WHAT IS SEA GLASS?
Sea glass is physically and chemically weathered glass found on beaches along bodies of salt water. Made from discarded glass bottles, tableware, slag glass, art glass, bonfire, end of day factory glass, anything glass from old dump sites near the ocean (car lights, glass insulators, antique glass knick knacks) and even garbage tossed overboard from ships. Sea glass gems are naturally formed by decades of tumbling in the tides and waves of the ocean, sand and rocks, then deposited on our beaches to be discovered. Sea Glass is also known as Mermaid Tears, Poseidon's Pearls or Shards of Atlantis. So many different names for natures vanishing treasure. As two gems are never identical, each one is a unique color, texture and shape.
The "Frosty" appearance on the surface is call Hydration. This is a slow process of the lime and soda chemicals in the glass leaching out to the surface by constant contact with water, leaving beautiful microscopic dimples and pores coating the outside of the glass piece. The soda and lime can also combine with other surrounding elements to form tiny crystals on the glass surface. Good pieces will sparkle in the light and can take mother nature 50 to 100+ years to perform this type of transformation which makes authentic sea glass a rare and sought after item in all sea glass collections and jewelry pieces. A number of characteristics highlight natural sea glass, starting with the coloration and surface texture of each piece. Natural sea glass will usually have a frosty (like granulated sugar), and almost powdery texture at different points. One of the most reliable indicators for natural sea glass is a "C" (or crescent) shaped designs in the frost. A naturally occurring pattern of these may emerge on the surface of the sea glass over decades of tumbling around in the surf. These highly desired small "C"s shaped patterns are a great find. Also small hairline cracks and small fissures may develop as well. Features like these are awesome indicating an older age and increase value. Artificial sea glass will typically not have these designs.
Natural tumbling is often accomplished on uneven shores where a piece of sea glass can get stuck with a portion of it still exposed. This frequently produces shards that are a triangular shape, but in some areas such as sandy beaches, the tumbling may be very even making them well rounded and nearly uniform in shape. Also known as "Nuggets" or "eggs". Sea glass may have identifiable bottle necks, bottle bottoms, lettering and other unusual shapes distinguishing its features as a mug handle, stopper, taillight reflector, or other unusual and interesting shapes.
Authentic sea and beach glass is becoming rarer and harder to find for many reasons. More people are actively searching for it, also the decrease in dumping and littering has made them harder to find. Quantities of some colors are extremely limited. Such as orange, red, yellow, cobalt blue, purple, turquoise, "black", and Vaseline are extremely rare and very sought after. Orange and yellow are possibly the most rare, but Red and Cobalt seem to be the most desired, due to their beauty when set in jewelry.
So what we have discarded many years ago, Mother Nature has returned to us, this relic of the past to enjoy again for many years to come
Sea glass is physically and chemically weathered glass found on beaches along bodies of salt water. Made from discarded glass bottles, tableware, slag glass, art glass, bonfire, end of day factory glass, anything glass from old dump sites near the ocean (car lights, glass insulators, antique glass knick knacks) and even garbage tossed overboard from ships. Sea glass gems are naturally formed by decades of tumbling in the tides and waves of the ocean, sand and rocks, then deposited on our beaches to be discovered. Sea Glass is also known as Mermaid Tears, Poseidon's Pearls or Shards of Atlantis. So many different names for natures vanishing treasure. As two gems are never identical, each one is a unique color, texture and shape.
The "Frosty" appearance on the surface is call Hydration. This is a slow process of the lime and soda chemicals in the glass leaching out to the surface by constant contact with water, leaving beautiful microscopic dimples and pores coating the outside of the glass piece. The soda and lime can also combine with other surrounding elements to form tiny crystals on the glass surface. Good pieces will sparkle in the light and can take mother nature 50 to 100+ years to perform this type of transformation which makes authentic sea glass a rare and sought after item in all sea glass collections and jewelry pieces. A number of characteristics highlight natural sea glass, starting with the coloration and surface texture of each piece. Natural sea glass will usually have a frosty (like granulated sugar), and almost powdery texture at different points. One of the most reliable indicators for natural sea glass is a "C" (or crescent) shaped designs in the frost. A naturally occurring pattern of these may emerge on the surface of the sea glass over decades of tumbling around in the surf. These highly desired small "C"s shaped patterns are a great find. Also small hairline cracks and small fissures may develop as well. Features like these are awesome indicating an older age and increase value. Artificial sea glass will typically not have these designs.
Natural tumbling is often accomplished on uneven shores where a piece of sea glass can get stuck with a portion of it still exposed. This frequently produces shards that are a triangular shape, but in some areas such as sandy beaches, the tumbling may be very even making them well rounded and nearly uniform in shape. Also known as "Nuggets" or "eggs". Sea glass may have identifiable bottle necks, bottle bottoms, lettering and other unusual shapes distinguishing its features as a mug handle, stopper, taillight reflector, or other unusual and interesting shapes.
Authentic sea and beach glass is becoming rarer and harder to find for many reasons. More people are actively searching for it, also the decrease in dumping and littering has made them harder to find. Quantities of some colors are extremely limited. Such as orange, red, yellow, cobalt blue, purple, turquoise, "black", and Vaseline are extremely rare and very sought after. Orange and yellow are possibly the most rare, but Red and Cobalt seem to be the most desired, due to their beauty when set in jewelry.
So what we have discarded many years ago, Mother Nature has returned to us, this relic of the past to enjoy again for many years to come