RocksdayLarimar vs Turquoise
How to tell them apart
A sky-blue variety of pectolite with white, water-like patterns, found only in the Dominican Republic.
Photo: Parent Géry, Public domain
A copper aluminum phosphate prized for its sky-blue to green color, often webbed with brown or black host rock ('matrix').
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick tests
- Streak (rub on unglazed porcelain): Larimar leaves a white streak; Turquoise leaves white to greenish.
Key differences
- Turquoise is waxy and has dark matrix veins.
Side by side
| Property | Larimar | Turquoise |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 4.5–5 | 5–6 |
| Luster | Silky to vitreous | Waxy to dull |
| Streak | White | White to greenish |
| Colors | Blue, White | Blue, Green |
| Crystal system | Triclinic | Triclinic |
| Specific gravity | 2.74–2.88 | 2.6–2.9 |
| Formula | NaCa₂Si₃O₈(OH) | CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O |
| Found in | Barahona Province, Dominican Republic | Arizona; Nevada |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify larimar
- Sky to sea blue with white swirls, like light on water.
- Fibrous texture with a silky sheen.
- Fairly soft — a knife scratches it.
Crystal system: Triclinic
Full Larimar guide →How to identify turquoise
- Opaque sky blue to green with a waxy look.
- Often veined with brown or black matrix.
- Never forms visible crystals — always massive nuggets or veins.
- Porous: it can darken when oiled.
Crystal system: Triclinic
Full Turquoise guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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