Natural coral, cut using high-tech laser technology, allowing for extremely precise cutting. Coral is tested by a jeweler but you can also check it yourself if it is real coral: when you rub it against your tooth the stone is rough like sand and if it is not real it is very smooth like plastic or glass. Length: 47 cm / Width: 8.0 mm Weight: 32.2 grams Natural shell corals are found in the Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Korea, Hawaii, China, and Ireland. Shell corals range from semi-transparent to opaque and come in white, pink, orange, red, blue, violet, gold, and black. A pale, pinkish-red coral from Japan is called "boke." The most prized type of coral is the noble red coral (Corallicum rubrum). The color is uniform throughout the branch, from soft pink to dark red, sometimes with white or pink flecks. The red color is caused by iron oxide or can be organic, partially or both. "Arciscuro" or "Carbonetto" is an Italian color grading classification for very dark red coral. "Blood coral" is a term used for intense, precious red coral. Other red classifications include "Pelle d'angelo," which is pinkish-red; "Rose pallido," a pale pink coral; "Rosa vivo," a bright pink; "Secondo coloro," which is salmon-pink; and "Rosso scuro," a dark red. This coral you're buying is "Secondo coloro," which is salmon-pink, like Corallicum rubrum, but I honestly don't know which sea it comes from. The beads are highly polished and have a beautiful luster and a glassy sheen, making them hard, while bamboo coral is very soft. In its raw state, coral is dull or has a waxy sheen, but when polished, it has a glassy sheen. It is most commonly found on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Biscay, the Canary Islands, and the Midway Islands (Japan). Bamboo coral, a commercial term for coral suitable for jewelry, is fished from the waters of Tasmania, Australia, and has a structure similar to bamboo. Shipping registered