Marcus Tullius Cicero might have been talking about Sea Glass when he said, Things Perfected By Nature Are Better Than Those Finished By Art.
Do you know that it can take up to 10 years to create substantial etching and up to 20-30 years to eliminate the hard edges on a glass fragment? It is the combination of the glass being tossed by the waves against sand and stone and the high pH of salt water that creates these treasures. An ideal piece of sea glass will be completely worn, with rounded edges and have a weathered, soft patina.
Green, white and brown glasses are the most common. Light blue, lime green and amber are less common, with deeper blue, purple, aqua and pink being rare. Yellow, orange and red are extremely rare.
Are you an avid beachcomber and sea glass collector? How do you display your sea glass collection?
Pure Sea Glass by Richard LaMotte is a great resource, with fabulous photography! | ![]() |