Our Blog

  1. Catbird Spotlight - Leith Clark

    Our friend and collaborator Leith Clark makes dreamscapes out of lots of work. We've asked her to share some of what she's been watching and thinking about this holiday season, so we can share them with you, our friends and collaborators. She also sent a list of her London and New York favorites - we'll send those along once London is back from lockdown. Until then, enjoy all of these, which can be enjoyed from wherever you are!

    taken at the Ritz Paris, November 2020

    LEITH'S TIP FOR STYLING JEWELRY

    Mix old with new and high with low. And be sure to find, make or buy a beautiful home for it all

    Wear with silk pyjamas or barefoot in dresses. Lately, I live in black Pierrot pyjamas from Sleeper.

  2. Meet the Team!

    Greetings from our jewelry experts! Our Catbird mavens who can deftly whip up the perfect stack (no matter the budget), find the perfect gift (no matter the budget), and generally make sure you walk away from your virtual styling session with a smile (no budget needed!) 

    How would you describe your style?

    It ranges from casual / fun to extravagant depending on my mood!

    Your jewelry uniform:

    Always earrings! I almost never take mine off but will change them up every once in a while. Also my welded bracelets and my Pas de Deux Ring.

    Favorite pairing:

    So many options to choose from! My current favorite ring pairing is my Pas De Deux Ring with the Beacen Ring, Mother of Pearl nestled on top.

    At the top of your wishlist:

    Snow Queen Ring in yellow gold

    Any styling tips or tricks?

    I love adding charms to my earring stacks. You can add a charm to the (small) Hoop Dream Earring so easily! I love putting the Mermaid's Treasure Charm, the Gentle Spider Charm, or the Met Button Souvenir Charm on mine.
     

    How would you describe your style?

    Colorful & out there - a mix of Catbird and vintage pieces

    Your jewelry uniform:

    So. many. stacking rings. Top knuckle rings are a must!

    Favorite pairing:

    Grand Mignon Ring with anything: Twisted Stacker, Threadbare, and Classic Hammered

    At the top of your wishlist:

    Diamond Kitten Mitten

    Any styling tips or tricks?

    Fasten your necklaces a couple of inches in between when you layer them, like the 1976 Choker, then the Greco Lariat, then a longer one like the Adjustable Sweet Nothing Chain. This can help with tangling! 

    How would you describe your style?

    My style is colorful and fun, I like really classic yellow gold jewelry because it looks so good with all the bright colors in my wardrobe.

    Your jewelry uniform:

    My welded bracelets (1976 and Sweet Nothing) , my 1976 Chain, my Still Life stack (see below!) and my Tomboy thumb ring. Also I always wear my small Hoop Dream earrings with little YG chams :) 

    Favorite pairing:

    Twisted Stacker, Still Life Ruby Ring, Twisted Stacker, and Threadbare in that order :) 

    At the top of your wishlist:

    Beacon Ring Salt and Pepper by Laurie Fleming, Painters Blue Ring by Jennie Kwon, and the Met Button Charm

    Any styling tips or tricks?

    When my fingers get a little swollen in summer or in general, I put my Classic Hammered and Mignon Memory knuckle rings on my 1976 Chain as a cute charm :)  

    How would you describe your style?

    Colorful and fun but always comfortable!

    Your jewelry uniform:

    Lots of stacking rings and top knuckles, Diamond Kitten Mitten, Greco Lariat Earring, gold Ear Cuff, a tangle of welded bracelets...the more sparkle the better :)

    Favorite pairing:

    Pearl Buffet Ring with a Twisted Stacker, Baby Cygnet on top of another Twisted Stacker and Grand Mignon Candy Flower Choker with a Sweet Nothing and 1976 Choker.

    At the top of your wishlist:

    Celestial Rose Earring & a Diamond Baguette Hoop

    Any styling tips or tricks?

    I like to thread my Greco Lariat earring through a piercing that already has a stud in for an unexpected, fun look! My mentality is the more the better, I love mixing textures, lengths and materials to create the perfect jumbled, sparkly look depending on my mood and outfit!

