What Is Apple Coral?

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Coral reefs are actually the skeletal remains of millions of coral polyps and are now considered endangered ecosystems. As a result, Earth-conscious jewelers have turned to apple coral, a non-endangered species of coral.

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Melithaea Sponge

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Apple coral is part of the species of corals known as melithaea sponge, which is commonly found on the ocean floors around the waters of Taiwan, Indonesia and southern China.

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Common Names

Apple coral is also known as red coral, tiger coral, limestone, red stone and coral sea fan.

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Color

Apple coral that has been shaped into beads, then sealed and polished, is usually a deep reddish color. When the apple coral is exposed to heat or intense sunlight for long periods, it tends to lighten.

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Ban

The destruction of coral reefs around the world led to a global ban on coral mining and collecting in 1992, but apple coral was not included. The United States has placed a ban on shipping coral in and out of the country, but there is no ban on the melithaea sponge corals.

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Misconceptions

Apple coral is often mistaken for Mediterranean coral, which is no longer used in fine-jewelry making. Because there is virtually no Mediterranean coral left to excavate, any that is set in jewelry today has been most likely taken from an older piece.

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