Catbird Jewelry Soho — Local services in New York

Individual members of the Catbird team have been very helpful and I love many of their designs and commitment to sustainability.

However (and it’s a big however), I’ve had a terrible time trying to get my engagement ring repaired after the only diamond fell out in just six months of having the ring. The ring my fiancé bought me, the Homespun Solitaire, has a very delicate band and a single stone. I was very careful with the ring, taking it off regularly for any activity that would risk damaging it. Still, somehow a prong was damaged and the diamond fell out. We were immediately in touch with Catbird about a repair and about warranties that might cover it — we took the ring to the store, who shipped it to the designer, who determined that the repair would cost $215. The website states that wedding jewelry will be repaired free of charge for the first year, though I came to find out that this was only for Catbird original pieces, not designer pieces. Still, while on the phone with a helpful employee, I learned that there was additional coverage that Catbird might be able to offer if the damage was not due to negligence or normal wear and tear — clearly, my case involved neither.

After speaking with that employee, however, it was incredibly hard to reach anyone on the Catbird customer service team. I emailed and my emails went unanswered. No one pick up on the customer service phone line and there was no option to leave a voicemail. I kept trying back, occasionally getting hold of someone who said they’d be back in touch, but that didn’t happen. This went on for about a month and a half.

Finally, I was able to reach a manager through the Soho store who stayed on the phone with me until she figured out the system — that was helpful and her assistance was much appreciated. She agreed that clearly the ring shouldn’t have broken like that. BUT, she confirmed for me that there was nothing Catbird would do to cover the cost of repair to my ring. It still doesn’t make sense to me, given that the website says that they offer "a 2 year warranty to take care of your item if any breakage or damage occurs."

I’m shocked that Catbird doesn’t stand behind the products they sell more. If the ring broke because it was simply too delicate, they should seriously consider pulling the product — hilariously, they no longer sell my ring model, very possibly because this is what happens to it!

I’m seriously disappointed with the whole experience. If they had covered the repair, or admitted that this model tends to break easily and credited me the value of the ring towards the purchase of a sturdier one, they could have kept my business. Not...

This has to be the most overrated and disappointing service I have received in a long time. My boyfriend and I went to "get zapped" after I read up about the service, and I wanted to do something special as a couple.

Having read about this previously and coming to visit NYC, we set aside one of our days, made the appointment on the website a week ahead, and we both looked forward to the experience.

First, they needed the bands in stock. As they are listed on the website (almost no white gold and silver), we sit down after picking a strand out from what was in stock.

We chose the swimming pool bracelet and unlike the website that states that charms can be added to any bracelet, we were informed that none of the charms could be added to ours.

The clerk that did the zapping completely ignored me when I said I wanted a longer length; she advised against it, and even though she said we could change it, she just went ahead with the size she wanted to do and sealed the thing. Also, there is no "zapping of the bands together.” It’s simply a little gold ring that gets inserted that turns into a bracelet that is not removed. But in no way is it seamless.

Now, my biggest disappointment is that I was so much ignored that the clerk ended up having a lively conversation about NYC schools, and I sat on the side watching and listening to these two. (I am from out of town and this conversation was meaningless). She finished me in a few minutes, and with my boyfriend, she held a long conversation that made me want to ask if I should return later. (I did mention when it was all done that this was a huge disappointment and that I felt entirely left out).

He just wanted to be polite. However, she didn’t seem to adhere to the experiential narrative as advertised on the website and I simply felt left out: if you sell this as a couple’s experience, please make it one!

I was so disappointed and underwhelmed that now, all I see when I look at this thin cheap bracelet, is that I am reminded that we spent over $540 on it. We could have purchased more excellent, higher quality bracelets with a clasp for that money and probably gotten better service.

Overall, I hated the experience, really disliked the unprofessionalism of the clerk, and the bracelet was not the length I wanted (do they want to save gold since the clerk herself had many various sizes?)

I can't believe I made this part of my NYC experience. I hope this review serves as a cautionary tale. For me it was a costly lesson learned, and to top it off, I now get to carry a...

I have never been more disappointed in an online store’s experience. I purchased 2 solid gold pieces for my fiancee from this store as our wedding gift. I was told during purchase by the agent online that my purchase would qualify for exchange or refund should anything go wrong. I spent ages looking online for a brand and chose this one for MY WEDDING GIFT.

Unfortunately the piece I chose did not fit my fiancee and was not her style. I immediately reached out to catbird to initiate the exchange or even credit online. I was told there is no exchanges for international purchases and that their policy is online. It’s buried in a page at the bottom and again - during my extensive discussion with an EMPLOYEE of your business, I expressed that I lived in Canada and was told I could return. During the excitement, of course I assumed the word of an employee was correct. I spent over $800 and couldn’t reach customer service for ages over email until one of their chat agents finally answered me and gave me a “sorry the agent was incorrect but we can’t take it back.” Are you serious? So now we’re stuck with your absolutely overpriced marked up online jewelry that was put into a box messily with no proper wrapping and that doesn’t fit. And you can’t honour what your employee that represents your store said to a customer. I was again, ready to buy more pieces and would have happily just taken a credit.

Absolutely unethical company that just shills their product and is extremely overpriced for what they are after talking to numerous other people after the fact. I will never be purchasing here again and would highly advise anyone from doing so. Thanks for ruining my wedding gift that I saved up for. She has to act like she likes it now because of your own company’s unethical practices.

When you respond to this and say that your policy is on your site and the same BS about pieces getting lost in customs potentially, please spare me - numerous proper companies around the world do international exchanges and stand by the mistake of an employee that was the direct reason someone purchased your product. Not Catbird though because greed is what matters.

UPDATE: Nov 26, 2025: I sent an email like they asked on Nov 5, and they have yet to say anything to me. The response below is clearly for their image and to act like they care. Nothing was done to rectify their service....