Larimar is a trade name for blue pectolite, and it comes from one place only, the Dominican Republic. The sky-to-sea blue with white veining is its calling card.
Silicate (pectolite) · Pectolite
Larimar
Larimar
- Palette
- Blue White
- Mined in
- Dominican Republic
- Hardness
- Mohs 4.5–5.0 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- 1828
- Named for
- Larissa, the discoverer's daughter, plus Spanish mar, 'sea'
- Also sold as
- blue pectolite, pectolite
- Intention
- Strength Calm
- Looking for
- Communication Calm Peace
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Larimar is sometimes stabilized (resin-filled) for durability and may be dyed; color depth varies by lot.
Not in our pieces now
2,000 SHAFTS
The mountainside at Los Chupaderos in the Dominican Republic, source of larimar, is perforated with roughly 2,000 vertical shafts.
MOUNT BALDO
Pectolite, the mineral larimar is a blue variety of, was first described in 1828 from Mount Baldo in northern Italy.
BAHORUCO RIVER
The Bahoruco River washed larimar-bearing sediment toward the sea, and tumbling in the streambed polished the stones.
What it is
A soft sky-blue to sea-green stone, usually veined or clouded with white, like water seen from above. Larimar is a trade name for blue pectolite, a natural mineral colored by a little copper, and it is not dyed glass or a different stone. Beads are translucent to opaque with a silky shine.
What gives it its color
Larimar is a blue variety of the mineral pectolite, and its sky-blue color comes from copper.
Where it comes from
Larimar comes from one area, the Bahoruco mountains near Barahona in the southwest Dominican Republic.
In history
In 1916 a priest, Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren, asked permission to mine a blue rock near Barahona in the Dominican Republic, but was turned down because pectolite was not yet known in the country. Miguel Mendez and Peace Corps volunteer Norman Rilling rediscovered it in 1974, and Mendez named it Larimar from his daughter Larissa and mar, Spanish for sea.
What's said about it
In crystal lore today, larimar is the stone people reach for when they want to speak plainly and kindly. It's said to be a stone of communication, kept for listening as well as talking.
Some people also keep it near the ears when they are listening for guidance from spirit guides.
People wear it as jewelry or keep it in a small pouch. It is soft, and the blue can fade in strong sun, so it lives out of direct light.
How people wear or keep it: On the wrist, in a small pouch, at the throat, or near the ears.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, larimar is paired with the throat chakra, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: on the wrist, in a small pouch, at the throat. People reach for it when they want communication, calm, peace, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraThroat
ZodiacLeo
ElementWater
Also calledblue pectolite, pectolite
Care
- Soft for a gemstone; keep it from knocks and from harder stones in a pouch or box.
- The blue can fade with long exposure to strong light and heat, so avoid leaving it in a sunny window or a hot car.
- Wipe with a soft dry or barely damp cloth; skip soaking, soap and ultrasonic cleaners.
- Keep away from perfumes, hairspray and household cleaners.
How to tell what you have
- Larimar is blue pectolite from the Dominican Republic, and the blue fades with long light or heat.
- Beads sold under this name can be other blue stones or dyed material, so check for dye at the drill hole and an even, flat color.
What sets the price
Price follows how intense and even the blue is and how much white shows through it, and larimar is scarce because it comes from a single area in the Dominican Republic; dyed quartz, dyed howlite or glass sold as larimar is a much cheaper imitation.
Rules and sourcing
Larimar is sometimes stabilized with resin for durability and may be dyed. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose resin or dye.
Questions people ask at our table
What is larimar?
Larimar is the trade name for blue pectolite, a calcium-sodium silicate. The blue comes from a little copper in the crystal. It is natural and needs no dye.
Where does larimar come from?
Only the Dominican Republic, from a mountainside near Barahona on the south coast. It formed in cavities in old volcanic rock.
Will the blue fade?
It can. The color is sensitive to long exposure to strong light and heat, so keep it out of direct sun.
How can I tell it from blue look-alikes?
Larimar has a white-veined, watery blue pattern and a silky shine. Dyed howlite, angelite and glass are common substitutes, so ask the seller to name the stone.
Can I get it wet?
It is soft, so avoid soaking and harsh cleaners. A quick wipe with a soft cloth is enough.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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