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Blue Coral
This material, unusual in appearance and color,
and of I ited use, is obtained from the skeleton of Heliopora
lea, a type of coral which lives mainly in the seas aroc.
the Philippines.
Appearance The most striking characteristic
of b coral is its color, which is bright blue or gray blue,
sortimes with zoning in the form of concentric circles or
evhorizontal stripes. The most readily observable orgar structures
are two sets of channels parallel to the axis: c set is thin
and barely visible, though numerous. The off is more prominent,
less numerous, and larger, with dc. walls; these channels
are placed at regular intervals t tween the other channels.
Due to the cavities, marks, a, discontinuities
where the channels emerge, blue cor never takes a polish comparable
to that of red cor Therefore, its use as an ornament is limited
and mainly a pendent on its color. It is made into spherical,
cylindric spindle or barrel-shaped necklace beads, but does
lend itself to other uses.
Distinctive features The color and clearly
visible orgar structures make it quite easy to recognize.
Occurrence Blue coral comes
mainly from the Phillipines, where it is generally fashioned
as well. Like other local materials such as black coral, shell,
and porous whr madrepore coral it is made into inexpensive
necklaces.
Value Very low, partly because
it is difficult to fashic and polish. It is essentially a
curiosity on the western ma ket.
Simulants It is not imitated
at present, probably becaus it is little known.
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