There are few experiences as awe-inspiring as witnessing a total solar eclipse. The anticipation, the changing light, and those unforgettable moments of totality create memories that stay with you forever. This year is especially meaningful for me, as my home of Ibiza sits in the path of the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse—a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event that has inspired both an adventure and a brand-new jewellery collection.

To celebrate this extraordinary occasion, I've created an exclusive Eclipse Jewellery Collection, designed to capture the beauty and wonder of the cosmos. At its heart is a handcrafted Solar Eclipse Necklace, featuring a luminous genuine opal that echoes the glow of the Moon, framed by radiant sun-inspired detailing that reflects the magic of totality. Paired with matching Eclipse Huggie Hoop Earrings, each piece is available in sterling silver and 18ct gold-plated sterling silver.

In this blog, I'll be sharing why eclipse chasing has become such a passion, what makes the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse in Ibiza so special, and how one of nature's most spectacular events inspired a collection designed to be treasured long after the shadow has passed.

Ibiza Solar Eclipse

This year, in Ibiza, my home, we will witness a total solar eclipse.

It will happen around sunset on the 12th of August.

Many of my friends are coming from all over the world to be part of it! It’s going to be a very busy August here in Ibiza.

I’ve been following total solar eclipses for a few years now. The last one I went to was in Mexico in 2024, and the first one I ever travelled to see was in Australia in 2012.

Now I feel incredibly lucky to be able to experience an eclipse right on my doorstep, without having to travel anywhere.

I was a little late to the party, as many of my friends had been travelling to see eclipses for years before I did, including my brother, who had already seen quite a few before I began this journey.

I was actually supposed to go to the eclipse in Venezuela in 1998, but for various reasons I never made it to South America. Instead, my path led me to India. Looking back now, I understand why. That journey to India shaped the rest of my career.

People who travel the world to see eclipses are known as Umbraphiles, and I guess I can now count myself as one.

So what is it about a total solar eclipse that makes people travel halfway across the world to experience one?

There are many different types of eclipses, but the king of them all is the total solar eclipse. It’s when the Moon moves directly in front of the Sun, creating what looks like a beautiful diamond ring of light around it. That magical diamond ring effect is exactly what inspired my Charlotte’s Web Jewellery solar eclipse necklace and matching huggie hoop earrings.

When the Moon completely covers the Sun, it’s called totality. Depending on where you are, this can last anywhere from around a minute to over four minutes. The whole eclipse, though, takes about an hour or so as the Moon slowly moves across the face of the Sun.

During the partial phases, you’re unable to look directly at the Sun and you must wear eclipse glasses. But when totality arrives, you can safely take them off. This is when the light suddenly fades, the temperature drops, and it can become surprisingly dark—even if it’s the middle of the day. It’s a very strange and unforgettable feeling.

Most of my friends who started travelling to eclipses were people who loved travelling the world and going to psychedelic trance festivals. Seeing a total solar eclipse was always one of the most talked-about experiences—something people aspired to be part of at least once in their lives.

In fact, a couple of trance festivals were even created in countries where total eclipses were taking place.

Once people experienced the magic of a total eclipse, it often became completely addictive.

Travelling to eclipses can be quite an adventure. They’re often in remote and unusual places, and that’s one of the things I love most about them. The eclipse chooses your destination for you. The line of totality usually passes through several countries, so you get to choose the one that feels right for you. Often thousands of people are making the same journey, and getting there can involve planes, buses, trains, and very often… boats! Boats seem to feature surprisingly often on eclipse adventures.

If it weren’t for eclipses, I would never have visited some of the most beautiful and interesting places I’ve ever seen. They’re places in countries I probably would never have chosen to visit otherwise.

Back in 2012, I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I decided that this would be the year I finally travelled specifically to see a total eclipse. I’d missed several opportunities before, mostly because I was busy building my business. It finally felt like the right time to give myself this experience.

Australia was magical. So many friends travelled from all over the world to the outback near Cairns. It became this incredible gathering of old friends, along with plenty of new ones. I still had no idea what I was about to experience or how I would feel.

People often ask me what’s so special about seeing a total eclipse.

For me, when I saw my first one in Australia, it was simply overwhelming. It felt so incredibly powerful, and at the same time it made us feel so wonderfully small—just tiny little blips in this enormous universe.

It’s very difficult to explain because I really think it’s something you have to experience for yourself. But at every eclipse I’ve seen since, I’ve burst into tears. It’s a feeling of complete awe, of being utterly overwhelmed, and of realising just how small we are in this vast and beautiful universe.

It’s a feeling of amazement, humility, and connection to something so much bigger than ourselves.

The day of an eclipse can also be quite nerve-racking because if there’s significant cloud cover, there’s always the possibility that you won’t see it. There have been some heartbreaking close calls over the years, with people travelling halfway across the world only to miss totality because of the weather.

So far, I’ve been very lucky. In Mexico there was quite a lot of cloud, but it cleared at exactly the right moment.

I’m really hoping that this August in Ibiza we’ll have beautiful clear skies and nothing to spoil the view.

It’s also a wonderful excuse to bring friends together and make new ones. For some people, chasing eclipses really does become a way of life.

Next year, on the 2nd of August 2027, there’s another total eclipse visible across northern Africa. I may well travel to Egypt or Morocco to see that one.

So far I’ve been fortunate enough to witness four total solar eclipses: Australia in 2012, Indonesia in 2016, the USA in 2017, and Mexico in 2024.

And this year I’ll be seeing my fifth, right here at home in Ibiza.

I hope it’s only the beginning, and that I’ll be lucky enough to witness many more.

If you’ve never experienced a total solar eclipse, I can’t recommend it highly enough. One day, make the pilgrimage. It’s something you’ll never forget.

And who knows… maybe you’ll become an Umbraphile too.

If you’re looking for Ibiza eclipse jewellery, a solar eclipse necklace, an opal necklace, or matching huggie hoop earrings in sterling silver or gold plate, Charlotte’s Web Jewellery has created a special celestial set to celebrate this unforgettable event. It’s the perfect keepsake for eclipse lovers, Ibiza visitors, and anyone drawn to beautiful handmade jewellery.