About Us

Introduction to the beauty of Larimar

Larimar is a beautiful and rare gemstone. It is the only Blue Pectolite found in only one small spot on the Planet on a mountaintop, on an Island in the Caribbean. It’s uncanny that it resembles the blue/ bluegreen hues of the Caribbean Sea and Sky, and it is located only in one small area in the Caribbean. 

I believe it is one of the most beautiful stones out there. I love gemstones and Larimar is my favorite!! Since I was dragged up (as they say on my island for raised) in the Caribbean, I feel a kinship to this amazing gemstone.

Some call it the Atlantis stone. It has healing properties; promotes serenity and love. It is said to help with manifesting what you need.

Larimar has a hardness of 4.5-5 on the Mohs scale (10 being diamond). Every Larimar stone is different because it is natural. It is just cut and polished and set in Sterling Silver.

It has so much character; sometimes with inclusions of reddish brown or black; sometimes looking like it has clouds in it; sometimes lightning in the sky; sometimes the sea or ocean. So Cool. In fact, it’s a cool (more neutral) color and goes with any other color (coral, greens, tans, yellows, black, browns, etc.)

This stone came to me over 20 years ago at a time when I really needed help as a single mom on the Island I grew up on and lived most of my life. It was my MIRACLE stone. My life situation improved greatly because of this stone. Not only did my life improve, but so did the life of at least 5 different families in the Dominican Republic.

Over 20 yrs ago, I met and befriended a young man who was working in a jewelry store down the street from my small counter in a shared space in a shop on the waterfront in St. Croix where Cruise Ships docked at the pier. Most of my business came from the passengers and crew of the Cruise Ships. He often came in to chat with a fellow Dominicano that worked in the same area.

I came to find out that he had left his family (His wife, children, mother) and friends in the D.R. to come to find work in the U.S. Virgin Islands. His Country is poor. It was the Peace Corps many years ago who showed the people of the D.R. that Larimar was a valuable gemstone. They worked with Miguel Mendez, a lapidary artisan who later named the gemstone Larimar; Lari for his daughter Larissa and Mar, Spanish for the sea.

At some point I asked him if he wanted to work for me from his home in the D.R.. I needed someone to get the Larimar Gemstones from the mountain for me. They only use picks and shovels since it is found in very small cone sections and that protects the mountain. I also needed someone to cut (to my specifications/drawings) and polish the stones, etc. His life and the life of his family (and the friends that worked with him and their families) changed forever for the better.

My customers have been supporting me and at least 5 families in the D.R. all these years. Their resources are the Larimar Gemstone and their skills. Please know that by purchasing these beautiful pieces you are supporting their treasured culture and craftsmanship.

The first time I went to visit my good friend and ALL of his family and close friends, I was treated like a famous person. I get choked up just thinking about it. When his friends met me, they would say “OH! YOU ARE LEAH BROWN!” I am ever so grateful for these beautiful friends I have worked with for so many years.

After about six years, the Cruise ships stopped coming to my island. I was still a single mother also taking care of my mother who had Alzheimer's. I had to start all over again. That's how I ended up in the OUTER BANKS OF NC for many years now.

My mother was from this area and my family has a lot of history here. There is a family cottage my Grandfather built in Nags Head with the wood from his farm in Hertford, NC over 90 years ago that is still standing. Also, my mother and grandmother (Newbolds) gave the State of NC ' The Newbold-White House, which is the oldest brick home in NC and is a wonderful museum now. 

So I reinvented my Larimar business here in the Outer Banks, N.C. I started traveling around selling Larimar at shows and festivals. I also starting selling to some boutiques. Now I am once again reinventing my business due to the Pandemic.All my shows got cancelled for the year and my wholesale was down to nothing.

I've created this website, LarimarOcean.com and I've created a new line of jewelry with the Larimar gemstone and other semi-precious gemstones that is not only beautiful but EMF protective.

EMF Protection Bracelet with Black Tourmaline/Larimar/Herkimer Diamond/Aventurine and other Beautiful and powerful gemstones promoting Healing, Love, Peace, Prosperity, Grounding, and uplifting.

Besides the striking beauty of these Bracelets, Black Tourmaline and Herkimer Diamond as well as Bloodstone are especially good at protecting us from Electromagnetic Radiation/Frequencies because of their mineral content and their grounding effect. They absorb and neutralize, and some of the gemstones block the EMFs.

I've met some amazing women over the years through dressing them up in my Larimar. I'd like to continue bringing beauty and joy to their lives.

 

 

If you have any questions about our products, or if would like to check the availability of an item, please use the “Contact Us” page to get in touch.