How to Chose a Lovely Piece of Beach Glass Jewelry
You might have heard of beach glass or sea glass, but did you know that these two terms are technically different? While the names might be used interchangeable, those in the business of making beach glass jewelry and sea glass jewelry know the difference. Sea glass is found on the beaches near the ocean, while beach glass is found on the shores of fresh water lakes. Jewelry made from these pieces of glass can be a unique and lovely addition to any collection. Here are a few tips to get you started.
What Makes Sea Glass or Beach Glass Jewelry Special?
Many people enjoy sea glass charms for the soft beauty of the glass itself. Genuine beach glass and sea glass pieces are becoming more rare, which has led to some people attempting to create their own. Real sea glass will be formed by the salt and sand of the ocean. This roughening actually softens the edges of the broken glass pieces and gives it a frosted appearance.
Where is Beach Glass and Sea Glass Found?
As stated above, beach glass is found near fresh water lakes, and sea glass by ocean beaches. However, these special glass pieces are not found in abundance at every seashore or lakeside. Some places have a higher chance of accumulating glass pieces. This might be due to a nearby bottling company or similar. Because glass bottles are quickly being replaced with plastic, there is less sea glass found than a few decades ago.
What Signifies Quality In Beach Glass Jewelry?
It might surprise some people, but a few ingenious companies have attempted to recreate the beauty of sea glass through man-made methods. These include subjecting the pieces to a chemical treatment instead of sea salt and sand. The resulting pieces of glass are of a lower quality than those produced in the traditional way. A skilled sea glass assessor can quickly spot the difference.
Natural sea glass and beach glass are assessed by a few different markers. One is the degree of frost on the glass. These levels range from a one, of low frosting, to a level five, heavy frosting which indicates a piece that dates back to pre-twentieth century. The second assessment is the thickness and uniqueness of the piece, which are also rated accordingly. Unusual features and a good thickness are a sign of quality.
What Are Some Special Colors For Sea Glass or Beach Glass Jewelry?
When discussing the rarity of some sea glass colors over others, it is important to remember the colors that are typically found in bottles. Most glass bottles are made of clear glass, with the resulting sea glass also being a white or clear shade. Green, from beer bottles or such, is another popular color. Popular colors for wedding jewelry include shades of aqua or blue, and are found in only one in every 50 to 100 pieces. But the rarest colors are red and orange. Sea glass that is orange is found one in every 10,000 pieces or so.
Beach glass and sea glass make wonderful pieces of jewelry. The trick to finding a good piece is to know a little about the subject. Naturally produced glass is best, and some shades are more rare than others. Of course, the main guideline is to chose a piece of jewelry that you would enjoy wearing.
