Midnight Ember by Caprilicious Jewellery

Hello folks, how are you today? I've paid for last weeks holiday by being worked to the bone once I got back to the day job. Ah well! that's the way the proverbial cookie goes. I still found the time and energy to put a necklace and this blog post together. The weather has been so drab and awful that it hasn't been worth going outdoors into the garden yet, even though the biting cold has disappeared, thankfully. 

I saw a string of beeswax amber for sale on Etsy and picked it up immediately - I just love amber and the colours of this one are so fabulous. However, I was at a loss as to what I would combine it with to make it up, until on rummaging through my stash I found the perfect contrasts to come up with a piece of jewellery that is not only stunning but also a delight to wear. Enter this gorgeous creation—a necklace that whispers elegance, warmth, and just a hint of mystery. With its rich honeyed hues and contrasting midnight blacks, it’s a piece that tells a story all on its own.

This necklace is called Midnight Ember—a perfect reflection of its colours and character. The golden beeswax amber beads resemble glowing embers, radiating warmth and light, while the deep black howlite teardrops and matte agates mimic the mystery of midnight’s inky darkness. Together, they create a balance of fire and shadow, evoking the image of smouldering coals in the quiet of the night.

The golden beauties in this necklace are beeswax amber, a type of amber prized for its buttery yellow tones and cloudy translucence. Unlike the super-glossy, see-through amber you might associate with fossilised mosquitoes and Jurassic Park fantasies, beeswax amber has a warm, soft glow—like sunlight trapped in a solid form. Lightweight and smooth against the skin, it’s a dream to wear, with none of the neck-straining weight of heavier gemstone pieces.

Legend has it that amber is the solidified tears of the sun, and while that may be poetic, I suspect the sun wouldn’t be shedding any tears over this beauty—it would be beaming with pride! ​
​Beeswax amber is a fascinating gemstone that stands apart from other types of amber, both in its formation and its allure. Unlike traditional amber, which is the fossilized resin of ancient trees, beeswax amber is produced by the secretion of resin from trees that is then worked upon by bees. The resin is gathered by the bees, who use it for various purposes within their hives, including sealing cracks and preserving the hive. Over time, this resin solidifies and hardens into amber, taking on a creamy, honeyed yellow colour, which gives it its distinctive glow.

This process, however, is far from simple. The amber is difficult to collect, as the resin needs to be carefully harvested from the bee hives in an intact state. It’s also not found everywhere; beeswax amber is typically discovered in specific regions, such as the Baltic Sea area, which is famous for its high-quality amber deposits. Collecting this rare material is a painstaking process that requires patience and skill to ensure the resin is collected in a way that preserves its natural properties and beauty.

Because beeswax amber is lighter and more translucent than regular amber, it is prized for its unique appearance and smooth texture. The resin’s natural imperfections, known as inclusions, can sometimes contain tiny particles of air or even small insects, adding an extra layer of mystery to the amber. These tiny air bubbles give the amber a soft, glowing appearance when the light catches it, making it even more captivating.

To balance out the golden warmth of the amber, this piece features a striking contrast with black enhanced howlite teardrops. Howlite is a stone known for its calming properties—perfect for those days when you need a little extra serenity (or when someone cuts you off in traffic). The teardrop shape gives the necklace a fluid, organic movement, while the larger matte agate beads at the back provide grounding and structure.

If you’re someone who loves statement jewellery but dislikes “necklace fatigue” (yes, it’s a thing!), this piece is for you. It’s so lightweight that you might forget you’re wearing it—until someone stops you to admire it, that is. Whether paired with a crisp white shirt for a pop of warmth or worn with an elegant black dress for maximum drama, this necklace is versatility and style wrapped into one.

Once I'd made it up and photographed it, I thought how much it resembled a previous necklace I made a while ago, although the previous one was a bit more colourful. I'm glad I didn't see this image before I made Midnight Ember - it would have stuck in my mind, making it very difficult to consider making this weeks more sedate necklace. 

I think I'd wear Midnight Ember to a sedate occasion - to the office (if I wasn't a doctor!) and Hot Rocks to the theatre or an evening out with girlfriends, as it is a bit more 'in your face' and highly colourful than this weeks offering. Which one would you wear?

That's me for this week, folks. Have a fabulous weekend and I'll catch up with you soon.
Until then
​xx