Semi-precious stones are also called gems or gemstones. They are pieces of attractive minerals which are used to create pieces of jewelry after the process of cutting and polishing. Many jewelry are hard, however there are some soft minerals that are also used to make jewelry due to their luster and other attractive physical properties. You could find them all over the globe and there are some that are very common while some that are very rare. One of the rare ones which can be found in the Caribbean area would be the Caymanite.

The semi-precious stone Caymanite can only be found in the Cayman Islands that is located on the Cayman Brac bluff and the East End of the Grand Cayman. Just like the Larimar, which is another semi-precious stone found in the Caribbean, Caymanites have been formed from volcanic activity.

As the volcanic ash poured in on the rocks below the volcano, it formed sediments. And then, as time passed, these sediments hardened into rocks and created a kind of dolomite. And since the mineral content of each layer was different, the colors of the layers were also varied. With the polished stones, there are colored stripes present in earth hues such as yellows, browns and whites.

Also, because of the hardness of Caymanite, the cutting wheels and grinders used for cutting and polishing this stone need diamond tips. Those artists who want to create pieces of jewelry and other adornments put in a lot of effort and time in working with it.

Aside from being used for making jewelry, Caymanite is also used to build sculptures, items such as business card holders and is also used for inlaid tables. Travelers of the Caribbean can truly take home a beautiful piece of the islands by taking home Caymanite items.