d give AG a chance.
As soon as we walked in, he found a ring he loved for his wife. And then a gorgeous necklace. We both loved the selection of jewelry and had trouble narrowing down the best items. There was just so much great stuff!
I recognized the woman in the store from the last few times I had been in over the years, I think she may be the owner but I’m not sure. She was incredibly helpful and kind. I mentioned to her that I had recently lost one of my favorite earrings and I couldn’t believe that they had another pair there in the store. I considered buying them again, but then she offered to sell me just the one to replace the one I had lost! I couldn’t believe it and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to once again be able to wear one of my favorite pairs of earrings!
After my friend made all of his purchases, I was ready to re-​buy my earring, but the woman put it in a little bag and said «here you go!» I fully expected to pay for it… so I was surprised and delighted… the gesture was so lovely. And she was smart to do it because over the years I have referred many people to this store and I will continue to do so because not only do they have a wonderful product where you can ALWAYS FIND the PERFECT GIFT, but they clearly value their loyal customers and everyone can appreciate that.
Go check out the store… you will love it, I promise! (Don’t ask for a free earring though, at least until you’ve bought at least 15 items lol ;)

I stopped into Avant Garde on a recent trip to L.A. I agree with the other reviewers that this is a great store. I was somewhat expecting the salesperson to be unfriendly, but she was anything but; very inviting and nice, which adds to the experience for me. I love the style of this jewelry — bold, artsy pieces — and I would recommend Avant Garde to others who like similar artistic jewelry pieces. Great little place!

Still a five star shop but now I have absolutely no doubts. I have been back in LA for just over a week and have been trying to get to this store after work and before they close every day. I finally made it in today and was ready to buy. I had a dinner reservation in 40 minutes so I actually was ready to buy FAST.
As soon as I entered, the very nice lady who always works there approached me to offer help. I said I was looking for another pendant similar to the one I was wearing, which I also bought in this store. She looked at my pendant and asked me if I would like her to clean it. I do love stores that do this, even though I was a little embarrassed by how unpolished I had kept it. So, she went to clean it as I browsed.
She returned shortly thereafter without the necklace, having left it in the back to be cleaned, and helped me pick out a few necklaces I like. I browsed a little longer and chose two stunning pendants to purchase.
I approached the register expecting to receive my old necklace when I checked out. There were two necklaces at the counter, however: my pendant on its ratty old chain and another just like it on a nice shiny new chain. She explained to me that although they cleaned my pendant and it looked pretty good, there were some dark spots ON THE BACK and since they couldn’t get them off, she was going to give me a new necklace just like my old one. I have had my necklace for nearly three years so I would expect some age spots so I was floored that she was exchanging my old one for a brand-​new one, completely for free.
Not only does this store have beautiful jewelry but the customer service is exemplary. I will always return here when I am in town and they now have a lifetime customer

Metal Pointu’s is on that small yet burgeoning strip of Melrose between Crescent Heights and Fairfax with an ever-​growing amount of tiny specialty shops that are perfect for finding the BEST gift ever: that area is like a frickin’ hydra of quirky specialty stores! Or, maybe it’s just great because I’m lazy, hate traffic, and can walk here on any random weekend to pick up a dazzling sparkly gift for my bestest.
Ooh la la! This is the first American outpost of an established French/​Parisian jewelry store. I know it’s cliché and I know lots of people hate the French, but I’m a bona-​fide Francophile (good bread, cheese and wine? Enough said.). Although the prices may be a bit high for a graduate student, they are decent if you have a job and love your friend. Interesting and unique pieces of jewelry that come in the bulky variety for the most part. I will, say, I’m not partial to bulky jewelry, but MP definitely carries some unique pieces. The more filagreed and delicate stuff (actually, I don’t think there is anything filiagreed there) is few and far between but creative and beautiful. This place is for your stylish friends who are not afraid to accessorize (I am, but I live vicariously through my peeps who like the big and sparkly).
Even if it’s not your thing or you don’t buy anything, this is an interesting place to check out: a different spin on jewelry making…