There’s nothing prettier than a hand crafted sea glass necklace or sea glass charms plucked straight from the waves. But what if you get home with your new treasures only to realize they’re not authentic sea glass pendants? Well, that’s when you’ve got a problem.

It may seem like there’s no way to tell whether or not sea glass is real, but there are a few tricks that you simply need to master first. If you want to learn how to spot the fake stuff from a mile away, keep reading!

Rare Colors at Low Prices
Sea glass can be found all over the world, but some colors are much rarer — and much more expensive in general — than others. For example, orange is the least common color of sea glass. You can only find one orange piece for ever 10,000 other pieces you might come across! So if you see a vendor selling high quantities of “rare” sea glass colors at low prices, it’s highly likely that they’re advertising fake glass.

Geometric Shapes
The beauty of naturally formed sea glass in sea glass necklaces and charms is that there’s no polishing or reshaping needed. If the glass you’re buying has a perfect geometrical shape, it’s likely been tumbled and then sanded down to form that square, teardrop, triangle, or other shape.

Batches of Identical Items
If you’re seeing the same five pairs of sea glass earrings over and over again when you visit a vendor, you should be a little bit suspicious. As previously mentioned, sea glass doesn’t form uniformly, as is the nature of its formation. The ocean waves shape each and every piece of glass differently, creating a unique piece that can’t be replicated.

If you’re a true fan of sea glass jewelry, you should make an effort to differentiate between the real deal and the fakes. After going through this list, you should know that an abundance of rare colors, geometrical shapes, and batches of uniform pieces are all red flags that mean there’s fake sea glass near. Don’t let it get the best of your anymore!