Upcycled glass gemstones made from beer bottles

The artisan takes smashed beer bottles and uses a rotary grinder to give them the shape of an emerald or sapphire

Spotted: A new upcycling technique is making the rounds on YouTube at the moment. In the videos, pieces of broken glass are turned into faux gemstones, using common jewellers’ tools – and a lot of skill. The popularity of the videos and the positive responses highlight the growing acceptance of upcycled goods. 

In the video, which was posted to YouTube by Sergius TV, the artisan takes smashed beer bottles, cuts the pieces down to size, uses a rotary grinder to give them the shape of an emerald or sapphire, complete with facets, and then polishes the “stones” so they look, and sparkle like the real thing.  

The unknown artisan on YouTube is not the only one turning glass into gems. Sustainable jewellery maker, Cled, creates gems out of recycled glass by heating the glass and forming it into the desired shape, then annealing it to remove stresses and to increase the glass hardness and durability. The glass is then cut and polished to suit a variety of jewellery.  

If the comments on social media are anything to go buy, fake gems are now just as popular as real ones, and much more practical. One Redditor wrote that, “Gotta say, I’d love a ring like that. If someone put that much work into turning an ordinary piece of glass into something beautiful for me, I’d be flattered as hell.”  

A large number of jewellers are now working with recycled and upcycled materials. In fact, many have found ingenious ways to create eco-friendly gemstones. Some of the innovations highlighted here at Springwise include diamonds responsibly sourced from the ocean and designer jewellery made from plastic waste. 

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