Knowledge
A stunning organic gemstone, coral has long been coveted and used in jewellery with its beautiful colouration and symbolic properties.
Gemstones
History and Lore
For around an incredible 30,000 years, coral has been used as a form of decoration, particularly in Mediterranean cultures where it was often found. Long associated with protection it was believed to ward off the evil eye. In Ancient Rome people hung pieces of coral around the necks of children to protect them from illness and danger and it was also used in toys, such as rattles and teething devices.
Pliny described coral as being used to quiet tempests and ensure that the wearer would be safe from lightning. Worn around a woman’s neck, it was a charm against sterility and it was also thought to banish tension and fear, and to promote positive social interactions. Today in Italy it is still common to see ‘cornicello’ pendants made of polished segments of red coral.
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Perhaps the most famous source of coral, at least with regards to Western jewellery, is the Mediterranean. The seaside village of Torre del Greco, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius on the Bay of Naples has been the centre for the fashioning of coral since the 15th century. When the fashion for coral jewellery reached its apex in the 1880s, there were over forty workshops in the town.
An Organic Gem
Coral is classified as an organic gemstone, meaning that it is derived from animal or plant life. Organic gems are rare, with other members of this group including pearls and amber. Specifically, coral is a ‘calcareous concretion’, and is in actuality the skeleton of the sea animal coral, composed of calcium carbonate. There are many types of corals, but the varieties used in jewellery typically form in warm salt water including the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the waters of Asia, Australia and the Caribbean.
The coral used in jewellery is typically red, pale pink, or peach, but it also forms in white, black, brown and, though quite rare, in blue. Usually it is polished to a shine, however peach coral is often left matte, and is known in the trade, rather charmingly, as ‘angel skin’.
Explore Berganza’s collection of coral pieces, from Victorian gypsy rings to signed vintage pieces by world renowned jewellery houses.
Kunzite
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A softer material than many other gems, coral is a 3-4 on the Mohs scale and does require care when being worn. It is advised to take it off when doing strenuous activities and to avoid extreme temperatures and chemicals. To clean your coral jewellery, we recommend using a soft dry cloth to gently wipe any dust and grease from the surface.
Whilst not the most expensive gemstone, good quality coral can be quite valuable.
The best way to know whether your coral jewellery is real is to take it to a reputable gem laboratory for a gemmologist to assess. Common coral imitations include plastic, glass, dyed limestone and marble.
Coral comes in many colours, although in jewellery it is typically seen in hues of red, orange and pink.
Coral is becoming increasingly rare, as it is now being harvested quicker than it grows. Many species of coral are on the endangered species list.