The Gemstone of the Caribbean: Larimar

Although commonly misidentified as Turquoise, this beautiful blue variety of Pectolite is known as Larimar. This gemmy material is loved for its Caribbean blue hues and usually fashioned into rounded cabochons to wear in jewelry. 

Larimar is considered to be a rare mineral because it is only found in one place on Earth: the Filipinas Larimar Mine located in the Baoruco Mountain Range in the southern region of the Dominican Republic. This single mine has been in operation off and on since the early 1900’s and has produced all Larimar on the market. Once this single deposit is depleted, we will no longer have access to Larimar. 

Something to think about: Amethyst was once considered to be just as rare and desirable as Ruby until we discovered large deposits of Amethyst in Brazil in the 1800’s which crashed the market. With our supply of Larimar becoming even more limited over time, we will likely see a rise in market value as production declines. 

Big Q: Does the rarity of a gemstone affect how you feel about it?