Larimar - Rich in History
The History of Larimar
A Caribbean Treasure Reborn
The story of Larimar is as captivating as the gemstone itself—woven with discovery, mystery, and the enduring beauty of the Dominican Republic.
While this rare blue gemstone has long been known to local communities, the world wouldn’t come to know it until much later. The first official attempt to mine the stone was recorded in 1916, when a request was made to explore its potential. But that effort quietly faded, and the stone remained hidden from the rest of the world for decades.
A Rediscovery by the Sea
It wasn’t until 1974 that Larimar was rediscovered—this time for good. Most accounts credit Norman Rilling, a Peace Corps volunteer, and Miguel Méndez, a Dominican native, with uncovering the gemstone along the shores of the Caribbean Sea. Drawn to the striking, tumbled blue stones scattered along the sand, the pair set out to find their origin.
At first, it was believed that the stone came from the sea itself. But soon, it was discovered that these gems had made a long journey—washed down from the mountains through the Rio Sitio, into the Rio Baoruco, and finally reaching the ocean’s edge.
By tracing the current upstream, Rilling and Méndez found what would become one of the world’s most treasured discoveries: a mountain deposit of blue pectolite, unlike anything found elsewhere on Earth. Nestled deep within the province of Barahona, this single location remains the only known source of Larimar in the world.
Naming a Legend
Larimar was originally referred to as “Travelina,” but it was Miguel Méndez who gave the gemstone its now-iconic name. Inspired by his daughter Larissa, and the Spanish word for sea—“mar”—he created Larimar, meaning “Larissa of the Sea.”
A name as poetic as the stone itself.
From Hidden Gem to Global Luxury
Since its rediscovery, Larimar has grown from a hidden Dominican secret to a sought-after symbol of tropical elegance and rare natural beauty. Still mined exclusively in the Dominican Republic, Larimar remains a true geological rarity—formed by ancient volcanic activity and touched by the elements of earth and sea.
Today, Larimar is cherished by collectors and jewelry lovers alike for its one-of-a-kind colorations, calming energy, and deep cultural roots. Each stone in our Signature Collection honors this extraordinary legacy—carefully chosen, lovingly cut, and artfully set to preserve its unique Caribbean story.
From mountain to ocean, from past to present—Larimar is a rare gift from nature, rediscovered just in time.