The fact that ancient Atlantis would present a stone with which people would be able to communicate with the inhabitants of the deep sea was predicted by the US medium Edgar Cayce, who managed to warn about 2 world wars and healed a lot of people. Scientists who examined volcanic rocks in the Dominican Republic, where larimar stone was discovered, concluded that the crystals formed about 5 million years ago during the Miocene period. Presumably, this time marks the heyday of the legendary country that went under water.
History and origin
The appearance of larimar is shrouded in mystery. Its earthly, documented history is accompanied by a legendary version.
Legend
Tradition claims that larimar was found by the inhabitants of the legendary Atlantis. They considered the pebbles to be fragments of an even more ancient civilization that lived on a sunken continent. Therefore, the second name of the mineral is Atlantis.
This seems to be true: Larimar was first discovered in volcanic rocks from the Miocene period (23.03–5.33 million years ago) in the Dominican Republic.
Larimar - azure mineral
Story
Larimar became famous in 1916, when it was discovered in Haiti by a Catholic missionary priest.
Almost 60 years later, the stone came to the attention of Miguel Mendez. This local jeweler mistook it for turquoise. But it is opaque, so the sample was sent for examination in the USA. Experts from the Smithsonian Institution have made a final verdict: this is pectolite, its blue variety.
Name
Larimar received its name from its discoverer, Miguel Mendez. The term is made up of two parts: the name of the daughter (Larisa) and “Mar” (sea). The mineral really looks like ocean or sea abyss.
In addition to Atlantis, larimar has other names: Atlantis stone, dolphin stone, Dominican turquoise, pectolite jade.
Different stories
There are three accounts of the history of the discovery of Larimar bluestone:
- The mineral was first discovered by the Spanish priest Miguel Loren in 1916. He gave the blue stones the sonorous name “Stephilia Stone”. But they showed no interest in the mineral, and the discovery was forgotten.
- Peace Corps volunteer N. Rilling in 1974 in the same Dominican Republic, in the province of Baoruco, discovered several blue-blue stones. They were identified as a new variety of pectolite.
- Blue pectolite was discovered in 1975 by entrepreneur M. Mendez. Together with lawyer L. Gonzalez Vega, they created a corporation to mine and sell the semi-precious blue-white mineral. At first the mineral was called “travelina”. Later, Mendes himself renamed the stone and gave it the name “Larimar”.
The name of the mineral consists of two words: Lari, a diminutive of Larissa (the name of Mendez's daughter) and the Spanish word mar (sea).
Interesting: the name Larisa, according to one version, comes from the Greek word glaros - seagull. So the mineral has acquired the most appropriate name - it has the blue of the sea and the blue of the sky with the clear stroke of a seagull...
In fact, the natives have known about the beautiful mineral for thousands of years.
The white man, coming to the Caribbean, found a use for the delightful mineral.
The state has taken control of the extraction and sale of Dominican stone, and now the income goes to the state budget, and not to local oligarchs.
Where and how is stone mined?
Mineral deposits have been identified in the Caribbean countries: the Dominican Republic, Haiti and neighboring countries. Italy, northern Canada and border Alaska (US state) have small reserves.
In the Dominican Republic, the delicate stone is extracted from the deposit by hand. The rock layers are broken with hammers, after which the pebbles are pulled out. They are polished and sent to market.
Fakes
Larimar is rarely counterfeited. He is unknown to the “general public.” But where the stone is actively sold, you can find fakes made of tinted howlite, ceramics or commonplace plastics.
Try to spot a fake. Do a mini-research:
- Check out the decorations on display. Each stone in jewelry has a unique design. Everyone looks alike - it's fake.
- The drawing on larimar is always original, the lines go deep. With a real stone, it is impossible to understand how deep the design goes. Fake strokes and lines lie on the surface.
- Each stone always has an uneven color; it resembles the play of sun and sea water in shallow water.
- Jewelry won’t be too cheap even in the Dominican Republic. After all, the mineral is mined and processed by hand.
Sometimes pale stones are tinted, sometimes coated with epoxy resins or wax to enhance the shine. But this is not considered a fake, only an ennoblement.
