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What is a coral? Coral is neither a plant nor a mineral, but a product of a microbe (coral) that lives in the ocean. Its main component is calcium carbonate, which is the same as the outer layer of pearl. In the natural circumstances without human disturbance, corals gradually formed over a long period of time. The coral has a Mohs hardness of 3.5 to 4, a refractive index of 1.486-1.658, and a relative density of 2.65.
History and origin
Human use of corals dates back to ancient Greece and Roman times. The red coral from the Mediterranean was called Kowatari ("Persian") in Japan, and was introduced to Japan via the Silk Road during the Nara period (710-784 AD). In medieval Europe, Coral was used extensively in the production of religious ceremonial ornaments and rosary.
In the early 19th century, Coral was very popular in the UK. A branch of coral material was imported from Naples, Italy, to the United Kingdom, where British jewelers crafted beautiful coral jewels and sculptures using different themes such as cherries, berries and flowers. A string of coral beads became the most popular gift for girls when they were baptized. In Scotland, people believe that coral can make girls more beautiful and healthy.
At the age of 9 months in Queen Elizabeth, a pink coral necklace from her mother was given to her as a gift. This necklace appeared many times in Elizabeth's childhood photo, and Elizabeth's daughter, Princess Anne, wore the same pink coral necklace on her first birthday in 1951. The British royal family has the scepter and crown of the most beautiful diamonds in the world. Even so, this pink coral necklace with the British royal tradition has been passed down as a precious jewel from generation to generation.
Coral collection
Until the middle of the 20th century, the method of diving was used to collect corals (Coral), the collection was carried out by trawling. Today, robots are used for deep-sea coral collection, which greatly protects the resources of the ocean floor.
The coral reef is composed of Hexacorallia. The Washington Treaty prohibits the collection of such corals. The coral used for jewelry is another species called Octocorallia.
The ban on coral harvesting in Japan was lifted in 1868. After entering the 20th century, Japan's coral export to the Mediterranean-based coral trading center Torrigreco (southern Italy) became very active.
colour
Real jewel-grade corals, also called expensive corals, are classified according to the international coral color, and in each grading, the shades of the corresponding grades are subdivided. Of course, each one is darker and the same. The ratio inside is more expensive.
Deep sea precious gem-quality red corals refer to Aka, Sardinia and momo corals. These three are not color classifications, but three different species in red corals, three reds of the same quality level. Corals, the price order is Aka > Sardin > momo.
Aka coral
Aka is a transliteration of Japanese red (red). Its live branches are characterized by light-transparent glass, tight structure and fine lines. Generally, it is not easy to see the growth lines on the front side, and there are obvious white cores (common features of Asian corals, White growth point)
Momo coral
MOMO coral is another deep-sea coral with relatively large plants. Nowadays, the common ones are inverted branches or dead branches. The color is generally orange and partial peach. Momo is a Japanese-language translation. The momo coral is not as crisp as Aka. It is used for engraving. Generally, the growth pattern is clear, and there is no strong sense of Aka. The common feature of Aka and momo is that they all have white cores (common features of Asian corals).
Sardinian coral
Sardinia has no obvious white core, so most sardines are used for beading and straight tubes. Biaca's beauty, but no Aka density. The raw material producing area of ​​Sardin is on the Mediterranean coast, with Italy as the gathering place. The grain of Sardine is still relatively clear. The color of the sand is relatively red, there is no white center point of Asian coral, but there are depth points. Density changes are also relatively large, some are low density and some are high density. The darker the density, the higher the value and the higher the price. The sardine coral plants are relatively small, and even larger than 10mm in diameter, the size of the beads on the market is more than 10mm, and the density of the sand is good.
Place of origin
The octopus coral used in jewellery is mainly produced in three regions: Mediterranean, Japan/Taiwan, Hawaii/Midway. Differences in the natural environment of different producing areas lead to different characteristics of corals of different origins, varying in size, color and quality.
1. Mediterranean
The history of corals comes from Mediterranean corals. Mediterranean coral is a precious deep red variety called corallium rubrum (red precious coral). This kind of coral changes color regardless of the shade of the color, the color is always red, and because of the uniform color distribution, it is very easy to process. However, most of the varieties are small in size, so most of them are seen in the market, such as a bead shape, a curved surface shape and a button shape. Mediterranean corals have a deep red and bright color and are called "bovine blood red."
2, Japan / Taiwan
The corals produced in this area have a classic pink color and a pink color called "Angel's Skin". The length of the raw material can be more than 1 meter (39 inches) and the weight can reach 10 kilograms (22 pounds) or more. It is much larger in size than any other origin. This producing area also produces red and white corals of varying shades, because the color is too mottled, making the process very difficult. But in Japan and Taiwan, this large-scale coral has been fully utilized and made into a variety of coral-carved art.
3. Hawaii/Midway Island
In the 1960s, treasure-class corals were discovered in waters between 350 and 400 meters deep (1150-1300 feet) on Midway Island, and some corals were even collected from the ocean floor as deep as 2,000 meters (6,500 feet). The collected corals are white, pink and their mixed colors, and also include the pink color that is very similar to the "Angel's Skin". The small-grain corals produced in Hawaii/Midway are darker in color, and the large particles are often pink in color with streaks and red spots (see figure).
how to choose
Choosing the shade of coral color depends entirely on personal preference. Generally speaking, the larger the size, the more crimson coral is more expensive, but in recent years, the light color has become more and more popular, such as the highest level of beauty S grade, the depth level is 1 Or 2 light pink "Angel's Skin" is very popular. The best option is to avoid the processed coral materials that are too mottled and choose the best shades according to your budget.
Because corals are organic gemstones, the design of coral jewelry is different from the design of inorganic gemstone jewelry. For example, parts of the coral that are likely to come into direct contact with the skin are often wrapped with precious metals to prevent corrosion of the coral by acidic sweat, and should be worn on the outside of the clothing to avoid direct contact with the skin when wearing a coral necklace.
Coral jewellery is mostly inlaid by postsetting. The glue used in this setting is easily affected by detergent and water, so the coral jewellery should be taken off when cooking, bathing or other contact with water. . After each use, wipe the coral with a clean soft cloth to remove the acidic sweat from the surface to keep the coral bright.
It is important to note that corals are easily corroded by acids in lemon juice, vinegar and sweat. For example, when exposed to lemon juice, the surface of the coral will become rough and dull as shown in the figure below, so the coral necklace should be worn in a compartment. Although corroded corals can be repaired by re-grinding, this repair is time consuming and expensive, so it is best to pay attention when wearing them.
Corals have a hardness of only 31â„2 to 4, which is a softer gem material. Therefore, it should be stored separately from other types of stones to avoid being scratched.
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