    How would you describe your style?

    70s influenced! Love to mix my mom's vintage pieces with my Catbird collection

    Your jewelry uniform:

    My Sweet Nothing Choker and 1976 Choker never come off. Along with 3 Yellow Gold Threadbare Rings + my Famous Letter Ring with "Boone" engraved for my pup :)

    Favorite pairing:

    Dewdrop Ring paired with 2 Classic Hammered Rings and a Twisted Stacker

    At the top of your wishlist:

    Yellow Gold Diamond Pinprick Necklace

    How would you describe your style?

    Classic and a little edgy!

    Your jewelry uniform:

    Lots of stacking rings, my 5 gold bracelets (two on one wrist, three on the other), a 1976 Chain and a flurry of earrings.

    Favorite pairing:

    1976, Sweet Nothing and Tiny Corsage bracelets all together on one wrist - makes the most beautiful mess.

    At the top of your wishlist:

    The Caravaggio necklace and ring, both in ruby. Also, a Little Lift Diamond Stacking Ring to fit in between a stack of Threadbares!

    Any styling tips or tricks?

    Put two earrings in a single piercing hole (if there's space for it!) This works best when pairing a stud with some kind of threader earring.

    How would you describe your style?

    Neutral colors with cute accessories

    Your jewelry uniform:

    Sweet Nothing Choker, Bracelet, and Anklet, I love a sweet nothing!

    Favorite pairing:

    Greco Lariat with a 1976 Choker

    At the top of your wishlist:

    Diamond Baguette Hoops 

    Any styling tips or tricks?

    Don’t be afraid of mixing metals!

    Shop Their Favorites

  3. Beauty Spotlight: The Best Kind Q+A

    We are so happy to introduce The Best Kind - a skincare line developed by John-Charles Baucom! John-Charles created The Best Kind with the mission of making luxury, quality self care products accessible. (And fun fact! He got his wife's wedding ring from our Wedding Annex!) See our full Q&A with John-Charles below, and shop The Best Kind’s body, hair, face, and lip butters right here!

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  4. Hi! It's us!

    While our stores remain closed, Steph and Jess have been pinch hitting across departments - answering DMs, filling orders, being their amazing selves. Here they are, with all the joie de vivre they bring to our little shops! 

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  5. A Quick Drawing Session with Regina Yazdi (The Artist Behind Our Swans!)

    Our dear friend and artist, Regina Yazdi who created our iconic swans (you'll find them everywhere - on our tote bags, on our postcards, on our tissue paper, we love them so!) was kind enough to film a quick swan tutorial for all of us! Join us in drawing along - and send us your swans (DM us, email us, text us!) we'd love to see your work :)

     
  6. Catbird Classics Spotlight - Threadbare

     

    Our Threadbare Ring is deceptively simple. We have honed and perfected them over years and years! We are especially proud of the $44 price tag, which is especially significant as they are made with solid gold... 14k yellow & rose gold, to be exact.

     

    Threadbares are made one-by-one by #catbirdjewelers in our Brooklyn jewelry studio. We actually filmed the entire process for you - check it out here! And find out more about our Brooklyn studio here.

    Now -- let's take a look at how we are stacking them!

    Hannah ( @freshpesche ) wears a single Threadbare on her finger.

    Lindsay ( @lindsay_may ) wears Threadbares paired with other stacking rings. On her thumb she pairs a Threadbare with a Twisted Stacker Ring, and with a Famous Letter Ring on her ring finger.

    Stephanie ( @stephvlzqz ) wears a Threadbare sandwich! Two yellow gold Threadbares with a Classic Hammered Ring in the center.

    Zoe ( @zoerisherphotography ) wears a big stack of Threadbares - five, to be exact- on her ring finger! Topped off with a Dewdrop Ring.

