The topic is....

... Avon's lady-bug watch pendant.

#7 in an occasional series of repressed 70's memories that turn out to be true.

This may not have any resonance for you. And I'll admit it doesn't have the same "I knew it" revelation as finding, say the Hot Dog movie, or a complete episode guide to Beanie and Cecil. This is the kind of surfaced memory where you discover the contents of your Treasure (cigar) box on sale on eBay.

hey Boo....

Time was...when Avon embraced collectibles and invented its own market in perfume decanters, children's novelty cosmetics, and odd items like the ladybug watch pendant. Notice that it tells time upside-down, see, because you wear it around your neck. Squeeze the antennae, and the wings open to reveal {{{gasp}}} it is 10:10. FANTHY! cry the little girls.

You know you wanted one.

The other thing I went looking for was this.

Her head flipped open to dispense "perfume," a waxy medicinal sort of...rub that I can smell right now just by thinking about it. I loved her because I thought she looked like That Girl, but according to eBay, she is a "Small World Pin Pal." I think she's "Polynesian."

Once you know to search for "pin pal," you'll wish for that cookie tin or lego box or whatever you kept yours in.

aaaaggggh..!

The name of this website hurts just a little. And they do not have the ladybug for sale. But they have Avon Steins. Remember when Avon sold Steins? Anyone remember why? Oh.. what will men buy? How can we corner the male market? STEINS? Do they need to dispense waxy stink-goo? No, just the stein. The fellas luv 'em!

Avon still sells:

Skin So Soft

Silicone Glove

Sweet Honesty (which I had remembered as Something Chastity, and it took me a while to find it. The ammonia that was in the Bo Peep decanter)

...but not steins. The men's shop contains several hand-held digital toys and a NASCAR throw. The leading fragrance is named after Derek Jeter. Who apparently doesn't care what people say about him.