Gemstone Beading Material -- Coral

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Friday, May 16, 2008

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Precious Corals: Protein, Calcite, and a Parasite

Coral is among the most ancient of gem materials, used for adornment since prehistoric times. Coral inlays and ornaments have been found in Celtic tombs from the Iron Age. Coral has a history of religious significance. Coral is one of the seven treasures in Buddhist scriptures and Tibetan Lamas use coral rosaries. Coral was long thought to be a powerful talisman that could stop bleeding, protect from evil spirits, and ward off hurricanes.

The premier coral on the market is "oxblood" red coral, harvested in the deep waters of the Mediterranean. Associated throughout history with Italian workmanship. Coral beads of 50 mm diameter can run up to $50,000 retail.

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Shop For Coral in Gemstones

Coral jewelry is the oldest form of gemstone jewelry with pieces as old as 25,000 years. It predates the later use of pearls.

Black coral is exotic and dramatic and has long been considered to guard against misfortune.
Pink coral is delicate and is said to bring good health.
Red coral is best described as rich and romantic.

Coral as Beads

Yes Coral is very avalable, most of the coral that is see probably comes from the area around Hong-Kong.
Fossilized Coral - Today Most of the new red coral is fossilized coral from Tibet and China. Initially white, this type of coral has been dyed for hundreds of years and is considered holy by Tibetan monks. These beads can be very large and if you look close, you can usually see the horn coral pattern on the ends. Vinegar on natural coral will bubble. Sometimes these will bubble too. If not all of the calcium carbonate has been fossilized. Soaking the beads in water or with acetone can detect the presence of dye on older beads. Although the new beads are, color enhanced and heat-treated to make the color permanent. Most of the fossilized (Red) coral on the market today has been dyed.
Coral's color ranges from white to red. It grows in branches that look like trees. Most coral is found in the Mediterranean Sea or in the Pacific off Japan and Taiwan. When you say the word coral, most people think of the coral reefs in the South Pacific like the Great Barrier Reef off Australia. However, these coral reefs are formed by a different species than the coral traditionally used in jewelry Corallium rubrum and Corallium japonicum.

The most valuable colors of coral are red, black, and pink, which is known as angel skin coral. Coral is much softer than other gem materials with a hardness of only 3.5. As a result, it should be stored carefully to avoid scratches. Coral is also porous so it should not encounter chemicals. To clean it, wipe it gently with a moist soft cloth.

"Precious Corals," are deeper-water, branching cnidarians that have been used for thousands of years to make beautiful beads, idols, and expensive jewelry. This group secretes an endoskeleton that is considerably harder than the exoskeletons of the so-called hard corals.
Harvesting Coral
Precious corals have been harvested in a number of ways. For centuries, fishermen dragged nets over the sea floor, which broke and entangled the coral trees so they could be hauled into a boat. Because this method can affect other marine life attached to the sea floor, dredging and drag netting are now banned in the United States. The nation's precious corals are harvested by permit and only with selective methodologies.

Black corals are found in 100-300 ft of water, shallow enough to harvest using scuba equipment. Many harvesters, however, have died in pursuit of coral trees at the deep end of this range. Red, gold and bamboo coral are found between 1,000 and 1,500 ft

ENDANGERED SUPPLY: The market for coral in the United States is thriving. There is according to the grapevine still enough supply, from either new sources or stockpiled inventory, to meet demand. However, the coral industry is bracing for an eventual worldwide scarcity. The coral trade has been regulated for decades. Coral reefs are one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. They are threatened by quickly warming ocean waters, harmful bacteria, pollution, and net fishing. The accessibility of new coral is declining as underwater supplies are exhausted. Japan has already imposed stringent quotas. The United States requires permits for the importing of coral. Some types of coral may not be brought into the country for commercial use and Italian divers must dive deeper to get new red coral.

The Differnet Types Precious Corals When you say the word coral, most people think of the coral reefs in the South Pacific like the Great Barrier Reef off Australia. However most of the precious red, pink and white coral is found in the Mediterranean Sea or in the Pacific off Japan and Taiwan. Where the two species of coral, Corallium rubrum and Corallium japonicum, traditionally used in jewelry are found.

Black Coral: Antipathes Grandis Mature colonies may take 50 years to grow. The first new black coral bed to be found in centuries was discovered by in the waters off Lahaina, Maui in 1958. Today, divers at depths that exceed 200 feet carefully collect black coral-- the Hawaii State Gemstone--by hand. To ensure the future of black coral, divers strictly adheres to state regulations that prohibit the harvesting of immature colonies.

Black coral is rare and, when polished, it shines with such luster you can almost see your own reflection in it. Its stunning contrast against yellow gold makes it a wonderful gift as well as a beautiful keepsake for you to treasure forever

Pink Coral: Corrallium Secundum A very dense and hard gemstone, its color runs the entire spectrum of pink, from almost white to hibiscus pink to salmon red. The marbled and shaded colorings in some larger pink corals are natural qualities of the gem. The value of pink coral gemstones is dependent upon their rarity but all shades of this coral are highly prized.

Red Coral: Corallium Japonicum With a history predating the ancient glories of Rome, precious red coral has been revered since early civilizations for its color, luster and texture. Found in ocean depths of approximately 500 to 1,000 feet, red coral grows at a very slow rate-only about 1/4 inch per year - making it a highly treasured gemstone.

Hawaiian Gold Coral: Gerardia Species Dr. Richard Grigg using Star II submarine discovered Gold Coral in small amounts in 1971. The beds off Makapuu Hawaii are the only commercially harvested beds in the world, and Maui Divers is the only company in the world that makes jewelry from Hawaiian Gold Coral.

Hawaiian Gold Coral grows at a rate of approximately 3 inches per year, and only about 3% of the bed can be harvested annually. Both State and Federal laws strictly regulate the harvest. Of all gem corals, Hawaiian Gold Coral is by far the rarest. The color of Hawaiian Gold Coral may vary widely and display many interesting patterns, something that is not so of Pink and Black Corals.

The color tone of Hawaiian Gold Coral ranges from a sandy beige color to almost a black. Hawaiian Gold Coral has a special characteristic called "Chatoyance". This term comes from the French word for "cats eye" and it describes a mysterious moving inner light that can be seen in Hawaiian Gold Coral.

A Disclaimer: Effort has been made of including information that is found in at least two sources. I can make no claim on the accuracy of this information. I am not a Geologist or Gemologist. I make no guarantees and infer no warranties. For more information, please refer to the bibliography.
Copyright Information: Although I have included a bibliography, but no attempt has been made to give credit to individual passages. If you are an author and feel that I have infringed on your copyrighted material please let me know. With that in mind, all material and information, retain their respected Copyrights.
I encourage the reader to pursue the further study of any topic that they find particularly interesting. A good place to start is your local library.
Bibliography:

The curious lore of precious stones - Author Kunz, George Frederick, 1856-1932.

Gem identification made easy - Matlins, Antoinette Leonard.

Gems: Their Sources, Descriptions and Identification - By Robert Webster, Peter G. Read (Editor).

Gemstone Enhancement: history, science and state of the art - by Kurt Nassau.

Gemstones of the world - Walter Schumann ; translated by Evelyne Stern.

Gems, Minerals & Lapidary Links

Have you ever sent he inside story of a modern bead factory in India? I asked one of my suppliers to send me back some pictures. Check out the Tour.