Coral

Corals are mysterious gems that are derived from the marine species "Coralluim rubrum" or "Coralluim japonicum." Since ancient times they are considered to possess charm and magical powers to attract love, and promote courage, reason and wisdom. With their deep and passionate red colour, corals have always fascinated humans. They are popularly used in making attractive jewellery and jewellery embellishments. In certain regions, they are even used to make herbal medicines. They also find mention in religion, used especially by the followers of Buddhism in Tibet, in the form of beads and charms. These are believed to protect one against evil forces.

Impressive pieces of coral jewellery are much sought after and worn across the world. Coral is one of the most ancient of gem materials and is often used in the embellishment of gold jewellery.

Available in scarce quantities, corals in natural red, blue and white are some of the most expensive varieties available. They also come in shades from deep velvet red to pale petal pink and even in white, with slight pinkish hue. They are mainly found in seas around Japan, Taiwan, Malyan Archipelago, the Red Sea, the Biscayan Gulf, around Canary Islands, eastern Australia and Midway Islands. Many imitations of coral are available in the market. Original corals can be identified easily by their even colour. Moreover, they do not have holes or striations unlike the fake ones. Some of the popular coral items comprise of coral silver jewellery, pearl, red coral and black coral jewellery.