You can find NYC-based Catbird‘s delicate pieces the world over, from the halls of Buckingham Palace to the streets of Brooklyn. While it counts Meghan Markle, Taylor Swift, and Emma Watson among its many fans, Catbird doesn’t come with the A-list price tag one might expect from this star-studded roster. The brand’s best-selling stackable rings and minimalist hoops, fashioned from ethically sourced materials, have garnered somewhat of a cult following, in large part due to its designs starting at under $100 (the duchess’s Threadbare Ring, for example, is just $44). Aside from its beloved Holy Cannoli charm, Catbird’s latest capsule collection might just be the sweetest yet, and it certainly beats the classic bouquet as a gifting pick for Valentine’s Day.
Earlier this week, Catbird launched its Poetry of Flowers collection featuring hand-engraved birth flower charms crafted from 14K recycled gold, with prices ranging from $158 to $178. Each piece has an original drawing of the flower associated with its specific month (snowdrops for January, for example, daisies for April, roses for June) with its meaning etched on the backside. Chief Creative Officer Leigh Plessner describes these charms as little snow globes filled with lots of unique details.
“We had been searching for a way to express time, seasons, and birth months while allowing for openness of choice and motion across a collection,” Plessner tells R29. “Birth flowers are a lovely tradition that incorporates floriography, the language and meaning of flowers, and seasonality.” Her personal favorite: Lily of the valley, which is paired with May, the month in which they bloom.
While these special petals are not as popular as birthstones, their glittery counterparts, the birth flower trend is certainly blooming, offering an equally sentimental alternative for a giftee who’s all set on the stone front. The idea behind this botanical tradition is that the characteristics of each month’s flower reflect the potential traits inherited by individuals with birthdays at that time, meaning this is an unexpected way to celebrate your own creativity (if you’re a daffodil-donning March baby), or to pay homage to an admirable quality in someone else (we’re looking at you, poppy people of August and your excellent memories). What’s more: The charm you choose is certainly not limited to a corresponding date.
“You can give a birth month, or the month you met, or your child’s birth month, or as a memento mori for a loved one lost. I also think it would be so special to choose the flower that most calls to mind your loved one, and whose qualities (each charm has two qualities engraved on the back) are tied to your beloved,” Plessner explains.
To shake up your usual gifting routine this Valentine’s Day—or whichever occasion typically calls for an online bouquet order—explore the full selection of what Plessner has dubbed “poem charms” on Catbird’s website for the most meaningful kind of flower present you can find.
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