About sea glass, authenticity and rarity by color.

You can see and purchase many of my handmade creations that we make from real sea glass at my website: http://hlseabeachglassjewelry.com/

HL Sea and Beach Glass jewelry LLC has been making the finest quality handmade sea glass jewelry & selling other antique collectors relics of the sea since 2003. Our specialty is custom sea glass jewelry, bridal, wedding jewelry and other unique creations! Wholesale pricing also available for boutiques.

As the sales of authentic sea glass have been on the increase and the resources have been on the decline, it is important to educate yourself what is real and what is not. Each piece of sea glass has it's own story, from its origin to the works of Mother Nature. Sea glass is an actual part of history which can be researched and dated on the possibilities of it's origin. Each piece has it's own unique patina, size and color. Authentic sea glass is known for its patina or "C" checking that look like little quartered moon shapes that is etched into the glass. These "C" Checks can only be made by the movement of the lapping waves, that cause the glass to rub on the sand and stone and actually grind the piece smooth over many years. This would not be seen on pieces of man made tumbled glass. in this case you would see a pitting satin look on the glass and would give a much more uniform look with less texture. Faux sea glass can also have a very chunky appearance a uniform shape and just appearing rough just on the edges.
Another important factor to consider is the patina or the etching of the sea glass. This will always Vary because of many variables: The age of the glass, type of glass, how long the glass was in the environmental elements, the location of the waters it was in, water Ph, currants, sand texture and rock consistency. Sea glass found in England, differs from the sea glass found here in the bays of Long Island. There is even a distinct difference in the sea glass from the Peconic Bay and the Long Island Sound, which there is only 3 miles of land separating the 2 bodies of water at some spots on the island.

The frosting on authentic sea glass gives a glittery appearance that only happens with natural sea glass from the "C" checking from the micro chips from the years of tossing in the waters. Imitation sea glass the frosting will have an even appearance or may not have any frosting at all and have a silky sheen.

The information in regards to the colors of sea glass and the ratings:
Published in the book, "Pure Sea Glass," written beautifully by Richard Lamotte, here are the colors rated by color, rarity and category. This will give you a better appreciation of the value and rarity of the colors found in the sea glass world:
Extremely rare:
Orange
Red
Turquoise
Yellow
Black
Teal
Gray

Rare:
Pink
Aqua
Cornflower Blue
Cobalt Blue
Opaque White
Citron
Purple or Amethyst

Uncommon:
Soft Green
Soft Blue
Forest Green
Lime Green
Golden Amber
Amber
Jade

Common:
Kelly Green
Brown
White (Clear)

Sea glass has been slowly on the decline due to the recycling laws and the growing use of plastic to better our environment. For every good outcome to be possible we have to make sacrifices. With these sacrifices we make, sea glass has become a valued gem to many of us. In reality sea glass has become a comfort item that people treasure, the memories of their childhood and happy times at the beach and summer fun, so why would beach glass not be cherished like any other gemstone.
As a lifelong collector and currant artisan, I have found that educating yourself is the best way to learn about this growing love and passion for this unique treasure. Also ask all questions you may have for the individuals you plan on buying sea glass from before you buy and confirm the authenticity. Real sea glass cannot be duplicated, it is originally made by the products of man and over 40+ years perfected by Mother Nature.

Thank you for visiting my blog & check back for further writings:
Holly
Owner of HL Sea & Beach Glass Jewelry
http://hlseabeachglassjewelry.com/