Authentic sea glass is glass that was worn smooth entirely by the natural forces of the sea.
Fake sea glass is made with glass that was smoothed by artificial means such as in a tumbler or with toxic acid etching chemicals.
Frostiness, half moon ( "C" shapes ) and to some extent surface pitting are hallmarks of real sea glass. There are variations in sea glass due to the PH balance of the water, sand grit, coral and rocks on the sea floor, surf conditions, how long the glass has been in the sea, the type of glass, if it was carried by a river/stream to the sea etc. Sea glass from Puerto Rico is often more silky than frosty.
Just like in the world of gemstones, coins, stamps and so forth there is vast assortment of sea glass frauds. Many fake sea glass sellers are not honest and claim that they are selling real sea glass. Some claim that their sea glass was created by the sea but what they are not telling you is that it was created with broken glass, seawater and beach sand in a machine tumbler!!!!! Some are getting even better at making fake sea glass that is actually frosty with "c" shapes. This sea glass looks soulless to us and we can tell that it is not real. Unfortunately, many people are being fooled by the fakes including experienced sea glass jewelers!
So how does the consumer know who to trust? I think the behaviour of the seller is the most important criteria. Those of us that work with genuine sea glass are passionate about sea glass and are very willing to answer your questions. We are willing to answer your questions over and over and over again. We are very eager to the point of being annoying to educate people about the differences between real sea glass and fake sea glas. If a seller will not or can not give you a crash course about genuine sea glass then you have a problem. You will never have to tease this information out of an honest seller - if anything we go overboard on the subject. If glass has not been worn smooth only by the natural forces of the sea then it is not sea glass or seaglass.
There is no such thing as certified sea glass that has been certified by a third party. It is not feasible for the North American Sea Glass Association, for example, to certify every piece of sea glass on the market. As a customer I would take comfort in a business's membership in the North American Sea Glass Association. However, there are many legitimate sea glass businesses that are not members of the NASGA so basic knowledge about the characteristics of genuine sea glass and the behaviour of the seller will help you to make an informed decision about who you purchase sea glass jewelry from.
All sea glass offered for sale by Out Of The Blue Seaglass Jewelry whether in a piece of jewelry or free standing is 100% authentic sea glass. All of our sea glass was collected on a beach and was worn smooth only by the sea. Under no circumstance has it ever been cut to fit a setting, chemically etched or placed in a tumbler. Other than a drill hole the sea glass comes to you as found on the beach.
Out Of The Blue Seaglass Jewelry has never and will never be involved with creating or selling imitation sea glass which we consider to be craft glass that has no relation to sea glass whatsoever. If glass was not worn smooth only the natural forces of the sea then it is not sea glass, seaglass, beach glass or beach glass it is craft glass.
We have been fortunate to have lived in Puerto Rico for fifteen years where we were able to collect enough sea glass from the beach to build a business with. Since our first year Out Of the Blue Seaglass Jewelry has been a prolific producer of sea glass jewelry.
If we had not been able to collect enough sea glass to start or sustain a business with Out Of The Blue Seaglass Jewelry never would have happened as creating imitation sea glass has always been out of the question. This is not just a business for us. It is a lifestyle and a passion. We have a vast collection of sea glass which will supply our business for many years to come. If we were ever to run out of sea glass or were to stop collecting we would do something else. We believe in living in the moment. We have faith in our creativity and innovation, and never expect anything from the wild untamed sea. Each piece of sea glass that the ocean tosses our way is a magical gift.
