Buy Faux Coral Reef Jewelry - Save The Environment

Buy Faux Resin Jewelry Not Natural Coral Jewelry

Irrespective of your beliefs about global warming, protecting valuable marine life in coral reefs is a critical environmental issue. Now, Frenanda Kennedy, the president of an exclusive jewelry company, is taking a stand and taking the lead in protecting this precious resource. Ms. Kennedy refuses to purchase freshly harvested coral and is encouraging the industry to follow her lead.

The New York Times first reported the endangerment of coral reefs back in 1993. Coral reefs are far more than static rock decorating the ocean; coral reefs are living creatures that form a hard calcium carbonate exoskeleton that serves as a precious food source for all forms of marine life.

Philip Katz, historian for the Jackie Kennedy Jewelry Collection, detailed that one piece owned by Jackie was extremely valuable due to the coral surrounding the gold and diamonds within the elaborate broach! Coral is a precious resource and should be highly valued, fully understood and protected. Join us on our journey as we explore the reasons why and what we can do as consumers to help protect this critical natural resource.

Corals Are Nutrients of the Sea

Corals are not just exotic and beautiful, they are the nutrients of of sea and vital to our marine life.

One exclusive jeweler recognizes the importance of this natural wonder is taking a stand on coral jewelry. The company came out publicly to completely ban real coral jewelry from all of their designs and all of their stores both here in the United States and internationally.

Jewelry Deemed Too Precious to Wear

Kudos to Tiffany & Co to call coral jewelry "too precious to wear". The President of Tiffanys, Fernanda Kellogg states that they care about the oceans and hopes other jewelers will follow suit.

The lady leading this charge for greater concern for our environment is the President of one of the world's most prestigious jewelry companies. An acclaimed jewelry store and house of design since 1837.

Fernanda Kellogg, the President of Tiffany & Co., an environmentalist, captain of industry and an equestrian hobbyist. Perhaps it is her love of nature and animals that she serves philanthropy for both the arts and the environmental conservation. Kellogg who met her current husband through their shared love of horses is the President of world re known jewelry store.

The Famous Movie and the Famous Blue Box

Perhaps you will recall the famous movie with Audrey Hepburn Breakfast at Tiffanys where the heroine sought emotional delight with having breakfast in front of the exclusive NY jewelry store. Tiffany is also the innovator of the much sought after "blue jewelry box" with its distinctive blue box with silver lettering and white bow.

Tiffany & Co. Foundation was established in 2000. Kellogg was was appointed in 2004. In her role with the foundation, Ms. Kellogg oversees the Foundation's mission to provide grants to nonprofit organizations dedicated to the education and preservation of the arts and environmental conservation.

It is her leadership and foresight to showcase the importance of appreciating and protecting nature that is winning her international notoriety with her current corporate policy of banning natural coral jewelry.

Colors of Natural Coral

The colors of coral range from white (typically referred to as angle skin coral) to yellow to a salmon pink to a deep pink almost red. The most most common color for corals or what I would label as salmon pink. The angelskin coral is the most rare and the most expensive.

Colors of Coral

• White commonly referred to as angleskin
• Yellow all ranges
  
• Salmon Pink perhaps the most common color
  
• Deep Pink verging upon the red family
  
• Red or almost red, typically mined from the Red Sea
  

Shapes of Natural Coral Jewelry

• Branches the natural form of the coral
• Tube or Barrel Beads are carved roughly allowing the natural crevices of the coral to show through.
  
• Round Beads are carved to become round and often polished to a high shine.
• Rice Beads are carved to become not round but a cylinder shape similar to a grain of rice.

• Rose Beads are delicately carved in the shape of an exquisite rose.

• Tulip Beads are carved in the shape of a tulip. It is stated that tulip beads are often wonderfully carved as only the Italians could, and polished to a high shine.

Examples of the beautiful natural coral beads are given in more detail below.  As you can see, the colors are rich and varied and the shapes are almost endless.  The carving is typically done by hand with the highest quality craftsmanship being the Italians.  Most pieces are carved in Asia or the Caribbean.

Reason and Types of Mining of Natural Coral Reefs

Mining of coral reefs takes place for many different reasons. It is not just for jewelry and medicine.

Coral mining can include the in-obtrusive but yet still destructive selective hand harvesting or the more intrusive blasting of massive areas of reef with dynamite. Additionally, some companies employ large scale removal in patches.

And while many countries have banned coral mining, such as Sri Lanka and Indonesia, but due to lack of enforcement, the practice continues.

It is stated by experts that selective harvesting can be carefully managed and can be implemented in a goal of minimal impact and sustainability. Operations in Hawaii and Australia were cited as examples.

Mining of coral reefs also includes much needed calcium supplements and also for other medicinal needs. Here's a short list of applicable applications:

• Jewelry Whether highly polished or dried naturally, coral jewelry has always been in high demand. The resurgence of the use of coral by designers I personally celebrate but only in the form of faux coral. Don't shy away from coral jewelry - simply stay away from real coral jewelry. Imitation is the best compliment but is also environmentally friendly.

• Limestone and Other Construction Materials From the coasts of South Asia, East Africa to the Pacific, corals are mined for bricks and other road-fill. Often new buildings include sand and limestone from coral reefs in their cement. "According to a 1995 study, 20,000 cubic meters of coral per year were collected in the Maldives solely for construction materials (Brown, 1995)."¹
• Calcium Supplements Mining of dead coral is made into an often much needed dietary supplement for calcium.
• Souvenirs Coral makes a great souvenir for many tourists. It is unusual and rare and very distinctive of the ocean life. Typically coral is dried for ornamental gifts and decorations.
  
