Brand Values

Since 2004 we have been operating with the same ethos: make beautiful jewelry that lasts and has the lowest environmental impact. 

We believe in treating everyone with respect and dignity — our staff, our customers, our community, the designers we work with, our material suppliers and the earth itself. The jewelry industry has a poor track record of being accountable for the environmental impact it has and how its workers are treated; we are working to change that standard. 

• we work almost entirely with recycled gold and diamonds
• we make everything in our Brooklyn studio with a minimum carbon footprint
• consider the impact of every decision

We are a woman run business where people are encouraged to be themselves and are judged on their merits. Our teams work together in a beautiful, light-filled and clean environment in stark contrast to an industry notorious for people working out of poorly-ventilated, dark basements. We offer all employees generous benefits ranging from health insurance and a retirement plan to professional development classes, office cold brew coffee and other perks. We strive to set the standard for what a jewelry studio should be. See our studio here!

Having our own jewelry studio allows us to minimize shipping allowing us to keep our environmental impact to a minimum.

All of our diamonds are ethically and responsibly sourced; all brilliant cut diamonds in the line are recycled [or lab-created]. We go above and beyond all standard industry regulations to ensure that we can stand behind every stone we use in our jewelry. We have a lot to say about diamonds — please read more here!

We source our gold chain, wire, findings and castings from vendors who are committed to minimizing the environmental impact of their work. Our vendors purchase a mix of recycled metal and ethically sourced materials and then make their own alloys to control the process and minimize the number of middle-men in the supply chain. We use a New York City caster who is a leader in using clean, electric equipment. Catbird is a certified member of No Dirty Gold, an international campaign with a goal of reforming the industry.

With each new material we introduce in our line, our standards go up. Every new piece we introduce is made with the most stringent requirements as we continually strive to bring the most beautiful and least harmful natural materials to our customers. We also constantly review our current materials to ensure that we are using the best options in the marketplace at any given time. Our pearls are from a third generation farm in Hubei Province in China which engages in clean water practices. Our stones are sourced from mines that adhere to the highest environmental and human rights standards. To ensure that mines are up to the standards for inclusion in our line, we only work with a small palette of stones.

Since day one, before we could really afford it, Catbird has been a charitable company. Through the Catbird Giving Fund, we donate at least 1% of all sales (not profit or “proceeds”) year-round to non-profits aligned with our core beliefs of equality and helping others. Employees help decide (and often suggest!) where money is donated to — all causes dear to our hearts. We have contributed $1,018,540.25 — and counting! 

Our 2021 annual update details how our diversity, equity, and inclusions efforts have evolved this year, shares our current representation, and highlights our valued partners in the work we are doing. Read the update

We know there are lots of ways and places to spend your money. Customer service is our privilege, and responsibility, and these are some ways we think we excel.

On 362 days of the year, you can find us at our jewel box shops. We welcome thousands of visitors to the stores every week, and have answered every jewelry question under the sun! We also have a Wedding Annex devoted solely to engagement & wedding rings. Take comfort in purchasing your jewelry online knowing that we are real people, in a real shop.

We have been in business since 2004, selling fine jewelry with an emphasis on accessibility, and independent — often local — designers. For over 14 years, we have put in the hard work to build a fledgling heritage brand with staying power, and the tools to provide the utmost in customer service for a lifetime spent with your jewelry.

Our handpicked roster of designers represents the best and the brightest in the world of personal fine jewelry. We pick up new designers slowly; not only do we look for designers who make beautiful work, we look for ones who will, and can, stand behind their product. Many of our designers have built their careers by launching at Catbird. We are so proud of this.

We treat everyone with respect and kindness, and feel truly honored to get to be a part of the celebration of all types of relationships and love, from marriage to friendship to family. We never pressure anyone into buying —  we don’t work on commission and we celebrate getting to make our customers truly happy! We listen to our customers — what they want and how we can serve them better. A real person in Brooklyn, with deep experience and knowledge, is answering every call and email with individual care and attention. See what our customers have to say about us!