Catbird Jewelry Review

On an average day, I wear more rings on my hands than I can—ahem— count on one hand. While I occasionally swap out styles, my fingers feel naked when they’re not decked out in jewelry. Considering my current ring collection is a mix of fine pieces and bargain buys, I’m always looking to add more quality, won’t-turn-fingers-green designs to my jewelry box.

So, when I heard about Catbird’s trendy, precious-metal-crafted rings, I was intrigued. The brand specializes in delicate pieces meant for stacking, meaning you can slide several onto one finger. As someone who frequently browses jewelry sites on my phone, ads for the brand’s subtle designs were hard to ignore on my Instagram feed. To see how Catbird’s stackable rings stack up, I tried three of the brand’s most popular pieces: The Little Disco Ring, the Baby Cygnet Ring in silver, and the Classic Hammered Ring in silver, which cost $64, $54, and $28, respectively.

What is Catbird?

Catbird’s signature styles may be small, but the designer has garnered a big reputation. The jewelry line, founded in 2004, is crafted in a studio in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. With a focus on environmental impact, Catbird uses mostly recycled gold and diamonds. In addition to the studio, Catbird also has a brick-and-mortar store in Williamsburg and a Wedding Annex focused on engagement and wedding ring collections. The brand highlights its New York roots in its designs and was even tapped to create jewelry for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 150th birthday in 2020.

While the Big Apple-based company sells everything from tiny chain necklaces to home accessories, it’s most known for stackable rings—a jewelry trend it helped popularize. The delicate designs have generated quite the following over the years, with celebrities Meghan Markle, Olivia Wilde, and Emma Stone among their famous fans.

What I like about Catbird’s stackable rings

Catbird’s rings are the jewelry equivalent of jeans: classic and versatile. Each of the pieces I tried paired with practically any outfit—from a baggy sweatshirt to a black bodysuit. Because the designs are free from frills, it also makes it easy to stack them in any combination. I tried different ways to mix and match the pieces each day, from wearing them all on one finger to spreading them out across my hand. Catbird’s stackable styles can keep things looking fresh without regularly buying new jewelry.

All of the rings are just as lightweight as they look, and I’m not burdened by the bling while typing, drawing, doing yoga, and so on. In particular, the Little Disco Ring is beaded like a tiny necklace so it isn't rigid like the other pieces, it truly feels like wearing nothing. It was originally called the Tiny Ball Chain Ring, which may paint a better picture of the subtle, shimmering solid 14k gold material.

The Classic Hammered Ring (also available in gold, although I opted for the sterling silver), is hand-hammered in Catbird’s studio. Like all of the designs I tried, the piece shimmered in the light despite its super thin band.

My favorite piece of the bunch, however? The Baby Cygnet Ring. While knuckle rings are becoming trendy, quality ones aren’t as easy to come by as regular rings. If you’re a fan of wearing multiple rings at once, styles like the Baby Cygnet Ring designed to sit above the knuckles help take advantage of otherwise empty finger real estate. I figured out my ring size using Catbird’s sizing guide and was impressed with the secure fit. Knuckle-ring sizing is crucial after all, as just a hint of looseness could send your jewelry flying while digging around a purse or reaching for an item on a shelf. The Baby Cygnet Ring is also available with engravings, although its small surface area likely couldn’t fit more than an initial.

While not a feature of the rings itself, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the packaging. If you order jewelry from Catbird, prepare for an influencer-like unboxing experience. The pieces come meticulously wrapped, along with extras like Catbird-branded matches and a tiny fake flower.

What I don’t like about Catbird’s stackable rings

While the Classic Hammered Ring seemed thin yet decently sturdy, the super delicate Disco Ring doesn’t hold its own shape—picture a thin chain bracelet, but for your finger—which took some getting used to. If you’re someone who has trouble keeping track of jewelry, the Little Disco Ring could be an anxiety-provoking piece to own. Due to its small size, I was afraid it would get tangled or, worse, slip through my fingers when I picked it up. The Baby Cygnet Ring was more rigid in comparison, although I noticed the shape of the ring changed slightly just from normal wear.

Part of my concerns with the Little Disco Ring came down to sizing. While I typically take a 7.5 in rings, the Little Disco Ring isn't available in half sizes. I sized up to an 8, which felt too loose when I wore it on my ring finger, although it fit some of my other fingers perfectly.

Another downside: the price. If you’re shopping on a budget, Catbird might not be your first stop. While the styles are suited for stacking, many of the rings don’t look like much on their own, which is disappointing considering the over $50 price tag on many of Catbird’s pieces. Many of the models on the Catbird website wear at least five rings on one hand, which is pretty costly to replicate.

Is Catbird worth it?

If you’re looking to treat yourself to some versatile rings, this tiny jewelry brand from the Big Apple might be worth it. But if you’re shopping on a tighter budget—or don’t want something super delicate—Catbird’s minimalist pieces won’t give you much bling for your buck. As the pieces are so tiny, they don’t stand well alone and you might be tempted to collect a literal handful of them to achieve Catbird’s famous ring stacking style.

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