  7. Designer Q & A : Anthony Lent

    Anthony Lent is a master jeweler with 50 years of experience at the jeweler’s bench. From studying the grand traditions of goldsmithing in Europe, to serving as head of the jewelry department at FIT (where he taught many of our own in-house jewelers), Tony’s surreal, figural work brings a sense of play and humor to our Catbird world. Get a closer look at his designs by visiting our Wedding Annex or Bedford Ave locations! Not in New York? Our concierge team is happy to help with extra photos galore!

     

    What does jewelry mean to you?

     

    Simply put, jewelry is my blank page to play, spin, and weave visions and tales.

     

    Where do you look for inspiration for your designs?

     

    Inspiration can be found everywhere! Everywhere from the history of art to the squirrels on the trees outside of my window, Today the vein structure of some dried leaves on my table is driving me to make some gold critters on a leaf.

     

     

     

    Who is the Man in the Moon?

     

    Science has answered that as best they can for now. For me he is the doorway to dreams and fantasy of another time and place. I like to refer to my particular iteration as The Moon of The Collective Unconscious because although he is an original sculpture, the face is something we have all seen before and just seems to fit.

     

    What originally sparked your interest in goldsmithing?

     

    I was a sculpture student at Philadelphia College of Art when I discovered the drawings and designs of Albrecht Duerer. The other renaissance jewelers and their metal work attracted me to the world of classical goldsmithing.

     

    What was your favorite thing about teaching?

     

    Retirement! I do miss the interactions with students. The legacy of my many years of teaching and seeing so many former students having success in the jewelry industry make me feel good.

     

    What is the symbolism of the hands in your jewelry? And are they modeling after something? Or someone?

     

    Hands are one of the  instruments that define us as human. The neolithic cave paintings in France have images of and using hands, the art of almost every culture has drawn painted, and sculpted hands in every form. My hands are sculpted from various models. One of the more interesting pieces is we have copied a little girls hands in an old analogue process, and reduced them for a tiny hands earring design.

     

    The hands in your work are often wearing jewelry -- do you wear jewelry?

    No I do not.

     

     

    The texture of the scales of the Gold Ouroboros Snake Ring is incredibly detailed! How did you create this when you were modeling the ring?

     

    The scales on my serpents and snakes are an act of insane demand for surface detail, and frankly a compulsion; I can not stop carving them once I start! I say I will not do that again but I fall into the abyss of carving scales under a microscope far too often. The detail is achieved by not just carving into the wax but actually making process molds where I can refine a silver model and engrave the sharper details with much more precision. The unique look on my snakes is a result of that process.

     

     

     

    What is one of your favorite pieces to make?

     

    One of my all time favorite pieces is the One Hand Band. I love this piece because it is so hard to use a hands motif in jewelry that has not been seen before. I feel that this is one of the most unique uses of that motif.

    What do you hope customers feel when they look at and wear your pieces?

     

    I hope they smile and say hello to a long relationship with the pieces and become life long collectors. I hope they see my jewelry as not just an accessory but also a work of art worthy of becoming an heirloom.

     

     

  8. Q & A with Rony!

    Hi - it's Rony (the Founder of Catbird). This is the first time I've ever done an Ask Me Anything, and I'm so excited! We had a LOT of incoming questions on Instagram, so unfortunately I wasn't able to answer them all. But we will definitely do this again -- transparency is a top priority here at Catbird. So stay tuned, and without further ado - let's get to it!

    Q: Please tell us the story behind the name “Catbird?”

    A:  I was a graphic designer and wanted a name that looked good and could change with time. I got it from this beautiful Audubon poster and thought it was such a sweet name.

    Q: How many people work at Catbird?

    A: 140 right now – it’s extra because of the holidays!

    Q: Is it possible to work at Catbird? Need experience? How can we do it?

    A: Check out our careers page! Hot tip - at the bottom it says “If you are interested in joining our team but don’t see a position listed that you are suited for please email us!”

    Q: How’d you fund early prospect designs? How’d you get into fine jewelry without training?

     

    Q: How do you balance your personal self with your public and professional image?

    A: My personal, public, and professional image are all one and the same. Despite the fact that I don’t really have to put myself up front much, I only have one image. Anything else sounds exhausting!

