1972

Founder Castro was born in 1972 in Toledo, Ohio to a lawyer and furniture dealer. Castro’s mother, Mary was a huge influence on his character and style. Mary has noted that when Castro was just a young boy, she would discover her pearl necklaces missing or dresses cut, as he repurposed the luxurious materials for his own uses. From a young age, he would craft his own outifts, even constructing a full suit for himself as a teenager .

1999

Castro’s life was changed forever when a mentor encouraged him to enter jewelry as a profession. In the year 2000 he took a two week course on jewelry repair and returned home to open his first store with then-wife Belinda Castro, C&C Jewelers. At C&C, Castro made repairs until he was eventually commissioned to make a ring. He enjoyed the process so much, it led to more original works

 

2004

Castro moved to Chicago to pursue a career in fashion. While there, he made key connections within the fashion industry and neared closer to his iconic afro-gothic aesthetic. It was during this time that he was encouraged again to pursue jewelry.

2006

Castro moved to New York City with the intention of making a name for himself as a designer. There he began selling handmade jewelry at a small table on the streets of SoHo. Slowly he built his customer base, and over time people from every reach of the globe came to admire and covet Castro’s wildly unique art jewels, of which only 35 were made per year.

 

2016

Castro left NYC to move to Istanbul, Turkey due to rising racial tensions in the USA and to tap into the industry of old-world artisans. He viewed his relocation as a stepping stone to permanent residence in West Africa. During his time in Istanbul, Castro elevated the craftsmanship, creativity and ingenuity to new heights and developed his iconic Dollie series, which launched a relatively unknown yet brilliant jewelry artist into the spotlight.

2020

Castro NYC was receiving more press and attention than ever before, being featured in Forbes, Town and Country, Vogue, and other publications before collaborating with DeBeers Diamonds in 2022, being represented by Carpenter’s Workshop Gallery in Paris, and exhibiting with Sotheby’s Jewels in New York City. Finally, Castro was receiving the recognition he deserved for his work in the high art world.

 

2021

Castro was joined in Istanbul by his son Sir King, who began an informal apprenticeship under his father. For one year they lived and worked together, with Castro teaching the profession of jewelry to his son.

2022

On Monday July 18th 2022, Castro died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack at his home in Istanbul. He is survived by his son, brother, mother and father.

 
 

2023

The studio will be represented by Carpenter’s Workshop Gallery in 2023. Under the direction of Sir King Castro, Castro NYC will relaunch and begin its registry program, identifying, verifying and cataloguing all works created by Castro. In the fall of 2023 Castro NYC will begin releasing pieces again.