Beyond the Strand: Cora Sheibani’s ‘Skin Deep’ Reimagines the Soul of the Pearl
In the dazzling universe of high jewelry, where tradition often reigns supreme, Cora Sheibani has carved a niche as a delightful and brilliant nonconformist. For collectors and connoisseurs, her name is synonymous with a trifecta of creative tenets: whimsy, wit, and wordplay. The acclaimed Swiss-born, London-based designer is a master of the unexpected, a storyteller who uses precious metals and rare gemstones as her vocabulary. Her work, celebrated in prestigious institutions from Sotheby’s to the Louisa Guinness Gallery and Mahnaz Collection, is a testament to a mind that sees beyond the conventional, often venturing into uncharted territory with materials like anodized aluminum and fluorescent gems that conspire to create mesmerizing glow-in-the-dark patterns.
Sheibani’s creations are imbued with a signature wink, a playful intelligence that invites you into a world of sophisticated amusement. Consider her much-admired 2022 collection, “Pottering Around,” which transformed the mundane objects of a garden shed into exquisite works of art—a watering can brooch, a spade pendant. Her work often flirts with surrealism and is always saturated with brilliant, unapologetic color. Imagine a cocktail ring centered not on a diamond, but on a clear amethyst meticulously carved into the fluted shape of a bundt cake, or beads of vibrant malachite and turquoise fashioned to look like oversized, chic pills. This is the world of Cora Sheibani: audacious, imaginative, and meticulously crafted.
Now, this visionary designer turns her attention to one of jewelry’s most classic and revered elements: the pearl. In her latest collection, aptly titled “Skin Deep,” Sheibani embarks on her most significant exploration of the gem to date. But true to form, this is no mere string of pearls. It is a profound and beautiful meditation on the nature of beauty itself. As Sheibani explains, the collection is “a reflection on beauty, imperfection, and how we sometimes overthink what’s ‘natural’ or ‘perfect.’”
A Designer’s Change of Heart: From Resistance to Reverence
For years, pearls remained just outside Sheibani’s creative purview. Her inclination towards the bold and the avant-garde seemed at odds with the pearl’s traditional, often delicate reputation. “For a long time I resisted pearls, thinking they were too fragile or fussy,” she admits. The gem, so often associated with twinsets and debutante balls, didn’t immediately align with her more rebellious aesthetic.
Yet, a creative evolution was underway. After years of exploring hard-edged stones and industrial metals, Sheibani found herself yearning for a different kind of beauty, a different tactile experience. “I was craving softness—something with a more organic, luminous surface,” she reflects. “Pearls felt right.” This newfound desire for a gentler, more elemental form of expression led her directly to the quiet glow of nacre. “Skin Deep” marks the moment this resistance transformed into a deep, artistic reverence.
The Philosophy of the Pearl
Sheibani’s approach to design is deeply philosophical, and her work with pearls is no exception. She is drawn to materials that possess an intrinsic narrative. “In general, I tend to be drawn to tactile materials—wood, coral, unusual stones—things that have a story or an organic quality,” she notes. “Pearls fit into that naturally.” Born from irritation within a living creature, a pearl is nature’s exquisite answer to an imperfection—a concept that lies at the very heart of the “Skin Deep” collection. It is a gem that doesn’t need to be faceted to shine; its beauty is inherent, a soft luminescence that emanates from within.
Subverting the Hierarchy: A Revolution in Value
One of the most compelling aspects of “Skin Deep” is its quiet but firm rebellion against the rigid, unspoken rules of the pearl industry. Sheibani actively works to dismantle the traditional hierarchy that has long dictated a pearl’s desirability.
Challenging Old-World Rankings
“In the pearl world, there’s often this unspoken ranking,” Sheibani explains. “Tahitian pearls are more desirable than Chinese ones; golden South Sea pearls outrank white ones.” This pecking order, based on rarity, historical prestige, and origin, has dominated the market for centuries. But Sheibani sees this as a limitation, a system that overlooks the unique, individual beauty of each gem. “I wanted to mix them all together and let the individual character of each pearl dictate its value—not where it comes from.”
