Featured Because I know you love coral...

but I need to know more!
You have educated me quite well with what to look for in coral beads but what about this branchy stuff?
All looks quite elderly to me especially the lighter colour bottom left.
Presumably the top left beads with metal links is 1920/deco?
What is the white stuff on the darker red one?
How do I spot if it’s dyed?
Am I just looking at the clasps for dating?. That barrel clasp looks very old?
Thanks

 

Ah spooky!.

 

Here in U.K. I find quite a lot of the branch coral, far more than the beads. I think the white bits are just sea creature encrustations. I don’t know if it is affected and fades if left in bright sunlight though.

 

I’m not sure that’s a selling point -
‘Please buy my beautiful coral necklace adorned with the tiny corpses of long dead sea creatures’

 

Love coral? You talkin' to me?

It is good coral. Unfortunately branch coral is generally not worth as much as cut and polished beads, even though it is very pretty. But it sells, and I can see some nice restoration projects for you.

It is all old to antique. Yes, red coral turns a salmony colour with age. Some is already salmon, but it is a slightly different salmon from antique red-turned-salmon. I know, I am not making much sense.

Could we see it full length?

None of these are dyed.

It is a screw barrel clasp, not as old as the slide barrel clasps. Screw barrel clasps were first introduced in the 1890s.

Coral often has some minute bits and pieces of coral polyps in the holes anyway, so when you buy coral, you often get tiny corpses of long dead sea creatures for free (yay).

 

Sorry @Any Jewelry i missed this request!