Larimar

Larimar (misspelled: lorimar), also called "Stefilia's Stone", "Dolphin Stone", and "Atlantis Stone", is a rare blue variety of pectolite found only in the Dominican Republic, in theCaribbean. Its coloration varies from white, light-blue, green-blue to deep blue.

The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Mining records that on 23 November 1916 Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren of the Barahona Parish requested permission to explore and exploit the mine of a certain blue rock he had discovered. Pectolites were not yet known in the Dominican Republic and the request was rejected.

In 1974, at the foot of the Bahoruco Range, the coastal province of Barahona, Miguel Méndez and Peace Corps volunteer Norman Rilling rediscover Larimar on a beach. Natives, who believed the stone came from the sea, called the gem Blue Stone. Miguel took his young daughter's name Larissa and the Spanish word for sea (mar) and formed Larimar, by the colors of the water of the Caribbean Sea, where it was found. The few stones they found were alluvial sediment, washed into the sea by the Bahoruco River. An upstream search revealed the in situ outcrops in the range and soon the Los Chupaderos mine was formed.

Larimar jewelry is offered to the public in the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere in the Caribbean as a local speciality. Most jewelry produced is set in silver, but sometimes high-grade larimar is also set in gold. It also has become available elsewhere. Some Far-East manufacturers have started to use it in their production and buy large quantities of raw stones as long as this is still permitted.

Quality grading is according to coloration and the typical mineral crystal configuration in the stone. Larimar also comes in green and even with red spots, brown strikes etc. due to other matters and / or oxidation. But the more intense the blue, and the contrasts in the stone, the higher and rarer is the quality. The blue color is photosensitive and fades with time if exposed to too much light and heat.

Hardness of Larimar varies between 5-7 on the Mohs scale, with the darker blue stones ranging closer to 7.

Its powers are believed to helps us view events from different perspectives, to soften and enlighten, to heal the emotional, physical, mental and spiritual body.  Larimar stimulates the heart, throat, third eye and crown chakras promoting inner wisdom. It represents peace and clarity, healing and love. Larimar is reputed to be helpful for those experiencing stress and anxiety.

Some believe that Larimar is the blue stone with extraordinary healing powers that Edgar Cayce predicted would be discovered in the Caribbean, where he said part of Atlantis could be found.