MIDNIGHT HOUR | stillness, grounding and four stones that just belong together
Why I love making something new
Dreaming up a brand new piece is one of the things I love most about what I do, and I hope that little flutter of excitement never wears off. Some designs take a bit of trying and swapping before they feel right. And then, every now and again, one piece just talks to me. It's the colour mix, the way certain crystals look sitting side by side, and I just know.
That's exactly how Midnight Hour came about.
Where Midnight Hour began
This one started with a feeling rather than a stone: that point in the evening when the day goes quiet and everything feels still and calm. Now the nights are drawing in, those quiet, cosy moments feel extra precious.
So, a moodboard. Full moons, a dark sky through the branches, slices of banded agate, little black stars, a leopard-spotted horse (of course), a tiny card that says “be still, those waves will settle”, and two words written right across it: stillness and grounding. I scribbled the stones on there in my own handwriting too.
Looking back at it, the colours were there from the very start: inky black, soft smoke, a glow of honey brown and a scattering of little spots. It's one for the neutral lovers, made for those days you want to feel strong.
Four stones that just belong together
Midnight Hour is made from four crystals, and side by side they just made sense to me.
Black onyx is the deep, inky black running all the way through, like the night sky on my moodboard. It's traditionally said to be a steadying stone, worn for grounding, which felt just right for a piece all about stillness.
Next to it sits smoky quartz, softer and lighter, like a wisp of smoke. Smoky quartz is said to bring cleansing and wholeness, a gentle partner for all that black.
Then comes a little warmth from tiger's eye, with its honey-brown shimmer. Tiger's eye is traditionally associated with confidence and strength (I like to think of it as confidence and strength in bead form), which is why it felt so right for those days you want to feel strong.
And dotted through it all is Dalmatian jasper, creamy with its little dark spots. It's said to be calming, with protective, uplifting vibes, and on my moodboard I wrote “joy in crystal form” right next to it.
Together they make a really grounded, neutral mix that goes with pretty much everything in your wardrobe, so it's easy to pop on every single day. And between you and me, it looks so good with leopard print.
The crystals are all natural, so the colour shifts a little from bead to bead and no two pieces are ever exactly alike. That's the beauty of working with real stones.
The finishing touches
The necklace is finished with my signature bolt clasp, in silver plated, gold plated or sterling silver (sterling is the one to choose if you'll be wearing it lots). Every piece is handmade by me in my Northamptonshire studio and comes in my By Clemmie packaging, which I illustrate myself. For Midnight Hour, there's a little moon on the label.
A little care note from me: take extra care around water, perfume and chlorine. It's made to last, so treat it well and it will.
The Midnight Hour pieces
Bolt Clasp Necklace | Midnight Hour
All four stones on one strand, finished with my signature bolt clasp. Silver plated, gold plated or sterling silver, with custom lengths too.
Stretch Bracelet | Midnight Hour
The same four stones on an easy 17cm stretch bracelet. Lovely on its own, or with the necklace as a little set.
Like all my bolt clasp necklaces and bracelets, Midnight Hour is limited, so it won't always be in the collection.
If you missed my October studio news, where Midnight Hour first made its debut, you can catch up in October: Notes from my Workbench.
I'd love to know, what does your midnight hour look like? Candles on, a cup of tea, a blanket on the sofa? Drop me a line at studio@byclemmie.co.uk, I always love hearing from you.
