Home to sparkling azure seas,
stunning beaches, and exotic
tropical vistas, the Caribbean
dazzles with outer beauty. But
two of the countries found here
also have their own brand of
"inner beauty" - semi-precious
stones found nowhere else on
earth. Larimar is found only in
one remote area of the Dominican
Republic, the same volcanic
forces which created the island
itself forged this exquisite
gem. Hot gases pushed molten
material into the volcano's
chimneys, causing its minerals
to crystallize and create the
stone's unique properties. Over
the eons, erosion caused bits of
the stone to break off, washing
them into the Bahoruco River
where they tumbled against rocks
and other debris. By the time
the stones reached the river's
end at the beach, this polishing
action revealed the marbled
sea-blue, green, and white hues
Larimar is now prized for.
Although the date of its
discovery is unknown, it's
likely that inhabitants came
across the blue stones washed up
on the beach more than a century
ago. They may have later traced
its origins to the mountains. By
1916, at least one person knew
where to find it - a priest in
Barahona parish, who applied for
the right to set up a mining
operation. His application was
never approved, however, and
Larimar remained shrouded in
mystery for years to come. In
fact, it continued to go
unnoticed by the world at large
until 1974, when geologist
Miguel Méndez and Peace Corps
volunteer Norman Rilling found
some of the stones on the beach.
They followed the stream up the
mountain, eventually arriving at
Los Chupaderos, where most
Larimar is mined today. Miguel
Méndez named the stone by
combining his daughter's name,
"Larissa," with "mar," the
Spanish word for sea.
Scientifically, Larimar is blue
pectolite. Although other types
of pectolite exist in locations
around the world, Larimar is
unique to the lush Bahoruco
mountain range. Copper gives it
its characteristic blues and
greens, with blue stones
considered more valuable. In
addition, some stones contain
red, brown, or gray shades.
Because of its coloring, it's
sometimes mistaken for turquoise
or blue jade. Because of claims
that the Dominican Republic was
the ancient site of Atlantis,
symbolized by dolphins, some
people call Larimar "the
Atlantis Stone" or "the Dolphin
Stone." According to folklore,
Larimar helps relieve stress,
radiates healing energy, aids
communication, and enlightens
the mind. With all the
excitement about Larimar,
there's even a Larimar Museum in
Santo Domingo, the Dominican
Republic's capital city. Located
in a well-restored historic
building, the museum contains
exhibits about the gem and a
store with hand-made Larimar
jewelry. While Larimar is most
often sold as jewelry, it's also
available in sculptures and
polished slabs.
