Apple Coral Sterling Silver Choker Necklace.

This necklace is full of natural beauty. This sensational piece of jewelry was hand made out of shimmering Sterling Silver. This necklace prominently features gorgeous hand cut cabochons of genuine Apple Coral. This one has 5mm Sterling Silver beads for an extra shine. Non Indian made. The total length of this Sterling Silver Choker Necklace is 18". The matching French hook earrings are 1-1/2" long. Stamped Sterling. The matrix of the Apple Coral stones may slightly vary. The photo is an excellent representation of the one of a kind hand made necklace you'll receive.

There are four types of precious coral in Hawaii: black coral (Antipathidae), gold coral (Parazoanthidae), red or pink coral (Corallidae) and bamboo coral. Each of these has a different internal composition. Red and pink corals produce a calcite skeleton similar in hardness to ivory and pearls. Bamboo corals, on the other hand, produce a skeleton composed partially of calcite and partially of protein that is similar to the keratin in your fingernails. These alternating bands of material resemble a bamboo stalk; thus the corals' name. In Hawaii, black corals are found in 100-300 ft. of water, shallow enough to harvest using scuba equipment. Many harvesters, however, have died in pursuit of coral trees at the deep end of this range. Red, gold and bamboo coral are found between 1,000 and 1,500 ft; so harvesting is conducted with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or submarines.