Coral Beads: Types, Shapes, and Colors

Coral

For thousands of years, coral and coral beads have been highly sought-after. In countless cultures, coral was believed to have special powers that help the wearer. Its beautiful and unique look continues to make coral an extremely desirable jewelry component.

This guide will break down the different types of coral, as well as the colors and shapes that you can it them in. If you are interested, we invite you to check out our extensive collection of coral beads.

Types of Coral

When it comes to making coral beads, there are several different types that are used. These are usually regular/genuine coral, foam coral, and synthetic/imitation coral.

Regular: This is your typical coral, and is heavier than foam coral.

Foam: This is actually a species by itself. It is a type of coral growth that is lighter than regular coral. Due to it not being seen as valuable as regular coral, foam coral is often much more reasonably priced.

Synthetic/Imitation: This type of “coral” is made by using other material to produce something that resembles coral. It can be created using a variety of items such as wood, plastic, resin, or ceramic.

Coral can also be dyed to enhance its color, so make sure you pay attention to what you’re buying. There is nothing wrong with dyed coral, it’s just not completely natural.

Colors of Coral

Coral and coral beads come in a wide variety of colors, with the vast majority being red, pink, and black. Depending on what color it is, and the intensity of the color, the coral can be considerably expensive. If you are solely interested in beads, red, orange, and pick are by far the most popular colors, and finding black or blue will be a little more difficult.

Red: The most valuable and desired coral is fire/oxblood red coral. It has a stunning deep red color, and is incredibly rare. Due to the overharvesting of it throughout the centuries, there is not much left in its natural state. A lot of the red coral on the market today is dyed to achieve a richer color. Both historically and now, most red coral is found throughout the Meditterranean.

Pink: Also known as angel skin coral, pink coral is found mainly in the South Pacific, and is considerably rare. It is almost as sought-after as the oxblood red coral, and comes in a variety of hues, from an extremely light pink to a bold salmon color. The darker and more consistent the color is, the more expensive it will be.

Black: Fun fact, black coral doesn’t actually turn black until after it is harvested. It can be polished and finished to give off a stunningly smooth surface with an intense black color. As with oxblood and salmon-pink coral, black coral is also extremely rare. It was once quite abundant in the Persian Gulf and other areas, but has been drastically depleted. According to the International Gem Society, the main area from which black coral comes from now is Hawaii, where it is acquired through the use of sustainable techniques.

Shapes of Coral Beads

Coral beads can come in a wide array of shapes, meaning that you have a wide selection to choose from. Add in the fact that each shape often has several options for the size of the beads and you are sure to find something that will work for your project.

At Smyks, we offer a diverse group of bead shapes including:

  • Oval: As the name suggests, these are oval
  • Flat Back: Basically an oval bead cut in half so that the back is flat
  • Flat Hexagon: A hexagon that is considerably flatter than a normal bead
  • Round Faceted: A round bead with small hexagonal divots in it
  • Rustic: A porous round bead
  • Round: Your typical spherical bead
  • Flower: A flatter bead that is shaped and engraved like a flower
  • Teardrop: A bead that resembles a teardrop
  • Round Flower: A round bead, but with a flower design on it
  • Splinter: It is similar in shape to a stalactite (long and narrow)
  • Flat: A circular bead that is about half as flat as a round bead
  • Rice: Small cylindrical beads
  • Heart: Just as the name implies, it is heart-shaped

Taking Care of Coral Jewelry

There are a few things to keep in mind when wearing/cleaning your coral jewelry.

  1. Coral is soft, so treat it with care
  2. Never soak it
  3. To clean it, use a soft cloth and rinse in warm and soapy water
  4. Put it on only after you have applied whatever cosmetics you will wear for the day, as the chemicals can damage coral
  5. To avoid the color fading, don’t stay in the sun for extended periods of time
  6. Store your coral away from your other jewelry to prevent scratches

Sustainably Sourced

As mentioned before, coral is extremely endangered. Centuries of overharvesting have decimated populations worldwide. Much of the coral is still harvested in unsustainable ways today, even if the method of harvesting has evolved from using a trawling net to relying on human divers.

However, Smyks only uses coral from Southeast Asia that has washed ashore. We did not use coral that was deliberately harvested. Therefore, we can proudly state that no living coral was hurt for the coral beads in our shop.