In “Skin Deep,” a lustrous grey Tahitian pearl might sit beside a creamy Chinese Edison pearl, and a warm-hued golden South Sea pearl might complement a classic white Akoya. By placing these diverse gems in conversation with one another, Sheibani celebrates their distinct personalities, arguing that a pearl’s worth lies in its unique color, shape, and inner light, not in its passport. This democratic approach is a breath of fresh air, encouraging collectors to see with their own eyes rather than through the lens of convention.
The Art of Curation: A Global Quest for Character
The creation of “Skin Deep” involved a meticulous and deeply personal selection process. Favoring a palette of soft, evocative tones—delicate peach, shimmering grays and silvers, warm golden hues, and subtle pistachio greens—Sheibani hand-picked every single pearl that appears in the collection.
The Allure of the Overtones
Her selection process was guided by intuition and an artist’s eye for nuance. “Color and luster were the two main things I was looking for,” she says. More than just the base color, she was captivated by the phenomenon of the overtone. “I’m especially drawn to pearls with overtones—where the surface color shifts depending on the light. That iridescence is so evocative, almost like skin.” This subtle, secondary color that floats across a pearl’s surface gives it a living, breathing quality, a complexity that Sheibani masterfully highlights in her designs.
The glow of a pearl, she believes, has a unique power. “There’s something beautifully quiet about a pearl’s glow—it’s not loud, but it has presence. I wanted to find pearls that had that depth and softness, the kind that make you stop and look again,” she explains. This search for pearls with soul led her across the globe, sourcing a rich mix of Akoya, Edison, and Tahitian varieties from a trusted network of specialists. This includes a forward-thinking Chinese supplier based in Holland—a nod to the evolving landscape of pearl cultivation—and, for the collection’s deluxe classic strands, a highly respected Parisian dealer. “He’s one of the main pearl suppliers in Paris and also shows at GemGenève,” Sheibani notes, referencing the elite, invitation-only gem and jewelry show.
The Rise of the Individual Pearl
Sheibani’s collection arrives at a perfect moment in gemological history. The quality of cultured pearls, particularly from China, has advanced exponentially. “Cultured pearls, especially from China, have come a long way in terms of quality,” she observes, drawing on her expertise as a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). “When I studied at GIA, pearls like this weren’t as available. Now you can get beautifully round, high-luster pearls in unexpected colors.”
This technological advancement has coincided with a cultural shift in taste. “There’s a growing appreciation for individuality,” she says. The market is finally moving beyond a singular ideal of the perfectly round, perfectly white pearl. “Pearls with unusual colors or overtones, like pistachio or golden-green, are finally being seen for their beauty.” “Skin Deep” is both a product and a proponent of this exciting new chapter for the pearl.
Where Past Meets Present: A Fusion of Forms
Rather than creating an isolated collection, Sheibani ingeniously integrated her newfound love for pearls into the existing DNA of her brand. She saw an opportunity to introduce these gems into concepts from her celebrated previous collections, most notably “Facets & Forms” and “Copper Mould.” The result is a stunning dialogue between materials and ideas.
These new jewels masterfully highlight the contrast between hard and soft, geometric and organic. Imagine one of her “sorbet rings,” a design from “Facets & Forms” known for its bold, polished metal settings, now cradling a soft, luminous pearl. The juxtaposition is electric, placing the gentle glow of the pearl against the sharp, reflective planes of gold. This design choice powerfully physicalizes the collection’s core themes: strength and fragility, perfection and imperfection, the raw and the refined. By popping these organic orbs into her established architectural forms, Sheibani gives the pearl a modern, edgy context it has rarely enjoyed.
“Skin Deep” is a collection poised to resonate deeply with a new generation of jewelry lovers as well as established collectors. “I think collectors are ready for something softer, something with emotion and character,” Sheibani muses. In a world saturated with minimalist design and hard-edged aesthetics, the gentle, organic form of the pearl feels like a necessary and welcome antidote.
Ultimately, the collection is as much about a feeling as it is about form. It’s for those who appreciate artistry and are looking for jewelry that tells a story. And, in true Sheibani fashion, it doesn’t forget to smile. “I think there’s a little humor in this collection—it doesn’t take itself too seriously,” she concludes. “And right now, that feels very welcome.” In “Skin Deep,” Cora Sheibani has not just created a collection of beautiful objects; she has peeled back the layers of tradition to reveal the modern, multifaceted, and utterly captivating soul of the pearl.
