The Larimar

Before arriving on this page, you may have searched for the terms “Caribbean Turquoise” or “Dominican Turquoise.” Although Larimar can sometimes be mistaken for turquoise, this designation has been prohibited by a decision of the International Confederation of Jewelry, Jewelry, Goldsmiths of Diamonds, pearls and stones, known as C.I.B.J.O.

The name of the natural stone Larimar seems to have a more personal and romantic origin rather than a scientific one. Indeed, it is believed that “Larimar” is the result of combining “Larissa,” the name of one of the discoverer’s daughters, with “mar,” which means “sea” in Spanish, in reference to the Caribbean Sea. The word “pectolite,” its generic name, comes from the Greek “pektos,” meaning “assembled,” and the suffix “-lithe,” which specifies its relation to stones.