Description

What is it about walking along the shore thatbrings such peace to so many? The sound of the waves, the smell ofwet sand and water, the feel of the breeze engage the senses tostir the core of our soul. Beach glass, also known as sea glass ormermaid's tears, crystallizes these shoreline memories. Formed bythe action of water, wind, wave action, sand, stone and time onbottles and other glass carelessly tossed into lakes and oceans,collectors all over the world treasure these brightly coloredfinds.
Ranging in size from flecks as tiny as a grain of sand to chunkslarger than a fist, beach glass can be found along the water's edgearound the world. The most common color of sea glass is white,which began as clear glass. Physical and chemical actions frost thesurface of the glass, turning it opaque. Other common colorsinclude green and brown from beer and wine bottles, but their huescan vary from pale amber to an olive so green it appears blackuntil held up to the light.
Some collectors prefer to keep their finds in jars placed onwindowsills to catch the light. Others creatively experiment withart and design to make Sea Glass Art, creating everything from suncatchers to bird houses. And some carefully choose the rarestshapes and colors to transform into one-of-a-kind jewelry. The softedges and deep colors of Sea Glass Art create eye-catching pools ofliquid color at the ears, throat or wrist. Whether set in filigreesof silver and gold or simply suspended from a bail, sea glassjewelry is wearable art.
Sea glass fragments are found all over the world and come in themost amazing rainbow of colors. It is usually found along the beachafter a high tide and storms. Many beachcombers collect thesepieces and simply display them at home in a jar or bowl right nextto seashells.
Sea glass is the product of man-made debris tumbled on the ocean orlake beaches for years, eventually washing up on beaches all overthe world. Before plastics and aluminum came into common use thingswere much more often packaged in glass. Sea glass hunters arehaving a harder time finding their treasures in these modern times.As a result of its growing rarity, many people have begunmanufacturing their own sea glass in rock tumbling machines.
Types of Sea Glass
Vaseline Glass: Vaseline glass is made with Uranium and will glowunder a black light, and so it is also known as UV Glass.
Flashed Glass/ Flash Glass: This is glass that has multiple layersof colors which are clearly visible. Usually this sea glass comesfrom decorative glass vases, bowls, etc.
Cobalt Blue: Cobalt Blue glass is almost always from one of 3 typesof bottles: Emerson's Bromo Seltzer, Milk of Magnesia and PoisonBottles.
Red: Originally real gold was used to make red colored glass whichmeans less of it was made to begin with and thus increases therarity of finding red sea glass.
Sun Glass: Lavender sea glass that started off as clear glass, butthen turned lavender or, in rare cases, purple when left out in thesun. This is due to glass made with the mineral Manganese addedwhich purples in reaction to sunlight.