What's a Larimar Stone?

Larimar Stone

Larimar Stone

Larimar is a very beautiful blue stone, considered as semi-presious, found ONLY in the Dominican Republic, also called "Stefilia Stone", it is a strange blue color variation of the pectolite silicate mineral. Its color varies from white, light blue, greenish blue to dark blue.

Larimar Ring

The files that the Ministry of Mining of the Dominican Republic shows that Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren, of the parishioner of Barahona, requested a permit dated November 22, 1916 to investigate and take advantage of the mine that had a unique bluish stone that he had. discovered.

However, pectolites were not yet known in the Dominican Republic, and the request was rejected.

Miguel Méndez and Mr. Norman Rilling, who was a Peace Corps volunteer, found the larimar stone for the second time in 1974 on a beach at the foot of the Bahoruco Range, in the literal province of Barahona.

The first inhabitants of the hispaniola (name given to the Island where the Dominican Republic and Haiti) believed that the stone came from the sea and they named Larimar "Piedra Azul". Miguel Decided to use the first part of his daughter's name Larissa and the Spanish word for sea (Mar) and formed Larimar, to suggest the colorful Caribbean Sea.

This semi-presinous stone is a type of pectolite or rock that mainly contains an acid silicate, calcium and sodium hydrate. The stone considered as pectolite can be found in many places, but only Larimar has a unique volcanic blue coloration, resulting in only Dominican Republic, can be found, making this beautiful stone unique both for its color and its origin .

The chupaderos

The most important mine of larimar stone is in "Los Chupaderos", in the region of Los Checheses, about 10 km (6.2 miles) southwest of the city of Barahona, in the southwest region of the Republic Dominican

Larimar Jewelry

The exclusive and beautiful color of the larimar, makes it an exquisite jewelry stone offering the lover of this stone a value that transcends the material.

A large majority of the jewelry made in Larimar is made of silver, but the most beautiful stones are intended to be used in 14 and 18 karat gold.

Larimar Earings

To classify the larimar stone and determine its quality, it is necessary to take into account its coloration and the typical configuration of mineral crystal in the stone. Larimar can come with greenish tones and even with red spots, brown strikes, etc., due to the presence of other minerals and / or oxidation. But its quality will be measured the more intense its blue color and the contrast in the stone, the higher and rarer the quality.

The blue color in the larimar is photosensitive, that is, it reacts with the prologue exposure of light and heat, so for its preservation it is recommended to use at night or when it is not exposed to sunlight for a long time .