    Q: How the h*ck did you create this incredible company that I feel so much love for?

    A: Slowly!

    Q: What pieces do you wear every single day?

     

    QHow many piercings do you have?

    A: A humble five! 2 on my right ear (Petite Angel Stud and Snow Queen Hoop), 3 on my left (Snow Queen Hoop, Baby Pearl Hoop, Snow Queen Stud).

    Q: What advice do you have for someone wanting to quit their job and start their own business?

    A: Do your homework before quitting, consider working part-time while you’re starting. I started when I had a rent-stabilized apartment, no debt, no kids - I didn’t have much to lose. But I still worked part time when I started. Prepare for lots of hours and no money.

    Q: What would you tell 26 year old you at this point in your life?

    A: Relax. Trust yourself more.

    Q: How do I get a job as a jewelry maker? 

    A: The basic things we look for in a bench test is soldering skills, prong setting skills and following specs. We also require good communication and listening skills, ability to take feedback well and a good interview. A strong portfolio is helpful. Laser skills are great but most people don’t have those coming in. And of course, a lot depends on our current studio needs!

    Q: What is your favorite book? Where do you get inspiration from?

    A: I don’t have a favorite book but I did just re-read Olive Kitteridge which is sublime. So is The Shipping News. Also, Anne of Green Gables is way up there. 

    Inspiration is everywhere! People on the street, songs, overheard snippets, dreams, thunderstorms, everywhere. 

    Q: Do you use consignment or wholesale approach for the jewelry you carry from others?  

    A: When I started I did almost everything on consignment (even stationery!) but now we buy at wholesale and only do consignment in a few rare cases where it works for the designer as well. 

    Q: How did you find Leigh? And how did you know she was the right fit for Catbird’s vision?

    A: I found her in my dreams! Kidding, but it almost feels that way. We met because I carried her beautiful stationery line in 2005. When I had my daughter, I needed people to work in the store and she was one of the people who answered my email. I wasn’t thinking much about the vision then - her role has evolved over 13 years as we’ve grown. I am so so SO happy that I get to work with her every day.  This is a photo of us from when Dore came to visit our studio!

    Q: How do you organize your jewelry collection? 

    A: Messily. 

    Thanks for reading! Want to learn more about our studio and brand? Follow this link!

  9. Catbird Spotlight: Saskia

    Catbird Spotlight: Saskia

    Saskia has been a member of Catbird's concierge team for nearly 4 years. Maybe you have spoken to her on the phone or emailed with her before!  She's never without a big smile and has the most contagious laugh.

    catherine_1 catherine_1

    Hometown: New York City

    Can you tell us a bit about what you do? I specialize in our Wedding and Engagement collection :) I help people navigate the sometimes tricky task of finding that perfect engagement ring for their loved one or that perfect wedding band (or wedding stack!) to pair with their own ring. The funnest part of my job is taking photos of different ring pairings for people!

    How many rings do you wear daily? Usually something around 15.

    Jewels that are on your wishlist? O man, all of the rings! The Snow Queen Ring (I've been dreaming of this one for years!), the Aika Ring, the Marrakech Band and the Nora Ring are a few that are on my wish list

    Favorite thing about New York? The diversity of cultures and personalities, and the food :)

    Favorite Brooklyn spot? Prospect Park, especially the lake! It's so amazing to be able to escape into nature every once in a while. 

    catherine_2 catherine_2
    catherine_3 catherine_3
    catherine_4 catherine_4

    Favorite ritual? I recently discovered how insanely amazing facial massages are! A quick 5 minute massage in the morning really wakes me up and also really helps with my sinuses when my allergies are bothering me :) I also apparently hold a ton of tension in my jaw and neck so a little massage every morning feels so amazing!

    Drink of choice? Bubble tea, this tea cocktail from a bar that closed down but I have the recipe :), or a Mezcal Old Fashioned

  10. Mother's Day : Rony's Favorites!

    Mother's Day : Rony's Favorites!
    Catbird’s founder loves easy, wear-forever gold, bien sûr! Shop her picks below.
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