Schiaparelli Earrings: Eye, Face, Keyhole and Ear Cuffs Explained (2026 Guide)

Schiaparelli earrings are sculptural costume jewellery from the Paris house, made mainly in gold plated brass with enamel, pearls and Swarovski crystals. Each pair is built on a surrealist code: the eye, the face, the mouth, the Keyhole, and creatures such as birds and snails. Shop every pair in the designer earrings edit and see the wider Schiaparelli jewellery guide for the full range.

Key facts about Schiaparelli earrings

• Materials: mostly gold plated brass; some silver plated brass, enamel, mother of pearl and Swarovski crystals.
• Motifs: eyes, faces, mouths, the Keyhole, bird claws, hummingbirds, snails, candles and spheres.
• Price range at Coveti: from about $1,280 for the Mouth Stud Earrings to about $12,250 for the Face Tassel Earrings.

Eye earrings

The eye is one of Elsa Schiaparelli’s oldest motifs, drawn from her friendships with the surrealists. The Eye Stud Earrings are a gold brass eye with a green enamel iris and Swarovski crystals. The Eyes Earrings use enamel and silver plated metal, and the Gaze Pendant Earrings hang a pair of eyes with crystal lashes. The Lashes Earrings set a mother of pearl cabochon inside crystal encrusted lashes.

Face earrings

The face appears across the house, from the Face Bag to brooches. In earrings it comes three ways: the Face Earrings, a gold plated sphere shaped like a face that wraps around the ear; the Face Rhinestone Crown Earrings, a face circled by crystals; and the Face Tassel Earrings, a silver plated face trailing a shower of sfumato topaz crystals, the most dramatic pair in the range.

Keyhole earrings

The Keyhole earrings are the everyday choice. The Keyhole Earrings are a hammered gold brass plate with the Keyhole cut out, and the Keyhole Plate Earrings are a larger openwork plate shaped like a keyhole. They sit flat on the lobe, so they work in the office and under a hat.

Creature and hoop earrings

• Creature Hoop Earrings: hoops shaped like a bird’s head whose beak forms the hoop.
• Bird Claws Earrings and Hummingbird Earrings: gold plated brass claws, and a hummingbird holding a shell.
• Snail Hoop Earrings: hammered silver brass with an antiqued gold snail.
• Twisted Candles Hoop Earrings and Asymmetric Hoop Earrings: the plain hoops, one twisted like a candle and one inspired by the anatomy.

Ear cuffs and anatomical earrings

The Spheres Earcuffs cluster gold plated spheres along the ear, inspired by organic shapes in the collection. The anatomy codes run through the Clasped Hands Earrings, the Feet Earrings, the Mouth Stud Earrings and the Anatomic Bijoux Earrings set with Swarovski crystals.

Schiaparelli earrings compared

Which pair to buy first

For one pair you will wear every week, choose the Keyhole Earrings: they carry the clearest house code at the lowest price and sit flat. For the most recognisable pair, choose the Eye Stud Earrings. For an evening, the Face Tassel Earrings replace a necklace entirely. Match them with a Schiaparelli ring and necklace on the same motif, and read how to tell authentic Schiaparelli before buying second hand.

Caring for Schiaparelli earrings

Plated brass keeps its colour longest when it stays dry. Put earrings on after perfume and creams, wipe them with a soft dry cloth after wearing, and store each pair in its own pouch so the gilding is not scratched.

Why Schiaparelli jewellery looks the way it does

Elsa Schiaparelli treated jewellery as part of the surrealist conversation in 1930s Paris, working with artists rather than jewellers and preferring wit to precious stones. That is why the house still makes its jewellery in gilded brass rather than gold: the value is in the sculpture. Daniel Roseberry, creative director since 2019, has turned the anatomy, the eye, the mouth and the Keyhole into the families you see here, and the same motifs run across the bags, buttons and shoes, so a pair of earrings ties straight back to the rest of the collection.

Buyer’s checklist for Schiaparelli earrings

• Weight: sculptural pieces such as the Face Tassel and Surrealist Ball earrings are heavier; the Keyhole and stud pairs are light enough for all day.
• Fastening: the house does not publish clip on versions, so plan on pierced ears.
• Metal tone: most pairs are gold plated; the Snail Hoop and Face Tassel use silver plated brass.
• Matching: each motif has a ring, necklace and brooch on the same theme.
• Authenticity: buy from the house and its authorised retailers, and keep the pouch and card.

Buying Schiaparelli around the world

Coveti ships Schiaparelli worldwide by express courier, with US dollar prices shown at checkout. Customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the Gulf (the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait) order from the same edit; import duties and local taxes are charged by the carrier on delivery, and the rules for each destination are set out on our delivery and returns page. Sizing does not change by country: clothing is listed on the UK ladder from 4 UK to 16 UK, shoes in EU sizes, and jewellery is one size unless a ring size is stated.

Frequently asked questions

What are Schiaparelli earrings made of?

Most Schiaparelli earrings are gold plated brass. Some use silver plated brass, enamel, mother of pearl, pearls and Swarovski crystals, as stated on each product.

Are Schiaparelli earrings real gold?

No. Schiaparelli earrings are costume jewellery in gold plated brass, not solid gold. That is how the house has made its jewellery since the 1930s.

How much are Schiaparelli earrings?

At Coveti they run from about $1,280 for the Mouth Stud Earrings to about $12,250 for the Face Tassel Earrings. Most pairs sit between $1,700 and $3,500.

What are the Schiaparelli eye earrings called?

The Eye Stud Earrings, the Eyes Earrings, the Gaze Pendant Earrings and the Lashes Earrings all use the eye motif.

Do Schiaparelli earrings come as clip ons?

The house does not publish clip on fittings for the current pairs, so check each product page before you buy if your ears are not pierced.