Red coral has been part of Southwest jewelry for far longer than most people assume. It is not native to the desert at all — it arrived through trade, moving inland from the coasts over centuries, and Navajo and Zuni silversmiths took to it because it does something turquoise cannot: it brings warmth. The classic pairing of deep red coral against blue turquoise and bright silver is one of the oldest colour combinations in the work, and it still sells better than anything else we put in the case.
Coral is not a mineral. It is the skeletal structure of a marine organism, which is why it feels slightly warmer to the touch than stone and why it should be kept away from heat, acids and ultrasonic cleaners. It cuts and polishes beautifully into beads, branch pieces and inlay.
Buyers should know that the coral market is wide. Fine Mediterranean red is the traditional and most valuable material; a great deal of what is sold as red coral is bamboo coral or other species that have been dyed or stabilised to reach that colour. Both are used in genuine handmade Native American jewelry. We do not make a single claim across the whole collection — ask us about a specific piece and we will tell you what we know about it.
How to judge it: look for even saturated colour right through, not just on the surface where a chip or the drill hole would reveal a pale core. Good coral has a waxy, deep lustre rather than a glassy one. Check beads for hairline cracks and for consistent colour along a strand.
We carry nearly 300 coral pieces in sterling silver. See also spiny oyster shell, its brighter orange counterpart, and black onyx. Browse the turquoise collection or read the Turquoise Guide. Old Town Scottsdale since 1979 — (480) 949-1101.