The Bijoux Magpie Summer 2017 Magazine

This lovely jewellery is fashioned out
of sterling silver and sea glass by
Catherine Davies of the Bijoux
Magpie. Catherine drives the two-anda-half
hours from her home near
Blackburn to go scavenging on the
beaches of the North-East for these
jewels of the sea. “My daughter
started collecting sea glass on
holidays abroad about five years ago
when she was six,” she says. “A
particularly vivid blue piece found on
a beach in Turkey was the inspiration
to research sea glass at home.”
The North-East is a great hunting
ground because of the region’s
erstwhile bottle-making industry.
John Candlish, later to become mayor
and MP for Sunderland, built his first
bottlehouse in 1853 and Seaham
bottles went to all parts of the world. It
can take up to 100 years for discarded
bottles and glass to be tumbled and
shaped by the waves into sea glass
and it is becoming increasingly rare
due to the introduction of plastic
bottles. “I love it because it’s not only
beautiful,
but has a history and is a natural
recycled product,” says Catherine. “As
well as Seaham, other beaches I go to
are Whitley Bay and Blackhall Rocks.
There are several types of sea glass,
and I keep searching for that elusive
special piece, but I would say, be
patient, have no expectations, enjoy
the surroundings and if it’s worth
finding, you’ll find it.” Catherine will
shortly be adding marble pendants to
her collection.
W: thebijouxmagpie.co.uk