People have used black coral since prehistoric times, as a medicine (its Latin family name, Antipathes, means “against suffering”), a charm (to ward off evil spirits and natural disasters) and in carved ornaments. Local craftsmen have been carving black coral for hundreds of years. Mariners brought back gifts of black coral to their royal sponsors, who prized its rarity and beauty. In time, black coral came to be known as the "King’s Coral".

Unlike more common stony corals, which inhabit shallow water and are composed mostly of calcium carbonate, black corals live in deep water and consists primarily of conchiolin, the same protein that contributes to the iridescent beauty of pearls.

In its unpolished form, black coral is dry and dusty in appearance, resembling the branches of a long-dead tree. To work in black coral requires great patience and stamina, as the work is arduous, intricate, and painstaking. Too much pressure from the artist’s hand can blemish the surface; too little and the coral will not rise to its full potential: the shimmering ebony beauty of a precious gem.

Today, visitors to tropical regions will find local craftsmen making a variety of black coral souvenirs that are sold on street corners and in small shops. Generally these items are very inexpensive due to the crude workmanship and unknown quality of the coral.

In recent decades, black coral has gained in popularity as a medium for fine sculpture and as a component of fine jewelry. This new popularity owes much to the talents of one man: Bernard K. Passman. Mr. Passman pioneered black coral as a fine art and jewelry medium thirty-five years ago in Grand Cayman.