Imagine a world where access to fine jewelry was far from arm’s reach — hard to recall, isn’t it? That might be because for nearly two decades, Catbird has been a leading force in democratizing the category so customers get the high-quality pieces they covet for a more widely attainable price.

Since founder Rony Vardi opened the brand’s first Brooklyn outpost in 2004, tastemakers the world over have been migrating to Williamsburg to peruse Catbird’s covetable display cases and add some of its signature glamour to their own jewelry collections. And now, the style set need look no further than midtown Manhattan to get their hands on the brand's finery as it takes up a new permanent residence in Rockefeller Center.

The Center Magazine recently caught up with Catbird Chief Creative Officer Leigh Batnick Plessner and Brand & Content Marketing Specialist Kristin Griesel to discuss the new store, the brand’s ethos, and what this moment means for New York’s jewelry lovers.

Tell me about the aesthetic of this new store location and how it’s an extension of the original Brooklyn location.

LBP: Our new store at Rockefeller Center was designed around a small snip of cherry red velvet; it sat on our desks for weeks and beckoned. We’d never worked with red before and had been inching toward it — we have a small bamboo footstool covered with red patent leatherette in our Wedding Annex. Our Rockefeller red is evocative of a New York apple, an old movie theater curtain, no right turns on red.

We’ve always wanted our stores to feel lived in and quixotic, as if you slipped into someone’s living room that happened to be full of tiny, shiny jewelry. And we want each store to feel different but familiar, from one to the next— like a city home, and a country home belonging to the same charming and kind-hearted painters, poets, long-ago punks. We’re also not afraid of things being a bit worn and threadbare, even from the beginning. The patina of time makes everything more beautiful. Jewelry included.

What do you hope the brand can accomplish with this new Rock Center location?

KG: We look forward to cultivating our Catbird Rock Center community! Rockefeller Center has become quite an exciting hub; we have met so many wonderful neighboring businesses, and customers who work in the neighborhood will stop by on their lunch breaks to say “hi.” The neighborhood is a departure from both Williamsburg and Soho, so we are happy to see the brand take on Midtown!

Catbird is open at 610 5th Avenue Monday to Wednesday 11am to 7pm, Thursday and Friday 11am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 8pm, and Sunday 10am to 7pm.