The Glass
Genuine sea glass is formed by nature's tumbling process and takes decades to become smooth gems. An ocean mix of tides, currents, rocks, and sand transform shards of multi-colored glass into polished treasures. Through immersion in water glass becomes hydrated, causing the lime and soda used in glass production to leach out over time. This process causes tiny crystals to form on the surface of the glass and is known as frosty patina.
It is impossible to duplicate this process artificially and all "fake" sea glass will be absent of some of the distinguishing features of genuine sea glass. These unique characteristics include: a frosty patina, tiny c-shaped markings visible with a magnifying glass, thickness, and color. With the advent of recycling in the 70's and use of plastic in lieu of glass bottles, genuine pieces of sea glass are becoming increasingly rare and more valuable.
There is a certain mystique attached to sea glass and every piece tells a story. The color, thickness, markings, letters, and numbers on sea glass give clues to its origin. Sunken ships, hurricanes, factory refuse, careless party goers, and ocean "dumping" have all contributed glassware to the vast sea. Eventually, broken shards of colorful glass wash up on the beach, trapped among the shore's rocks and shells. At low tide, the most beautiful and smooth pieces are collected by sea glass hunters of all ages. Sea glass that still appears "glassy" is tossed back into the ocean.
At Beach Glass Boutique we take great pride in the fact that our jewelry is made with genuine sea glass, hand-selected by Debbie McClelland for its color and quality.