Physico-chemical characteristics
Larimar is a variety of the mineral pictolite, a sodium-calcium silicate plus hydroxyl structure:
- chemical formula – NaCa2Si3O8(OH);
- hardness on the Mohs scale – 4.5-5;
- shine – silky;
- transparency – low, but translucent;
- fracture - uneven;
- cleavage – perfect;
- color – blue-blue palette.
The origin of the mineral is volcanic; the blue color and resemblance to glass is created by an admixture of vanadium.
Larimar comes in pink, turquoise, whitish, yellowish, gray, black, purple, and brownish. This is due to the amount and nature of impurities (for example, cobalt or copper). The surface is patterned with veins, slightly cloudy in color.
Where is larimar used?
Areas of application of the mineral are jewelry making and decorative and applied arts.
Ring with larimar
Gemologists classify it as semi-precious or ornamental:
- It polishes well, imitating the surface of the sea. Therefore, flat cabochon inserts look most impressive in jewelry.
- A full range of products are made from the mineral. Its color scheme is combined with a white frame. More often this silver, gold or platinum is used in custom-made products.
- The most valuable for jewelers are blue, bluish or greenish specimens with veins.
The second segment is mascot figures and small plastic items.
Magic properties
A stone the color of sky or sea blue has a special range of actions:
- Helps the owner to love himself as he is. At the same time, set your life priorities and find your life’s work.
- Even notorious egoists, having acquired Larimar, begin to think about the needs of their family and friends, and take into account the environment.
- People susceptible to persistent depression, skeptics, begin to see life in bright colors. At the same time, the mineral does not allow one to “invent”, embellish, but give real assessments of events and people.
- The semi-precious blue-white mineral encourages perfectionists to be more lenient towards the shortcomings and weaknesses of the environment. Aggressive – reduce the degree of emotions.
- The mineral cleanses the human biofield of negativity and provides protection against the penetration of new things.
- Larimar is a love “magnet”, useful to everyone who is looking for a soul mate.
- A figurine or cabochon can become a talisman for the family hearth.
- The stone is often used for meditation.
Larimar does not help in dark matters. Once polluted, its positive energy is reset to zero. Recovers with difficulty under spring or sea water.
The most powerful magical properties of larimar are in a silver frame.
Pure magic
The energy of Larimar is bright, life-affirming, and kind.
The sorcerers in Haiti were not very fond of the stone - in the famous black magic of voodoo, larimar is useless.
But larimar has magical properties. It will relieve loneliness, protect against betrayal and jealousy. That's what esotericists say, in any case.
We recommend: Monarch Stone | BLUE SAPPHIRE
Place talismans made from the mineral (especially crafts) in the house. They will protect the family from “showdowns,” spouses from misunderstandings, and the home from the presence of dark forces. Products made from Atlantic stone harmonize the owner’s aura and neutralize external negativity.
Interesting: the Dominican groom must give his chosen one a ring with larimar.
Lonely girls dreaming of a prince are given a pebble by their friends (if they don’t give it to them, they should quickly buy it themselves).
According to some esotericists, larimar is suitable for sellers - the stone will attract customers to your store.
Therapeutic effect
Healers have identified the spectrum of effects of larimar:
- treatment of acute respiratory infections, ARVI, relief of sore throat;
- therapy of arthrosis, arthritis;
- relief from asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory tract ailments;
- treatment of cardiovascular pathologies;
- normalization of blood pressure (especially hypertension);
- neutralization of internal inflammatory processes;
- assistance for faster recovery after surgery or injury.
At the same time, the immune system is strengthened.
Mineral treatment is beneficial for the blood:
- blood flow and blood composition improves, especially with atherosclerosis and vulnerable vessels;
- external bleeding stops (a stone is applied to the wound);
- during pregnancy, bleeding and the threat of miscarriage are prevented.
The healing properties of the stone are not limited to physical health. Emotions come under the beneficial influence of larimar. The mineral normalizes mental mood and is able to relieve depression or extinguish aggression.
