Larimar was discovered about thirty years ago, however, since its appearance it has been considered a rare gem that can only be found in one place in the world, this is the case of the Dominican Republic. This stone not only stands out for its beautiful appearance, but also has quite particular characteristics that make it unique in its kind.
This gem, which is a variety of pectolite, is largely composed of nectolite, an acid hydrate of calcium and sodium silicate; Although pectolite can be found in many places, in none of them does it have the blue coloration, which is the main characteristic of larimar. Currently the only locality on the planet where this gem is found is the province of Barahona, in the southwest of the Dominican Republic.
The history of the gem began in 1974 when a sand blue band attracted the attention of Miguel Méndez and Norman Rilling who were exploring a mine in Barahona and came across the stone. The origin of its name is due to the fact that Miguel Méndez associated the rock with the name of his daughter Larissa and combined it with Mar, since the indigenous people believed that this rock came from the sea. As of 1979, larimar stone was classified as a semi-precious stone.
The Larimar stone is commonly associated with silver in jewelry, however, sometimes it tends to increase its value when combined with gold. To recognize the quality of this stone, it is considered that the deeper its blue tone, the more precious the stone is and therefore the greater its value. There are multiple pieces of jewelry that combine the light tones of the stone with the darker ones in order to exhibit its versatility.
There are some of these stones in green, however they are usually considered of low quality and not suitable for jewelry unless their hue is very intense. It is important to mention that pectolites are photosensitive, which explains why delarimar stone loses its hue and intensity over time.
It is very common to find throughout the national territory and much of the Caribbean, pieces made with this stone, which range from small earrings to beautiful and elaborate necklaces. We remember once again that the greater the intensity of the stone, the greater its value, therefore it is very common to find garments made in the shade of sky blue; while the darkest are reserved for the great jewelery centers.