New Sea Glass Wave Rings

Experimenting with wire wrapping has brought me here. I think that I'm on to something and I am in love with the simplicity of these lightweight and fun sea glass rings.


Each ring is wrapped in Argentium sterling silver wire which has a resistant to tarnishing.
Enjoy!

English Sea Glass

While I have enough sea glass from Gtmo to last me a long, long time, there is something very appealing to me about sea glass from other places. Puerto Rico, California, England, Scottland...The list goes on and on and I am amazed to find new places everywhere I look.

I have begun incorporating sea glass from Seaham, England into some of my jewelry. Everything about it is different than what I am used to.

The colors and combination of colors that are found in English sea glass, specifically from the shore of Seaham, are some of the most unique and beautiful I have ever seen! The shapes are unique as well. Many of these gems from the sea are perfectly round, not marbles, but round bits of glass that make me wonder "What in the world are they from?"

From what I could glean from the internet, the story goes a little like this...

A long time ago, sea glass lore always starts like this...there were many glass work shops in the Seaham area. All of the cast offs, cut off bits and just plain old trash were tossed over the cliffs and into the ocean. That long ago everyone who lived near the coast used the sea as their own personal garbage can! Now those piece of trash are being collected and traded throughout the world as highly sought after treasures.

Although Guantanamo Bay, Cuba will always be my first love when it comes to sea glass, there is much to learn and admire in the variety and complexity of sea glass from all over the world.

What is 14K Gold Filled Jewelry?

I have to be honest, I never heard of gold filled before I started making jewelry about 2 years ago. I have found it to be a very valuable supply especially when seeing that gold is now, what? over $1500/ounce! Eke!
I have seen significant increases in pricing with gold fill as well but for the most part it is a very economic solution for a very rich look. Gold fill has the durability that one wants with gold. It does not tarnish, it has the same luster of gold because, well, it is partly gold and it is strong.

The way gold fill is made is a sheet of gold is bonded with heat and pressure to a base metal, usually brass. It is much thicker than gold plated and should give the owner about 30 years of enjoyment before any signs of wear start to appear.
I use 14K gold fill which is also signified as 1/20 when stamped on a quality tag. There is also 12K which is referred to as 1/60.
So next time you see a piece of jewelry that is gold filled versus regular, very expensive gold, give it a second look. Gold fill can be your answer to owning beautiful gold jewelry at a fraction of the cost without the sacrifice!

Rare Colors

The most sought after colors, of course, are the most rare...

The most beloved color of course is cobalt blue. Even if a piece the size of a pea was found, it was considered a great find. If someone found a large piece, it was talked about for a week throughout town (Gtmo is a very small town). As much as we all loved our blues, there are some even more rare and beautiful shades of sea glass such as...teals, bright aquas, limes, purples, pinks, golds and the ever elusive red.


Red is by far the most sought after color and rightfully so. Red bottles were so rarely made because gold was actually used in the making of red glass. Few people had the means 100 years ago to afford such luxury! While I have had the great fortune to have found a few pieces here and there, I currently do not have any examples on hand...hopefully in the future!


The last color I have to mention is black sea glass, or as I call it, Pirate Glass. The Carribean has been a very active and thriving area for centuries. Old time ships carrying all sorts of goods used the calm warm waters for safe refuge. Guantanamo Bay would have been a popular place, large cliffs on either side and a central route to open sea. It would have been the perfect place to make anchor. Why mention all of this in reference to black sea glass? Well, many of the goods transported were in beautiful black bottles. They were used for preservation for everything from spirits to parfumes and many of them found their way to the bottom of the bay. Who knows how or why but there they are...Black sea glass is my absolute favorite!

It's All About the Color...

As our tour in Gtmo went on we became total beach bums and spent most of our free time at one of three beaches. Glass Beach was my favorite. I think I probably found most of my glass on that beach or in the waters snorkeling the surrounding area. Ferry Landing and Girlscout Beaches are great places to hunt also but I was just always lured to Glass by it's secluded and peaceful feel.

As the story goes, the glass comes from a dump site that lies just before all of these beaches right at the cliff and waters edge. Some digging in the dump area will produce melted bottles of every size and color and even some old silver eating utensils. A good friend found a pocket watch 10 feet underwater! My treasure hunting excursions were solely focused on sea glass.

When it comes to sea glass, it's all about the color!

The most common colors, clear, browns, greens and coke bottle...Yes, Coke Bottle. You will rarely hear sea foam green referred to as Coke Bottle but, if it was found off the shores of Gtmo and it's sea foam green, then it is most likely the remains of an old Coca Cola bottle.

The rarest and most beautiful colors? My next topic of discussion....

My Life, Sea Glass and Jewelry

Please forgive the empty look to this blog. I hope to have it chock full of wonderful and intriguing information and pictures about my life, sea glass and jewelry making. The latter two being the intriguing parts...I have been collecting sea glass for about 3 years and jewelry making for about 2, give or take. It all started in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba ~ a strange place that became my most favorite place to be.