Understanding the value of sea glass, Why is sea glass valuable?
Sea glass is so alluring partly because of the amount of time it takes to create. It can take decades, or even up to a century, for a piece of regular glassware to develop into the beautiful, jewel-like piece that is prized and collected today. In a way, you could say that sea glass is the opposite of a gemstone!
The process of making sea glass is a little different than that of more precious stones like diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. Unlike those mined from the Earth and refined by man, sea glass is made by man and then refined by nature, which is what gives it its unique charm. For sea glass to be considered authentic, it has to go through a natural weathering process.
Artificial sea glass may look shiny and beautiful, but it's just not as desirable as the real thing. The reason it's not as desirable is that it looks too "new," the shapes are too perfect and it just doesn't have the same mysterious allure.
Real sea glass goes through a lot to get its unique look. It's weathered by time, tumbling, and salt water, which actually changes the chemical composition of the glass and makes it look different than glass that's been manufactured or tumbled.
Sea glass comes in infinite shapes and sizes: Older, well-tumbled pieces of sea glass can often take on distinctively oval, triangular, teardrop and even heart-shaped forms - which are absolutely amazing and much revered by sea glass collectors! These whimsical creations of nature are truly unique findings and should be cherished.
Why is it popular?
The popularity of gemstones can be explained by their scarcity, which in turn creates value. Sea glass, on the other hand, is rare by definition. Because a lot of the glass is old to begin with, tumbling in the ocean or lakes for decades or even centuries to become reshaped, smoothed and changed - today’s sea glass is more rare than many other materials.
Time and quality go hand in hand, so if you find a piece of sea glass that has been refined for over thirty years, it will be far more valuable than the original bottle or glass from whence it came. It’s the same reason that ancient artifacts are popular. Because they are not common, they are more desirable, even if they may not have an intrinsic value.
Sea glass is popular for a few reasons, but one of them is that each piece is unique - just like a snowflake. You can find hundreds of pieces of sea glass on the beach, and no two are exactly alike. Even different pieces of the same glass bottle will be different, with each one having a particular shape, smoothness, and amount of frosting.
As the popularity of sea glass increases, the purist understands that the value of the commodity will also increase due to the diminishing supply. Genuine sea glass is created by nature and can not be replicated by man-made means. The allure of finding sea glass creates a sense of mystery and romance for the enthusiast who constantly wonder about the story behind each piece. Sea glass is unique because each piece has its own history. Every sea glass piece has been touched by the sea and by the people who have found it. Each piece of sea glass has a story, and that's what makes it so special.
For some sea glass enthusiasts, the value of a piece goes much deeper than its surface beauty. To them, a piece of sea glass may be found during a life challenge and take on new meaning. It could be seen as a talisman to guide them through their sorrow., We explore how sea glass can be a metaphor for life and how its beauty can be appreciated on many different levels.
How hard is sea glass to find?
Nowadays, it's getting harder to find quality sea glass. Several factors contribute to its scarcity. The most common ones are time, location, changing habits, and current popularity. Since it takes years for sea glass to form, you can only find it in certain areas.
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