Even in ancient times, coral was used for jewelry and cult objects. Coral products are found during excavations. Ancient people loved to decorate themselves and now the situation has not changed. The craving for beauty is inherent in man since the time of Adam and Eve.
Mythology
In each country, corals made up their legends. Some believed that red is the most common plant, which is why it was called "garden on the sea." In Egypt, ancient people believed that a particle of red coral contained a drop of deity blood.
In Greece, it was thought that where Perseus beheaded Medusa Gorgon and spilled her blood, a stone of the color of blood appeared. Dragonite - that was what they called it in Russia, people believed that it was stored in the head of a dragon.
But is it right to think that coral is a stone? No, it has nothing to do with the minerals born of the earth's crust.
Coral Overview
Coral, like a pearl, is born in the abyss with the help of living beings and is a vital necessity for the smallest creatures, or rather - a shelter. Small invertebrates, in order to ensure their safety, build dense calcium cells, a kind of external skeleton is obtained. Only a colony of creatures called "polyps" is capable of this.
They can form coral reefs of gigantic sizes. After their short life, calcium capsules remain and corals appear.
Raw materials are made from the usual types of minerals and lime is obtained, and wonderful and rare coral products are made from rare and beautiful ones.
What are the colors
All over the face of the Earth, there are several hundred species of corals, all of them are of different colors and have wonderful shades. Unfortunately, the main part of this charms is not used in the jewelry industry due to unsuitability. Only some species have good strength for use in jewelry.
There are several factors that affect the coloring of the material:
- The depth at which coral grew.
- The amount of light entering the body of water.
- Organic matter in it.
The palette is not very rich in colors, most often there are shades of pink and red. But there are other coral colors that have their names:
Bianco - pearl and white.
- Angel skin - coral with a delicate pink-silver tint, is more valuable.
- Akori is a blue coral with a high cost.
- Fiery - scarlet and very bright.
- Bullish blood is deep red and saturated.
- Akabar is a black coral, the rarest and most valuable.
Corals are so beautiful and eye-catching that they seem to have no price.
Varieties of coral
To get corals is very dangerous and difficult. Truly worthwhile specimens are rare.
When mining, the material is divided into the following grades:
- Root - used to make cheap jewelry and figurines.
- Foamy - small souvenirs are made of it.
- Noble - after careful sorting by color scheme, it is used by skilled jewelers to create beautiful jewelry.
Then these coral products are for sale. They look elegant on the neck, wrist or flaunt a brooch on the clothes of fashionistas.
How much are corals
Like any other material for the manufacture of masterpieces, coral by knowledgeable people is evaluated according to certain criteria:
- strength;
- color uniformity;
- the presence of a natural pattern.
The higher the quality and sharper the image on the material, the higher its cost. For example, the price of a faceted coral of 10 carats can easily exceed $ 250 (15,700 rubles).
It is not easy to get a truly rare specimen, therefore, the bulk of jewelry is not so expensive. You can buy a silver product with corals for $ 100 (6,200 rubles).
Where to buy coral
In exhibition centers and museums, exhibits of ornamental stones and gems are often arranged. At these events, coral products are worth noting. Usually, jewelry there is not high price, but you should pay attention to quality.
A trip to the shore of the ocean or sea, next to the coral reefs, will help to move towards dreams in relation to the acquisition of coral masterpieces. There will be plenty of them in any souvenir shop. Good specimens are found in Australia, Egypt, Japan and the Canary Islands.
Products from corals are bought in jewelry and antique stores, at flea markets. But there is a risk of getting a fake for the price of real coral.
Fake coral
The “treasures” of the water abyss crumble during processing, so creating a masterpiece from them is a lot of trouble. And coral mining is not an easy job. Therefore, many craftsmen began to fake them. The most common methods:
- Pressing. A harmless and cheap way. Jagged thin coral branches are ground into small fractions, and the desired product is made from the obtained raw material, if a reaction begins to drop on them with hydrochloric acid and the product begins to hiss, as if boiling, which can not be said about the natural material.
- Artificial production. At the right temperature and a certain pressure, a mineral identical to coral is grown artificially from dye and calcium. This material is recognized by a slice or chip - it is glossy, and for fakes the slice is matte and grayish.
- Plastics A rough method for using fake coral. Calcite is not subject to temperature, and fakes easily melt and exude an unpleasant odor.
Often, craftsmen bring the mineral to perfection by impregnating with binders. Such coral products in the photo look excellent, but cost significantly less than natural ones.
Black Coral Products
Akabar is a rare species of coral listed in the Red Book. Its production is prohibited in many regions, as it grows very slowly - 100 maximum 300 mm per year. With brisk prey, colonies of polyps are not able to recover.
When the mineral reaches 50 years of age, it is allowed to use. Dark branches of polyps do not contain calcite, so they are completely officially impregnated with plastic. Since otherwise it is impossible to make jewelry out of it. Therefore, Akabar has such a high cost. A product made of black coral cannot cost less than $ 200 (12,500 rubles).
Some specimens at auctions are valued in a fortune. An example is some products:
- A diamond owl brooch on a branch of black coral, the cost is $ 34,600 (2.1 million rubles).
- A necklace of 20 black coral and white gold beads was sold for 11 thousand dollars (692 thousand rubles).
Dark polyps are usually adorned with opals and diamonds, but are never made up of ordinary metal material, even silver. It looks better with coral in gold or platinum. This emphasizes the nobility of the black polyp.
The benefits of red coral
Products from red minerals do not go out of fashion since the times of Ancient Greece and Egypt. They have become particularly popular at the present time. Most of the corals are processed in Torre del Greco, Italy.
Masters of jewelry make products from red coral without the addition of metal. One by one, the polyp is strung on a rubber thread, in this way necklaces, beads, bracelets and rosaries are made. Jewelers enclose more expensive jewelry in silver and gold. The beauty of jewelry pleases the eye and captivates the mind.
The cost of products from red coral has always been not small, but it can fluctuate. Any owner of this jewelry will be proud of their purchase and speak about it with admiration.
Finished products from coral are located in a fairly wide price range. It all depends on:
- coral density;
- shade;
- the size of the coral branch;
- coverings;
- assembly.
Gold and platinum designer headsets with coral inserts have always been highly regarded.
The main qualities of coral are:
- flat surface and smooth edges;
- saturated red color;
- streamlined oval or round shape;
- lack of holes, perforations and visible dents.
Whether genuine coral or not, is checked in a gem quality laboratory.
Reviews
Judging by the reviews of the owners, it is always pleasant and much more reliable to have a decoration made of natural material. However, not everyone has the opportunity to purchase expensive beads. In this case, it is better to buy a product from chipped natural material, which is less valuable. Skillful craftsmen are able to transform these elements and create real masterpieces from them. In no case should you buy colored coral. On such jewelry, the paint is peeled off over time and they lose their aesthetic appearance.