I think Stefany meant to remark, "... beige but dyed to appear coral-red." This stuff is coral, and doesn't have to altered to "appear to be coral."

Precious corals, as exploited from the Mediterranean Sea, and off the coast of China and Japan are solitary creatures. They are not part of coral reefs. If the exploitation of other non-precious corals is giving the coral regions a rest to regrow, that would be a good thing. But I'm not sure this is factually the case. And, given the massive quantities of bamboo and other corals that are now exploited, I fear that THEY are going to be or become endangered. In any event, expoloiting or not-exploiting precious solitary corals has no effect in favor of protecting coral reefs.

For quite a long time I have expreseed the correct idea that not-buying precious coral does not protect the ecologically-important coral reefs. Only restrained collection will save precious corals. And this restraint has only to take place for a few years to make a significant difference. Even just five or six years. However, I have come to believe that sponge coral (a very different non-precious coral, exploited for cheap costume jewelry) may be derived from reef corals. And, if this is true, we should boycott buying that stuff.

It is my opinion that practically all desirable organic bead materials are endangered, and many are at risk for extinction. The exceptions are those that are renewable—for instance, being farmed. Cultured pearls are one example. Also, those that are fossil materials are not renewable, but are plentiful, in various parts of the world—and their exploitation harms no living plants or animals.