Since 2011, Cornelia has been deeply involved with Bali for inspiration and developing jewellery collections, as well as honouring traditional craftsmanship of local artisans for part of our production. Over the years we have casted some of our most iconic pieces from a fragment of a beautiful coral organism Cornelia once found on the beach. 

The rainforest of the sea

Often called rainforests of the sea, coral reef colonies are home to exceptional biodiversity of more than 25% of marine life. Millions of animal and plant species are associated with these living limestone structures and are the basis of thriving ecosystems, providing a sourcing nitrogen and other essential nutrients for marine food chains.

Coral reefs protect shorelines and coastal erosion that affect human lives, properties and the surrounding environments by absorbing wave energy, reducing the damaging effects of storms, hurricanes and floods. Moreover, communities surrounding coral reefs areas greatly benefit from them as food and an economic source through the fishing and tourism industry.

Causes of destruction of coral reefs include rising water temperatures linked to global warming, pollution, disease, bombs and cyanide used by fishermen. As coral reefs are threatened by natural and manmade stressors, they are unable to support the marine life that inhabit them and the communities near them are also impacted.

Karang Lestari

In Pemuteran village in Northwest Bali, residents and local businesses have taken action to prevent destructive methods of fishing and to encourage coral reef growth. Cornelia Webb has partnered with Karang Lestari and the Biorock© Coral Restoration Project in this region to highlight and contribute to the rebuilding of these reefs.

Since 2000, Biorock has installed more than sixty coral nursery structures with a total length of 300 metres making it the largest Biorock coral reef nursery and restoration project worldwide, exceeding the combined sizes of all other ongoing projects in the Pacific, Caribbean, and Indian Ocean. 

The coral nursery structures are made of steel bars and mesh, and are built in various shapes. With most of the world’s coral species being found in the Pemuteran area, naturally broken or damaged coral fragments are collected and transplanted to these welded structures. The structures are charged by donated power supplies by local businesses on the adjacent land. Using the Electrolytic Mineral Accretion Technology (Biorock®), the coral nurseries provide a critical reservoir of healthy corals - where corals can grow more rapidly, with higher reproduction and resistance to environmental stress.

 

In medicine, the Phoenix Effect is used to describe transformation after severe physical or mental trauma. It is also a term used to describe how corals can spring back to life from an almost imperceptible fragment of themselves. We find inspiration and hope in these coral reefs. We wish that future generations may experience the beauty of mother nature just as we have been able to, being met by thriving life on land and below water.

Therefore, we are raising our own coral family.