
Tweet

Home - What is Sea Glass

What Is Sea Glass?

Contemporary sea glass necklace from SignetureX-Clusive

Sponsored Links

What is sea glass? Are sea glass and beach glass different?

Although many folks have collected sea glass, also known as beach glass, for a lot of years, this pastime has really grown in popularity lately.

If you are hearing about it for the first time, here is a definition that should clarify what it is and how to recognize it.

Definition -

Glass Becomes Sea Glass or Beach Glass when:

- A piece of glass has been tumbled by natural wave action to the point where there are no sharply-defined edges or corners, and

2 -The natural action of elements in the water along with sunlight and tumbling action have produced a unique frosted or etched surface covering all sides of the glass.

If these two factors are not present, it is just a glass shard, no matter where it is found.

*The term "Beach Glass" is more general and includes naturally-tumbled glass that is found on freshwater beaches as well as ocean beaches.

What is Sea Glass - People are Naturally Curious

Usually, if someone is walking along a beach and sees me bending over, hands on knees, scrutinizing the sand and pebbles, they slow right down, and kind of try to see what I'm looking for. Then, if they aren't too inhibited they'll ask, "What ARE you looking for?"

So, I'll say, "Sea glass," and see how they respond. Some will ask right off, "What IS sea glass?" Some already know what it is.

On the other hand, some are hesitant to let on that they don't know what sea glass is, so then I'll usually ask them if they know what sea glass is.

If they don't know what sea glass is, I'll say something like:

"You know, when you're walking along the beach and you find little pieces of glass of different colors.

Those are from busted up bottles and glassware that have been in the salt water for a long time and because of the currents and the sun and the waves and the sand, they turn out really frosty."

Sponsored Links

If I get a blank look as if to say, "Why in the world would you want to pick up broken glass?"

I'll usually show them pieces of frosted glass that we've found that day.

Or, if I'm wearing a piece of sea glass jewelry, I will show them that.

Then, it's like, "Oh, wow!"

Lin Schneider
david and lin schneider

Identifying Real Sea Glass

Have you heard that the best way to learn to identify counterfeit money is by getting very familiar with the way real money looks?

The same is true of sea glass or beach glass.

One of the best ways to answer the question, "What is sea glass" is to see the real thing.

On the various pages of this site, there are many photos of sea glass.

Get familiar with the look of genuine sea glass as seen on this site:

Click here, for example, to look at these photos of sea glass.

Photos of what you can find in a day at the beach.

Return from What is Sea Glass to Odyssey Home Page

SEARCH
Odyssey Sea Glass's
1200+ Pages

What don't you know about these colors? Click color to find out:

Red

Yellow

Blue

Green

Black

White

Brown

Orange

OTHER

SEARCH
Odyssey Sea Glass's
1200+ Pages

Photo of the Month Winner
January 2012
"Post Storm"
by Lynne

Submit Your Photo to Odyssey's February Sea Glass Photo Contest

From our great viewers:

"I love your newsletter and I LOVE beach glass! Thanks so much."
~ Vicki ~

"I love your web site and find myself spending way too much time here. Please keep this web site going!"
~ Em ~

"What an AWESOME site! I love reading about it, looking at all of your pictures, and planning my next vacation to the "perfect" beach. Keep up the great work!"
~ Paula ~

"I'm a new subscriber to your newsletter and I love it!"
~ Rena ~

"Hi David and Lin - I love your website! Thank you for sharing info..."
~ Teryl ~

"Hi David. It's Bill and Joan Laverick, Durham City, North East of England. We love reading your posts. Keep up the good work!"
~ Bill and Joan