There's a man in Curacao who lives by the sea. His eyes are clear as the sea waters and, like the sea, he is stubborn. his name is Bert Knubben.(64) He is on the beach of the BREEZES Resort and a craftsman of the exclusive black “kings” coral jewelry which he stubbornly insist must be written black "koral". A nice touch, since the initials are his own and in Curacao, he is synonymous with this semiprecious stone which he painstakingly works in his tiny shop, the KORALART gallery, together with his pretty wife Fennie, on the palm beach of the Breezes Resort.

Bert recalls when his father brought the family from the Netherlands at a age 7 and he saw the sea for the very first time: "We arrived one afternoon and early the next morning we were at sea. The rapture has lasted. Since his 14th, Bert has been diving , sometimes diving to depths below 160 feet, The problems intrinsic in diving at those depths and the time and patience put into working and finishing the “kings” coral, mother of pearl jewelry or coral stone sculptures are factors in the value of the artistic product.

Bert started selling his sea-swept stones to tourists at the age of 14 and in '67, started shaping his own jewelry designs. Among his miniature-formed marine figurines his best-sellers are the graceful black “kings” coral dolphin pendants, his unique mother of pearl ear studs and pendants are also popular gift items.

All his jewelry is finished with 14 kt gold and sterling silver. Professional diver/artisan Bert Knubben has made the sea his life ever since that first rapturous encounter. Like most divers, he has had his share of close calls, "You realize how fragile you are and learn your limitations". But he returns every day, drawn by the sea and the promise of mother of pearl and jet black koral waiting to be shaped into miniatures of lasting beauty by a craftsman who has made of BK a lot more than a signature. Handcrafts from shell’s and coral carry with it the sanction of a tradition that has been transmitted from the very early days of our civilization.

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