Even an impulsive or nervous person who has a semi-precious blue-white mineral with him feels calm.
During treatment, accessories are used on the solar plexus. That is, long beads, necklaces or pendants. Earrings, brooch, bracelet, ring - more decoration.
Medicinal properties
Larimar is one of the stones whose energy has not been fully studied. Nevertheless, this gem is actively used in lithotherapy due to the fact that it has healing properties.
List of healing actions:
- Larimar crystals are beneficial for the respiratory system, therefore they are used in the treatment of colds.
- The stone helps to cope with diseases of the cardiovascular system: atherosclerosis, hypertension and disorders associated with stagnation of venous blood.
- When delphinium comes into contact with the skin, inflammation is prevented.
- Contemplation of the stone gives a person peace and spiritual harmony, which is important for stress, depression and excessive irritability.
- Larimar is useful for pregnant women because it helps avoid the threat of miscarriage.
Pendant with larimar
The stone should be worn at chest level, while when it is placed on the hand, the power of the healing properties weakens. The stone is especially useful for people recovering from surgery, as it helps avoid complications associated with slow healing of surgical wounds.
Larimar and Zodiac
The blue stone larimar as a magical artifact is selective in relation to the inhabitants of the Zodiac circle:
- The mineral has ideal compatibility with Taurus, Aquarius and Libra. It will protect against damage, witchcraft, and give confidence and peace of mind. It will improve your personal life: it will help you find a couple, it will preserve the family hearth.
- According to the horoscope, this is the fateful talisman gem of Leo: an ally in all enterprises and projects.
- Larimar is also suitable for Gemini, Cancer, Virgo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Pisces. They can rely on a pebble during difficult periods of life.
- The magical properties of the larimar stone are useless for Aries and Scorpios: the gem will not harm, but it will not help either.
Table of compatibility of Larimar with zodiac signs (“+++” – fits perfectly, “+” – can be worn, “-” – is strictly contraindicated).
| Zodiac sign | Compatibility |
| Aries | + |
| Taurus | +++ |
| Twins | + |
| Cancer | + |
| a lion | + |
| Virgo | + |
| Scales | +++ |
| Scorpion | + |
| Sagittarius | + |
| Capricorn | + |
| Aquarius | +++ |
| Fish | + |
Regardless of the zodiac sign, everyone can wear products with a stone as decoration.
Pendant with larimar
Compatibility with names and zodiac signs
People who believe in the magical power of gems are interested in who is suitable for Larimar. The blue stone does neither harm nor benefit to representatives of Aries and Scorpio, but you can wear jewelry made from rare crystals.
The mineral protects against negative energy, restores self-confidence, helps to find a soul mate, and save a family for people born under the zodiac sign Libra, Aquarius, and Taurus.
How the magic of Larimar works, in difficult moments you will feel:
- Cancers and Pisces;
- Gemini and Sagittarius;
- Virgo and Capricorn.
If representatives of these signs wear Haitian turquoise, they will more easily endure a difficult period in life. Atlantis is suitable for ambitious Leos and helps in any projects and endeavors.
Obviously, the mineral is favorable to Larissa, since this name is present in one of the names of the Haitian stone. Svetlana is advised to wear jewelry with a blue gem so that there is no misunderstanding in the family; larimar gives harmony and love.
The magic of Atlantis will help Marina achieve her goal, and Olga to become more confident and bolder. For Yuri, an ornamental stone will reveal his abilities and give the Aquarius man love. The Dominican mineral Leonid is suitable.
Who is Larimar suitable for?
The breadth of the range makes Dominican stone suitable for many people and for many reasons:
- Silver jewelry with a light miniature stone is suitable for a teenage girl or a young girl.
- Larger inserts and deeper colors will decorate a more mature lady.
- Silver is harmonious in the office or on a walk. Gold or platinum is an attribute of evening receptions or special events.
- For the men's assortment (ring, tie clip, cufflinks), muted pieces of different colors are appropriate.
Dominican blue or blue stone is an ideal choice for blue-eyed or blue-eyed people.
Bracelet with larimar
An exclusive choice would be choosing an outfit or clutch bag that exactly matches the color scheme of the stone.
