Coral was known as a precious inorganic gem far back to ancient era. Greek mythology also has a story of Perseus. Having petrified Cetus, the sea monster threatening Andromeda, Perseus placed Medusa's head on the riverbank while he washed his hands. When he recovered her head, he saw that her blood had turned the seaweed (in some variants the reeds) into red coral. (From wikipedia.org)
coralAt the beginning of the Christian era, there was a great trade carried on in coral between the Mediterranean and India. There was great demand from Asia as it was very rarely seen even in the regions which produced it. Among the Romans branches of coral were hung around children's necks to preserve them from danger, and the substance had many medicinal virtues attributed to it. A belief in its potency as a charm continued to be entertained throughout medieval times; and even early in the 20th century in Italy was worn as a preservative from the evil eye, and by females as a cure for sterility. Coral has been traded considerably among the Mediterranean communities of Europe. Presently, coral industry is centered in Italy, especially in Naples, Rome, and Torre del Greco.
Red and Pink coral are the most valuable and have been used in jewelry for thousand of years. Unbelievably soft with hardness of 3-3.5 on the Mohs scale and its vitreous lustre, coral still used to produce jewelry in the present day. People may not realize that corals are living creatures. Corals are made up of the skeletal remains of marine animals called coral polyps. These tiny creatures live in colonies which form branching structures as they grow, eventually forming coral reefs and atolls. A coral structure is actually composed of hundreds or thousands of tiny animals. It is one of the most biologically rich and economically valuable ecosystems on Earth.
Consumer demand for coral in jewelry making contributes to increased problems of coral reefs extinction. Apart from shallow-water coral reefs and deep-sea corals that are threatened by climate change, overfishing from rising in population, and pollution.
Coral may be imitated by porcelain, stained bone, glass, plastic, or rubber and gypsum mixtures. A synthetic dyed red bamboo coral looks similar to natural coral. Fire opal, orange spinel, orange sapphire, or chalcedony is an alternative gem for people who prefer a real gem. Corals produced by Gilson also look similar to natural corals.
The picture of coral tiny animals popping out to catch a pray is still in my mind. Should I see coral offered for sale again, I will rethink about buying it.
