Larimar: The Rare Caribbean Stone Behind Our Newest Pieces

If you caught our stand at the last Markt der schönen Dinge, you probably noticed something new: pieces made with Larimar, a stone unlike anything else we've worked with. Here's the story behind it.

What Larimar is, and why it's so rare

Larimar is a rare variety of the mineral pectolite, found in soft, swirling shades of blue and turquoise that are often compared to the Caribbean Sea itself, sometimes with white or grey veining running through it, like waves and foam frozen in stone. It was formally discovered in the 1970s near Barahona, on the southwest coast of the Dominican Republic, though local legend says it had turned up on the beach long before that.

What makes it genuinely rare is that it's only found in one place on the entire planet: a small mining area in the Dominican Republic. There's no other confirmed source anywhere else in the world. Because all of it comes from this single spot, supply is naturally limited, and very little ever makes its way to Europe. Most of what does get imported passes through several intermediaries before reaching a jewelry brand, which drives the price up and often means losing track of exactly where and how it was sourced.

We buy directly from artisans in Santo Domingo

We wanted to do this differently. We buy our Larimar pieces directly from local artisans in Santo Domingo, already cut and shaped by hand, and bring them to Germany ourselves in small batches. No middlemen, no guessing where it came from.

Assembled in Darmstadt, with a Pamabela twist

Once the pieces arrive in Darmstadt, we set each one into Pamabela's own colorful, Caribbean-inspired style: gold chains, charms, and the little design details that make a piece unmistakably ours.

Not online yet, but you can see it in person

Our Larimar pieces aren't available on the website yet. Each batch is small and every piece is one of a kind, so for now the best way to get one is to reach out directly: message us on Instagram or write to hello@pamabela.com.

You can also see and try them on in person at our upcoming markets in Darmstadt: the Darmstädter Kunsthandwerkermarkt on August 15 and 16, and the next Markt der schönen Dinge on September 6.