Perfect Guide for Choosing Coral Jewelry
White coral necklaces are always a beautiful, classic gift and will fit right in with any occasion, whether it’s a wedding, a birthday, anniversary or just about any day that calls for giving. White corals have an elegance and quiet beauty that is appreciated by any woman of any age. When cared for properly, they can last for years and years, which is no wonder that in any heirloom, corals are one of those which stand out.
Traditionally, white corals were given during weddings. It was believed that a gift of corals ensured the happiness of married couples. Nowadays, white corals are worn anywhere – in board rooms, parties, family get-togethers, bars – in just about any special occasion that calls for dressing up without dressing too much.
Oysters or mollusks, as their name implies, produce Natural vs. Cultured Natural corals, naturally. They start off as irritants (a grain of sand, piece of food or a parasite) that enter the shell of a living oyster. As a reaction to this invasion, the oyster produces nacre to contain the irritant. This coating is put over it in multiple layers until the irritant is completely covered and a shining coral is born.
Since natural corals are made ‘accidentally’ and therefore quite difficult to come by, cultured corals were developed to meet the growing demand for corals and to protect coral oysters from over-harvest and extinction. Cultured corals are also real corals, except that instead of waiting for an irritant to invade an oyster, coral farmers introduce a ‘nucleus’ to stimulate the production of a coral.
Choosing the right length White coral necklaces come in varying lengths for different styles and occasions. When buying one, it’s worth remembering that a white coral necklace is an accessory and can enhance or affect the entire look of the wearer. Longer strands are used to make short necks appear longer, while shorter strands flatter longer necks. The most common lengths that white coral necklaces come in are: the collar, choker, princess, matinee, opera and rope.
Collar corals are the shortest at 14 to 16 inches long and may be worn with formal or semi-formal eveningwear or semi-formal day wear. Chokers are 16 to 18 inches long and are the common choice for dances and balls. Princess necklaces are the most popular length at 18 to 20 inches long and look great on any outfit.
Matinee coral necklaces are 20 to 24 inches long and can be worn for work because it goes well with work and business suits. Opera corals are 28 to 34 inches long are often worn during formal parties.
Rope corals are the longest, starting at 37 inches, although they don’t necessarily need to be worn just hanging from the neck. Like opera corals, rope corals may be knotted or doubled and may even be worn as a wide coral bracelet.
Choosing the right style Corals are quite adaptable and will work well with almost any kind of gemstone. Alone or in combination with another gem, white corals look stunning. White coral necklaces come in several major styles: the bib, dog collar, graduated and uniform.
The bib is made of several strands, usually three or more, that varies in length and fall over the chest like, well, a bib. The corals on the strands may either be graduated or uniformly sized. The dog collar, like its name, is made of several strands and is worn to fit above the base of the neck, right in the middle of the throat. The corals that make up the strands are uniform in size and may either be small or medium-sized.
The graduated necklace is made up of either a single strand or several, with corals of graduated sizes. Usually, the middle coral is the largest in the strand. The uniform necklace uses the same size corals in its strands and is probably the most common.
Choosing the right size White corals come in different sizes, with the most commonly used and sold ranging from 6.5mm to 7.5mm, while really small corals measure 1mm or less. Some of the bigger corals are in the 14 to 18mm range.
Generally, smaller corals are best for younger women and children while medium to bigger corals are flattering for older women. One of the reasons for this is tradition. In the past, the size of the coral reflected the woman’s maturity and social status and so she wore the kind of corals that were deemed appropriate for her.