Only The Dominican Republic produces Larimar
The Dominican Republic is the world's only producer of Larimar, a rare blue variant of the silicate mineral pectolite.
During my visit, I had the opportunity to speak with one of the hotel's managers, who told me about the Larimar stone, which is native to the Dominican Republic. The color of this stone varies from white to light blue to green-blue to deep blue. (Can you guess what I bought for myself as a souvenir? A gorgeous Larimar bracelet and earrings)
The story behind the name of this stone is very fascinating. It is said that Miguel Méndez and a Peace Corps volunteer named Norman Rilling rediscovered Larimar on a beach near the Bahoruco Mountain Range in the coastal province of Barahona in 1974 (which had previously been discovered by Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren of the Barahona Parish in the early twentieth century).
The diamond was given the name Blue Stone by the natives, who thought it came from the sea. Larimar was created by combining Miguel's little daughter's name Larissa and the Spanish word for sea (mar), to represent the colors of the Caribbean Sea, where it was discovered. It is no surprise that the Dominican Amber Museum in Puerto Plata is so famous, given the gorgeous bluestone.
