K18 solid gold Asymmetrical earrings with Japanese blood red coral branches

These are asymmetrical earrings with Japanese blood red coral (Aka coral) branches.
Crafted in 18K gold, each hoop earring features a red coral branch charm that dangles playfully below.
(Akoya pearl charms are gift.)

The red coral branches were harvested around 1960-1980, and sat unused as jeweler’s inventory until I bought them a few years ago.

These are versatile hoop earrings with Japanese natural blood red coral charm dangles and K18 solid gold findings.

The blood red coral is from Kochi, the place where Japanese coral was discovered in the 19th century.
This is the most expensive and highly desired kind of coral.
These coral branches have a beautiful translucent gloss.
Japanese red coral has been rising in price every year, because it is no longer being harvested except in very small quantities.

These dainty hoops are easy to wear. The back part opens and closes easily and securely.

All the findings are 18-karat solid gold and are made in Japan.

The color of the coral is a beautiful red, but it’s really hard to capture it in a photograph.
I took pictures in sunlight and indoor light. It looks somewhat different depending on the light and the background.
All the pictures I took have no enhancement, just under different environments (outdoor or indoor, sunlight or electric light, different backgrounds).

Earrings
diameter of hoop earrings: about 11.8mm
size of coral branch :about 19-29mm
total weight: 3g
K18 solid gold

(gift)
Akoya salt-water cultured pearl charms
size of pearl: 8.6mm
14KGF brass

About my coral products

In my column series “Beads Around the World,” published in the Japanese magazine Bead Art, I wrote a few articles about Japanese precious coral and Japanese pearls.

Japanese precious coral has been famous around the world and has been exported, similarly to Japanese cultured pearls. But its history started only about two hundred years ago, when a fisherman found coral in his net. Until then we did not know there was jewel coral around us.
Jewel coral has been highly admired throughout history. It was carried by merchants through the Silk Road from the Mediterranean sea for thousands of years.
Now Japanese precious corals are endangered species and need protection from illegal fishing and over-harvesting.
All my coral products are recycled from old jewelry made around 1960-1990’s, when coral was not endangered. I always intend to deal with coral only in ways that are environment-friendly and sustainable.