Famous antique coral from Sciacca

Famous antique coral from Sciacca

14-08-2021
On our blog, when we wrote about red coral, ( Red coral, the most known) we explained how flourishing and massive the presence of Corallium Rubrum is, also based on the places of collection .
Frequently we hear about Sciacca coral, but at the same time it is not uncommon to make mistake about this kind of coral. The Sciacca coral belongs to the Corallium Rubrum family, the red coral of the Mediterranean.
Despite this, it is somewhat complicated, analyzing raw or worked coral, to identify the place of origin. Extensive studies often need to be done, such as coral DNA.
The situation of Corallo di Sciacca is different. It is in fact the only variety of coral in the Mediterranean that has its own conformation and coloration, peculiar to the point that they are found.
This kind of coral has different shades of orange and some black spots. This feature is due to the fact that it grows in the marine area off the coast of Agrigento and proliferates along the coasts of submarine volcanoes.
It is precisely their heat exhalations that alter the color of the coral, giving it the typical "burned" appearance.
 

The Sciacca shoal

The coral of Sciacca and the workmanship of Torre del Greco are united by a very ancient relationship.
In our town near the Vesuvius a real boom exploded for the processing of Sciacca coral at the end of the nineteenth century. The trend spread in conjunction with the discovery of large coral deposits following shoals, which led to the emergence of large quantities of this rare and fascinating coral.
At the time, the market value of Sciacca coral dropped significantly, given the enormous quantities available, and several families of Torre del Greco merchants decided to purchase large quantities.
The workmanship need time, so the Sciacca coral is still available today in Torre del Greco and there are different processes, in particular for the reproduction of ancient jewels or for the restoration of the same.
 

Alternative to Sciacca coral

An empirical method to reproduce the Sciacca coral consists in exposing a piece of Mediterranean red coral to heat sources. Slowly the color will turn towards orange shades.
With this system you will get an orange coral, but with a too homogeneous color and will not have the typical burn. Not infrequently we are asked to restore color to jewels and necklaces that have undergone a change in color.
The coral that turns orange, however, can no longer turn red. Contact us to know more about Sciacca Coral.