Characteristics of larimar stone (video)
Decorations and figurines made of larimar, located in the house, normalize the energy situation in the home, make the atmosphere in the family quiet and cozy, and smooth out tense relations between different generations. This pectolite is very favorable to those who in life are guided by the principles of kindness, sensitivity and are distinguished by pure thoughts; the stone treats them in a special way and helps to increase their life potential. The stone is quite a powerful amulet. And in order to feel its power, you don’t have to wear jewelry with it; you just need to put a piece of the mineral in your purse or pocket.
In astrology, a gem is considered a very friendly stone, suitable for all zodiac signs according to the horoscope, but those whose sign belongs to the air and water elements will experience its special power. For Taurus, Libra and Aquarius, the mineral will give good luck and bring peace of mind and peace into their lives. The stone will also be a good amulet for Scorpios, Pisces, Gemini and Cancers. Leos under the sign of the Sun and all those who have Venus in their horoscope can also count on the favor of larimar.
Price
In terms of color, “volcanic blue” is considered the most valuable. This is how jewelers dubbed the deep blue stones.
Cost of larimar products, thousand rubles:
- figurine of a fish (6x4.5x2 cm) – 27.5;
- ball, 35 mm – 35.7;
- egg, 43x31 – 14.9;
- tumbling, 2–3 cm – 1.4-1.9.
Silver products (925°), thousand rubles:
- earrings – 8.4;
- pendant – 1.8;
- ring – 4.2.
This is the price of factory, mass-produced products. Original works with stones of comparable characteristics are twice as expensive.
Earrings with larimar
When determining the price of a product, the quality of the stone matters. Thus, a bracelet made of pale blue stones costs 2.7, a similar one made of deep blue larimar costs 10.8 thousand rubles.
How much does Larimar cost?
Haitian turquoise is not sold in jewelry stores. They offer products with rare stones in elite jewelry stores, where the price of earrings in a gold frame reaches 100 thousand rubles. A ring or ring in silver costs 27 or 28 thousand; for beads you will have to pay at least 45.
Attention! The richest blue color of larimar is most prized; it is impossible to buy such a stone cheaply even in the Dominican Republic.
In online stores, a bracelet and earrings made of a lower quality pale blue mineral are offered for 8 thousand rubles, and a ring for 4 thousand. The same blue stone jewelry is sold at 2 times the price. This is the price for factory products, but the online store does not provide a guarantee that it is not an imitation or a fake. The price of original works made from Larimar is 3 times higher.
Figures and figurines made from Dominican stone are popular. The cost of a fish measuring 6 cm is 27 thousand rubles, a ball with a diameter of 35 mm is sold for 36 thousand rubles, for an egg they ask for 15 thousand.
Larimar, whose history is shrouded in mystery, is reminiscent of the sea in color and tints. Although the stone was formed in basalt depressions millions of years ago, when volcanoes were actively erupting, crystals began to be studied only recently, and mining is still carried out manually. Deposits of the mineral have been discovered only in a few countries.
How to spot a fake
Natural larimar is expensive, so it is actively counterfeited. Instead of mineral, they offer glass, porcelain or plastic.
To establish the origin of the sample, documents are studied:
- All larimars are accompanied by documents confirming the origin and quality of a particular specimen.
- Stone deposits have been discovered in several corners of the planet, but so far only raw materials from the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean come to the market. They should appear in the documents.
- The name of the mineral is indicated without quotation marks.
- The description of the characteristics should not contain the words “pressed”, “restored” and the like.
The surface of the mineral helps to distinguish a fake. In larimar it is spotty and heterogeneous; each natural Dominican stone is unique.
The uniformity or repeatability of the pattern indicates imitation, because chaos is difficult to reproduce.
The transition between sections of a natural stone is blurred, while a fake has a clear separation.
Finally, in order not to buy glass or plastic, they evaluate the cost. A real mineral from the Dominican Republic has a number order of thousands of rubles, it is not sold in jewelry departments.
