Sea Glass (or beach glass) is glass found on beaches along oceans or large lakes that has been tumbled and smoothed by the water and sand, creating small pieces of smooth, frosted glass. Sea glass originates from bottles and jars that enter the water as litter and become broken up by the waves and rocks. Green, clear, brown, and amber beach is common (consider the most common colors of beer-bottles), though light blues, yellows, and pink varieties have also been known to appear. Much more rare are grey, purple and bright red varieties. Red sea glass is found only once for every 5,000 pieces found.

Like gathering shells or stones, collecting sea glass is a hobby among beach goers, and many enjoy filling decorative jars or making jewelry from their finds. Generally, the sea glass that one finds has local origins, glass found in a particular location generally would have begun its transformation within the immediate vicinity. This is not always the case - some beaches have a much higher rate of transitory particulates, in which case beach glass particles may travel for several miles. It is rare for sea glass to have traveled farther than this.

Sea glass is one of the only objects made valuable by the actions of the environment on man-made litter.

♦From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Genuine Beach Sea Glass Originating from discarded bottles and tableware, or glass from shipwrecks and household items lost in natural disasters. Quantities of some colors are severely limited. Colors such as orange, red, yellow, cobalt blue, purple, turquoise, "black", and Vaseline are very rare. Genuine sea glass in these colors is normally never sold by the pound. Sea glass is often hydrated and may have a "frosty" surface, appearing crystalline in structure. Hydration is a slow process where the lime and soda in glass is leached out by the constant contact with water, leaving variable pitting on the surface of the glass. The soda and lime can combine with other elements to form tiny crystals in the surface of the glass. Many good specimens will sparkle in the light. It is impossible to duplicate this process with out actually allowing nature to take its course over several years.

Small "C" shaped patterns may emerge on the surface of the beach sea glass and small hair line cracks may develop on some pieces. Natural tumbling is often uneven on rocky shores, where a piece of sea glass got stuck with a portion of it still exposed. This process frequently produces shards that are triangular shape, and yet in some areas such as sandy beaches, thy frequently be composed of identifiable bottle necks, bottle bottoms lettering and other unusual e tumbling may be very even making them well rounded and nearly uniform in shape. Sea glass mashapes and distinguishing features such as mug handles and so forth.

Sea glass continues to go up in price as supplies dwindle (littering is discouraged) and more and more people become collectors.
♦Used by permission from the North American Sea Glass Association
 

ABOUT ME l  ABOUT SEA GLASS  l  THE JEWELED COLLECTION  l  VINTAGE JEWELRY 

Copyright ©2008 The Jeweled Mermaid
All rights r

served