Larimar

Bahoruco region, Dominican Republic

Pale to vivid Caribbean blue, found in only one place on earth.

Where it comes from

Larimar is one of the few gemstones in the world with a single source: a single mountainside in the Bahoruco region of the Dominican Republic. It was first identified in 1974 by a local who noticed the unusual blue stones in a riverbed. The name combines Larissa, his daughter's name, with mar, the Spanish word for sea.

Mining is done by hand in small, often dangerous tunnels carved into the volcanic rock. Each piece of larimar represents a real human effort to extract a stone that exists in only one place on the planet.

What it looks like

Larimar reads like the Caribbean sea captured in stone. The color is a soft, dreamy blue that ranges from pale sky to deeper turquoise tones, marbled with white and occasional gray patterns that mimic clouds and ocean foam. No two stones are alike, and the best pieces have a luminous quality that almost glows.

Larimar is technically a blue variety of pectolite, formed by volcanic activity. Higher-grade material shows deeper saturation and minimal white inclusions. Less expensive larimar tends to have more white and a paler overall color.

What makes it special

The single-source story is the headline. There's no Larimar from Brazil or Australia or anywhere else. If you're wearing larimar, you're wearing a stone that came out of one specific Caribbean mountainside. That kind of geographic specificity is rare in the gemstone world.

The color is also distinctive. Larimar reads differently than turquoise. It's softer, more aqueous, and pairs beautifully with sterling silver or 14k gold. People who love beach colors, ocean themes, or anything that evokes warm-weather travel tend to gravitate to larimar instinctively.

Value and availability

Mid-grade larimar is widely available and reasonably priced. High-grade material, sometimes called AAA or pectolite blue, is more limited and priced accordingly. The market has grown steadily since the 1980s, and the limited geographic source ensures that supply will always be constrained.

Larimar is also softer than turquoise (around 4.5 to 5 on the Mohs scale), so it benefits from a protective setting and gentle care. We always recommend taking it off before activities that could scratch or impact the stone.

Larimar in our collection

We carry several larimar pieces, including the Caribbean Drop adjustable anklet bracelet, the Tide & Ember reversible larimar/amber teardrop pendant, and the Mar Caribe flip ring. Each one captures that Caribbean blue that no other stone produces.