Jewelry with mineral
Stone from the Dominican Republic, imitating the surface of the sea, is used in applied arts and is liked by jewelers because it is easily polished and processed using the cabuchon method. Larimar looks harmonious and exhibits magical powers in a silver frame. Pendants and earrings with blue mineral are recommended for young girls to wear. Jewelry with large inserts of rich dark color is suitable for mature women. For a man, you can choose exclusive cufflinks or a ring. Larimar products are recommended to be worn by people with blue and blue eyes; the stone reveals their beauty. Haitian turquoise is used to make figurines, bracelets, and balls.
Minerals of pale shades are refined; for this, the crystals are coated with wax or epoxy resin, which enhances the shine, and is also painted to give the color richness.
The original design looks exquisite on the simplest products. Pendants and necklaces made of larimar enchant with the shimmer of color. In a gold frame, Atlantis loses its glare.
Buying beautiful and rare stones mined in the Caribbean is not so easy. To avoid purchasing a fake instead of a natural mineral, you should listen to the advice of jewelers. The blurry pattern present on Larimar crystals looks like waves overlapping each other; the fake has clear contours. Haitian turquoise is cold to the touch, while glass or plastic in the hands becomes warm when heated by the palms. Two identical gems do not have the same color.
In the Caribbean, where Atlantis is actively sold, instead of the mineral, enterprising dealers offer plastic and ceramic fakes, howlite, painted blue or light blue.
The “waves” in the crystal design resemble the rays of the sun that slide across the surface of the water and then disappear, sinking to the seabed. The play of light cannot be displayed on glass. Products with larimar inserts require careful handling, since the mineral:
- Afraid of high temperatures.
- In the sun it loses its rich hue.
- Reacts negatively to contact with salt water.
- Dissolves in acids.
You cannot clean jewelry with Dominican stone inserts with abrasive powders, wear it in a sauna or bathhouse, or drop it on the floor. It is recommended to store Haitian turquoise in a dry place, separate from other minerals. Wash Atlantis with running water.
Museums opened in the Dominican Republic invite you to look at unique collections, larimar jewelry, raw crystals, designer items and figurines. Entrance to the territory is free; you can buy your favorite rings, earrings, bracelets in the shops that operate here.
In the La Roma Museum, which is designed like a medieval village, you can see exclusive products made from larimar and amber, deposits of which were also discovered on the island.
In the city of Point Cana, a museum is opened in the Trade Center; in addition to Haitian turquoise, you can see tools that were used in the extraction of stone.
Products made from the Larimar mineral are sold in souvenir shops. To buy raw crystals and blue stone jewelry cheaper, it is recommended to go to the flea market, which is located in the capital of the Dominican Republic.
When purchasing larimar stone from local traders, it cannot be ruled out that instead of a rare mineral, they will slip in a fake. When purchasing products with Atlantis inserts in jewelry stores, you must ask for a certificate and examine the packaging. If the name of the stone is written in quotation marks, it means that an imitation is being sold. Natural crystals are mined only in a few countries. The price of the product includes transportation costs and customs duties, which increases the price. A real Atlantis cannot be bought cheaply.
Stone care rules
Larimar is not particularly durable, it is vulnerable:
- fades from aggressive household chemicals;
- fades from direct sunlight;
- it cannot be dropped.
Therefore, the product requires appropriate care:
- It is not advisable to wear jewelry with larimar on a walk in the sun, on the beach or in the pool.
- The mineral is cleaned from dirt with warm water and baby soap or other mild detergent.
- When cleaning the frame, you need to make sure that the product does not get on the stone insert.
Accessories with stones should be stored separately to prevent them from being scratched.
Treatment with dolphin stone
The medicinal properties of larimar are akin to the medicinal properties of a holiday on the Dominican coast. Relaxation, delightful idleness, admiring the expanse of the sea... All this will relieve stress, calm the nervous system, and drive away insomnia.
Lithotherapists recommend mineral treatment:
- people with heart or lung problems (choose long beads or pendant for this);
- those who have undergone surgery during the recovery period;
- patients with inflammatory processes.
There is an opinion that the mineral should be worn for atherosclerosis and hypertension.
