As I am watching other sea glass sites, I am discovering there are more and more ways of describing fake sea glass and misleading or confusing the customer! Just saw a site selling orange earrings for $12, and the description is that they are inspired by the ocean, cultured sea glass! Well, orange sea glass is one of the rarest colors to find, and to find two matching pieces would be next to impossible, but to sell them for $12 -- obviously they are not genuine sea glass earrings.
Recently, in a store in Florida, the shopowner showed me some "sea glass" earrings. Again, they were perfectly matched, identical turquoise triangles (another rare color). I looked at the card describing them, and it said they were sand tumbled. Clearly, you can toss in some sand in a tumbler, and voila, you can create your own fake sea glass.
Genuine sea glass has been tossed by ocean waves for months, more likely years. People study the origins of the sea glass found on beaches -- old bottles, glassware, boat lights, etc. A well regarded book on the subject is Pure Sea Glass by Richard LaMotte. If you are serious about sea glass, check it out.
Recently, in a store in Florida, the shopowner showed me some "sea glass" earrings. Again, they were perfectly matched, identical turquoise triangles (another rare color). I looked at the card describing them, and it said they were sand tumbled. Clearly, you can toss in some sand in a tumbler, and voila, you can create your own fake sea glass.
Genuine sea glass has been tossed by ocean waves for months, more likely years. People study the origins of the sea glass found on beaches -- old bottles, glassware, boat lights, etc. A well regarded book on the subject is Pure Sea Glass by Richard LaMotte. If you are serious about sea glass, check it out.
'tossed by ocean waves'
ReplyDelete...and do you consider 'Lake Glass' (yes, the GREAT Lakes and FINGERLakes in the USA do produce fine, OLD glass - resulting from factories and dumps) to be true Sea Glass or should we be more specific and call it BEACH GLASS?
Personally, I consider the sea glass or beach glass or river glass to be genuine when it has been tossed by the waves naturally (not put there in bags or "seeded" by someone). I have found amazing "beach glass" near Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. Those lakes have waves like oceans! Sea glass is becoming so rare and valuable!
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