Larimar Lavaliere

Evidence of the first mention of Larimar dates as far back as 1916, in the form of a request to mine this mineral. However, it wasn’t until 1974 that Larimar really made an appearance. History reveals that this stone was found by Norman Rilling (a member of the U.S. Peace Corps) and a local called Miguel Mendez. Both these persons found pieces of Larimar on the seashore. The name ‘Larimar’ was given by Mendez, who combined his daughter’s name, Larissa with the Spanish word ‘mar’, which means ‘sea’.

Most small blocks of Larimar exist in situ, i.e. in the very place where they formed. However, through soil erosion some pieces of Larimar broke off and were moved by rainfall down the slopes of the hillsides to rivers. The rivers deposited the broken pieces of Larimar in the Caribbean Sea and eventually, some were washed up on the seashore by waves.

Excavating Larimar isn’t easy. The stone is formed when hot gases push crystallized minerals up though volcanic ‘tubes’. So to mine and excavate Larimar, miners need to identify these tubes and dig very deep into old volcanoes.

Not all Larimar pieces are beautiful. Some look pale and washed-out, while others look a tad bit dirty due to other mineral inclusions. The Larimar teardrop that I’ve chosen here has very sweet colors and a fair percentage of translucency, which is rare. It is also a very thick stone.

I’ve used prongs to hold the Larimar because I wanted people to enjoy the beauty of this stone to the fullest extent. Placing it in a bezel cup would cover up too much of the stone. The design of the ring is original and it is created from a scratch using sterling silver. The entire silver setting has a brushed satin finish and it is the finish that I absolutely love.

Brief Description