Seven Corals, lovely old gemstone Corals, well-matched in fine deep saturated orange-red colour, old handcut beads from Sth India, of Mediterranean origin imported into Sth India in branch form and cut there for the local market around the 1950s or earlier.
The Seven Corals are integrated into the above Italian 9ct Gold fine 1mm thick cable chain with handcrafted 9ct Gold wire work, secured at both ends of each Coral with a twisted wire technique.
Gemstone Coral has been much appreciated in south India for a very long time; there are traditions of gift-giving there which specifically involve the gifting of Coral gemstone strands.
There are four components in the costing of the above Coral chain: the rare fine old Sth Indian Coral; the Italian Gold chain; the Sydney-made 9ct Gold wire used in the seven connections; and the Sydney hand-work in the creation of those connections. The cost component of the Italian 9ct Gold chain, purchased very recently (October 2024) from a Sydney supplier, is greater than the combined cost of all the other three components together. Such is Gold today. Good luck to anyone who thinks this situation will change much in the foreseeable future.