In November 1916, during the exploration of the Bahoruco mountain range located in the southwestern region of the Dominican Republic, Father Miguel Fuertes Loren and a French geologist came across a blue-green mineral called by the locals “sea stone”.
History of the discovery
The priest requested permission to examine and exploit the discovered specimen, but his request was denied. The stone waited for several decades to reveal its beautiful face to the world. In 1974, the mineral It was rediscovered by the island resident, Miguel Mendez, and a volunteer of the American Peace Corps, Norman Rilling. Miguel, dazzled by the beauty of the find, named the stone Larimar, which is a combination of his daughter’s name, Larissa, and the word ‘mar’, which means sea in Spanish. At first, it was not known where Larimar actually came from. Initially, it was thought to come from the ocean, because along the seashore many small, broken stones were found. As it turned out, the few stones that Miguel and Norman found were alluvial deposits, washed into the sea by the Bahoruco River – it was assumed that some stones from the mountain deposits had fallen into the Rio Sitio, a small stream that flows into the Rio Bahoruco, and then into the Caribbean Sea. It was only when the explorers followed the water source up the hill that they realized the stone actually came from deep within the mountains in the Barahona province.
Structure of the stone
Larimar is a variety of pectolite of volcanic origin, a mineral that formed about 35 million years ago and belongs to the silicate group. Larimar is exceptional – it has a unique blue coloration, which is given by the cobalt present in the stone’s structure. The Caribbean mineral occurs in only one place in the world – in the Barahona region, in the southwestern part of sunny Dominican Republic. The chemical formula of Larimar is as follows: NaCa2 Si3 O8 (OH). It is attributed with numerous energetic properties; among others, it is believed to support the body’s natural healing process, is precisely vibrationally tuned to the human body, and attracts love. The most beautiful and valuable specimens of Larimar look like fragments of the Caribbean Sea trapped in stone – wonderfully clear, blue water frozen in stillness with thousands of white flashes of light on the waves.
The Stone of the Lost Atlantis
Larimar is also called the stone of Atlantis, because many believe that some islands in the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic, were part of the lost continent of Atlantis. Legends say that on one of these islands a blue stone with healing powers was found – this description corresponds to Larimar. Today, thousands of people practicing alternative and holistic healing methods use Larimar to support and strengthen healing processes.
Classification
Quality classification is based on the color and typical configuration of mineral crystals in the stone. Larimar also occurs in green, turquoise, dark blue, and may have red spots, brown streaks, etc., caused by the presence of other minerals or oxidation. The more intense the blue color and contrast in the stone, the higher and rarer its quality. The hardness of Larimar ranges from 5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, with darker blue specimens having a hardness of 7.
The world discovers Larimar
In the 1980s, newly trained Dominican craftsmen began to create jewelrywith Larimar with simple patterns for the local population. It included bracelets, rings, pendants, earrings, and necklaces, which were available in local souvenir shops and offered to tourists visiting the Dominican Republic.But a stone so beautiful and unique, with its varied range of shades from light to deep blue and white or gray accents, could not go unnoticed – jewelry made from Larimar quickly became popular outside the Dominican Republic, becoming one of the most important commercial geological discoveries in the Dominican Republic. With growing demand, foreign businessmen visited the Caribbean country to buy raw Larimar stones, slabs, and cabochons directly from the mines.This led to the creation of new and diverse Larimar jewelry designs that compete with traditional handmade Dominican patterns. Over time, more and more sellers began offering mass-produced products, with the Internet serving as the main marketplace. In recent years, buyers from China and India have become the largest consumers of raw Larimar stones, purchasing a mix of both high- and low-quality stones.However, a significant portion of the purchased stones is of low quality. As a result, low-quality Larimar becomes more readily available, while high-quality Larimar becomes rare and increasingly expensive.
Custom jewelry
Most of the jewelry made in the Dominican Republic and worldwide with Larimar is set in silver, but high-end gemstones are also set in gold. Since the blue color is light-sensitive and fades over time if exposed to too much light and heat, it is worth storing Larimar jewelry in jewelry boxes and special pouches. If you have also been enchanted by this bright, beautiful stone, we will be happy to create your dream custom jewelry adorned with Larimar in the 79 Diamonds workshop. Contact our Designer and tell us about your idea!