Calcified skeletons of sea creatures that grow in formations resembling the branches of a tree are called coral. Coral is used to create jewelry, and it comes from the Mediterranean Sea or from the Pacific Ocean near Taiwan and Japan. Coral ranges in color from white to red. The most valuable colors of coral are red, black, and pink, which is known as angel skin coral. There are several types of precious coral. Although Red corals are most common in jewelry, coral can be found naturally in a variety of colors including blacks and golds. Coral is produced in warm, shallow coastal areas by tiny marine animals and can be found in many places. Jewelry grade coral usually comes from the Mediterranean Sea, Hawaii, or China and is increasingly rare due to large efforts to protect the worlds Coral Reefs. Coral is known to be used as a gem since prehistoric times and has gained a reputation for having powers of healing and protection. Red coral was believed to change color according to one’s health, but only if the stone was not fashioned by man. Strings of coral were considered a gift of royal proportion in parts of Africa. It was also popular as a gem in the Egyptian and Roman empires who believed in its curative powers. Coral jewelry
, such as post earrings, has been made in many parts of the world, used for adornment since prehistoric times, and coral inlays date back to the Iron Age.
