This Japanese coral is mostly of an ox-blood color, and it is sometimes called moro coral. But the same color is found in the Mediterranean, although in smaller masses, and the Italians work this in the same way as the other colors of coral. The finished article marketed in most countries comes almost exclusively from Naples and none has come direct from Japan.
In former days, Marseilles was the center of the coral fishing industry, and the French, Spaniards, and English all held the monopoly at different times. Volcanic disturbances in the Mediterranean apparently destroyed the local beds at one time, and the Algerian waters controlled by the French became unproductive. Now, all the fishing is carried on by the Italians, working from Naples. Also Italians are expert diamond rings makers.
The boats and crews are occupied for about six months in each year on this work, and the method adopted to obtain the coral involves both fishing and diving. As a rule, eight men in each  boat use a large wooden cross, from the arms of which a stout netted bag is suspended. A strong rope is attached to the middle of the cross, and a load being fastened to the center to sink it, it is let down horizontally to the sea bottom. A diver follows the 1 HISS, pushing one arm of it after another into the hollows of the rocks so as to entangle the coral in the nets. On account of the inverted position of the branches, this is comparatively easy. At intervals, the cross and the bags are drawn up to the boat and the diver is replaced by another in the crew.
On being landed, the coral is sorted into different qualities, such as fine pink, red, salmon-pink, ordinary red, black, faulty, and dead material. Most of this work is done by hand, women and children taking a large part in the sorting and fashioning of the material. Over 3,000 people are employed by some forty firms in Naples with the working of coral.