• Features red coral
• Earrings measure 3" in length
• Post back
• .925 sterling silver
• Typically ships next business day

Coral

What is Coral?

Coral is quite a mystery! Is it an animal? a plant? a mineral? The best answer may be a little bit of each. The organic gemstone coral begins its life as an organism – called a coral polyp – that lives in the sea. It gets its nutrients both by eating other organisms it finds in the ocean, like an animal, and through the sun, like a plant. Those tiny little organisms leave behind calcified structures that look like odd branching trees, that are harvested and polished to make the the coral jewelry you know and love.

Bold and Romantic Red Coral

Far and away the most common form of coral made into jewelry is red coral. Occurring in shades of red and pink, red coral is bold and romantic. It takes a perfect glassy polish, turning from a beautiful relic of sea life into an intense and lasting gemstone. Coral can be crafted into many lustrous shapes, making a perfect color accent when set as an inlay alongside other precious stones or as the colorful cabochon centerpiece of a fun piece of jewelry. It also makes beautiful beads in all shapes and sizes. Native Americans of the Southwest United States have valued coral jewelry for hundreds of years, since it was brought to them by the Europeans seeking to trade. Much of the jewelry sold on Amber Laine is made from turquoise and red coral by Native American artisans in our home state of Arizona, where coral adds to the distinctive style of Southwest American Indian jewelry.

Coral 101: A History

Although there is a dizzying variety of color and shapes of coral in the sea, only a few are used as precious coral. Because coral is made up of thousands of tiny little polyps, some corals do not polish well enough to be made into jewelry. Still, coral has been used for precious gemstones for many thousands of years. Some experts date the oldest coral used by humans to 25,000 years old. Most coral used for jewelry today comes from the Mediterranean Sea or the Pacific Ocean near Japan and Taiwan. Legends surrounding coral go all the way back to the Greeks. According to Greek legend, Perseus, the Greek hero who killed Medusa by chopping off her head, inadvertently created coral by placing Medusa's head on the shore while he washed his hands of her blood. When he retrieved the head, he discovered that the blood had turned the seaweed into red coral. The Greeks also believed Poseidon, god of the sea, lived in a palace made of coral. Egyptian and prehistoric European tombs have also yielded coral jewelry artifacts.

Significance of Coral

Apart from its uses as a decorative gem over the years, because the history of coral goes back so many years, many mythical properties have been attributed to it. It is worn even today as talisman to protect the wearer against evil. It has been said to bestow wisdom, bring healing, and calm the fear and tension. It could be that because of the positive associations of red coral that it has traditionally been given to expectant mothers or newborns as a celebratory or christening gift. Coral is also a traditional gift for the thirty-fifth wedding anniversary.

Cleaning and Caring for your Coral Jewelry

Coral is a very soft gemstone at between 3 and 4 on the Mohs hardness scale. Store your coral jewelry where it does not touch other jewelry, or keep it in a separate cloth or plastic bag. Though coral's color is stable, it should not be exposed to chemicals, acids, or oils, and should be kept from high heat or prolonged exposure to the sun. Be sure to put your jewelry on after applying hairspray and makeup, and never wear it while swimming or cleaning with chemicals. To clean your coral jewelry, wipe it clean with a soft damp cloth with mild detergent. Use a soft cosmetics applicator to clean those hard-to-reach places, and rinse and dry thoroughly. Never wear your jewelry while performing rough work to prevent hard impacts from breaking the stone. With proper care, your coral jewelry will bring you warmth and joy for years to come!