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HOME :
Modern Jewelry :
Gem Stone Rings : Cat Carved in Coral Set in Gilded Silver
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Cat Carved in Coral Set in Gilded Silver - FJ.4097
Medium: Coral-Gilt Silver
$1,200.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
For centuries, coral-- like pearl, a gift of the
sea-- was classed among the precious gems
valued by man. Not strictly a mineral, coral is an
organic substance, composed of the skeletons of
millions of tiny marine animals. In its natural
state, coral is plantlike in appearance and grows
in warm water at depths of up to ninety feet. It
must be harvested live to retain its color. Though
white coral is quite common, and forms the great
reefs of the world, the rarer hues of red, orange,
pink and black are much sought after as jewelry
and amulets. Pink coral is particularly flattering
to the complexion of the wearer and is called
"angel skin". According to ancient sources,
Assyrian glassmakers creating opaque colored
glass in imitation of precious gems, were trying -
to form red glass to resemble coral, rather than
ruby. Examples of coral set in precious metals
are known from the Biblical, Egyptian and
Classical cultures, and its popularity has
continued unbroken through the ages. The
native jewelry of the Arabian peninsula makes
excellent use of bright corals combined with
silver. The therapeutic effects of coral have long
been understood: it is used as a heart stimulant,
an antidote for fevers and toxins in the system, a
cure for colic and vomiting and a prevention for
childhood diseases. In addition, it is believed to
avert sterility. As with the pearl, coral's
mysterious strength seems to derive from its
organic source material, the accumulated energy
of living things.
- (FJ.4097)
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