Larimar, Natural, Smooth, Nuggets, Varied Sizes, One 8-10mm Strand

 Larimar, Natural, Smooth, Nuggets, Varied Sizes, One 8-10mm Strand

This price is for one strand 15 to 16 inches long. 

10-8mm smooth nugget strands have 45 to 47 pieces. 

Larimar is a blue variety silicate mineral found only in the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean. Most Larimar began to form around 100 million years ago when the islands were created by tectonic movement and volcanic eruptions. It has a unique volcanic blue coloration due to the crystals having trace impurities of copper mixed in. Larimar stones are opaque, cloudy, and hazy and white streaks are very common. Its coloration varies from white, light-blue, green blue to deep blue; white is low quality and volcanic blue is the highest quality.

The Dominican Republic's mining records show that there was a request to explore and mine Larimar in 1916, but it was rejected. Miguel Méndez and Peace Corps volunteer Norman Rilling rediscovered Larimar in 1974 on a beach.  Larimar is a combination of Lari, short for “Larissa,” and the Spanish mar for “sea.” Larissa was the daughter of Miguel who rediscovered it 1974.

Hardness 4.5-5

This is a natural stone that has had no treatment other than cutting, and polishing in China.