• Aquarium Industry Live coral is in high demand also for the marine aquarium industry.
• Medical Use "Researchers have been using coral for bone graph clinical trials and imports of coral for medical purposes increased 500% from 1991 to 1992 (Fenical, 1996)".²

"At least 19 percent of the world's coral reefs are already gone, including some 50 percent of those in the Caribbean. An additional 15 percent could be dead within 20 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Old Dominion University professor Kent Carpenter, director of a worldwide census of marine species, warned that if global warming continues unchecked, all corals could be extinct within 100 years.

"You could argue that a complete collapse of the marine ecosystem would be one of the consequences of losing corals," Carpenter said. "You're going to have a tremendous cascade effect for all life in the oceans."³

Reefs are More Important To the Sea than Rain Forests to Land

The value of the reefs are more important to the sea than the rain forests to land.  This is probably the single most important environmental position we can take as consumers.  To start a grass root effort to demand alternatives for both our fashion and fine jewelry.

Great Alternatives - Faux Jewelry

Faux jewelry is one of the best inventions of the 20th century and greatly under appreciated. While nothing fully replaces the beauty of the natural coral, top designers such as Kenneth J. Lane, Monet and many others have hundreds of designs created in enamel and resin to celebrate this wonderful natural material only found in the sensitive oceans of our planet earth.

Save the Coral Reefs - Actively Seek Alternatives

Jewelry Terms to Look for "Simulated" "Faux" or "Resin"

OK, so you are like me, you have fallen in love with the deep sea gems. The environmentally friendly solution is to actively seek out alternatives - save the coral reefs and look for the terms "simulated", "faux" or "resin".

The designs are just as alluring, the price tag is often irrestible in comparison to the natural materials and best yet you are helping to protect our greatest natural resource - perhaps the source of future cures of diseases.

Alternative Materials for Coral Jewelry

The color coral can be easily mimic in enamel and faux plastic coral has been used successfully since the 1960's. As Tiffanys so aptly stated "... I think what the alternative is, is beautiful design in other materials," states Kellogg.

White House and Congress Need to Participate

"The ripple effect is beginning," says Kellogg. "We're a long way from being where we need to be." Recently, the White House and Congress received a letter from 100 scientists and 44 groups asking for much greater protection of reefs. And an international ban on trade in certain corals will be proposed later this year.⁴

"Resin" Mimics the Colors and Textures

Resin is different from Bakelite. Bakelite is a popular brand developed in the early 1900's.

Bakelite is an early plastic. It is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from an elimination reaction of phenol with formaldehyde, usually with a wood flour filler. It was developed in 1907–1909 by Belgian chemist Dr. Leo Baekeland.

Wikipedia reports that dice are sometimes made of Bakelite for weight and sound, but the majority are made of a thermoplastic such as ABS. It is also used to make the presentation boxes of luxury Breitling watches.Also, research shows many high end fashion buttons are made from Bakelite.

Resins are a form of plastic often used in jewelry are synthetic plastics that form a hard surface which can range from clear to opaque. Many shellacs are resin based. Wikipedia reports that bowling bowls were coated in resin in the 1990's to allow making strikes easier during bowling.

Enamel Mimics the Colors

Enamel jewelry on the other hand does not seek to mimic the texture of coral but rather seeks to mimic the distinctive and much loved color of coral. Enamel bangle bracelets and brooches are created by esteemed designers.

Coral Reefs - Nature's Jewel of Sea

As the last video showcases, the Great Barrier Reef is the jewel of the sea.  It is this sensitive shallow, clear water that is easy to harvest and destroy but that is essential to marine life and perhaps will present many cures for human life in the future.  One study is hopeful for the cure of skin cancer thanks to the life forms that the ocean can provide.

Celebrate and Demand Faux Coral Jewelry

The intelligent decision for our environment is to know the origin of the coral jewelry.

Don't assume, ask the origin.

Respect the coral reefs and actively seek out "faux", "resin" or "simulated" coral jewelry. Enamel is also a create substitute - different texture but delivering the same great, esteemed color (which goes great with summer tan).

Our environment is counting upon you making a difference. The life you save may be yours or a family member who benefits from the treasures that only the coral reefs can provide for medicinal purposes.

Save our environment, celebrate faux coral jewelry.

Resin Coral Sculptures

Decorating with Zuniga Interiors - this blog provides a myriad of ideas for resin coral sculpures and other coral/sea life decorating ideas.

Photos

Coral Bead Photos courtesy of

http://estatebeads.com/natural/

Tiffany Box

textually.org

Photo of corals courtesy of

Skin Cancer Cure Derived from Red Sea Coral

www.global-warming-awareness2007.org/

www.impactlab.com

www.soe.ucdavis.edu

www.coralreefinfo.com/

Photo of Fernanda Kellogg courtesy of

www.womeninconservation.org/honorees.html

Information Provided By

¹ http://www.coral.org/node/127

² http://www.coral.org/node/127

³ http://www.coral.org/node/127

⁴ http://www.kvoa.com/news/tiffany-and-co-to-ban-coral-jewelry/

Copyright: © 2010 Gma Goldie All Rights Reserved - GmaGoldie loves to share her ideas but greatly appreciates credit for her hard work. Please email the author for permission for use of terms and ideas shared in this or other Gma Goldie articles on health, fitness and exercise.