Coral/Shell is considered an organic gemstone (a stone with an organic origin but having the quality and character of stones). Deposits are found along the coasts of the western mediterranean countries, the Red Sea, Bay of Biscay, Canary Islands, the Midway Islands, Japan, and Hawaii but production is increasingly controlled by environmental laws.
The name Turquoise means ‘Turkish stone’ because the trade route that brought it to Europe used to come via Turkey. Some high quality deposits are in the Middle East but there are many around the world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Israel, Mexico, Tanzania, New Mexico, and Arizona. Turquoise is used to promote wholeness, communication and spiritual expansion.
