Why Italian Marble Is the Finest Marble in The World
While marble is quarried in many countries around the world including Greece, USA, India, Spain, Romania, China, Sweden and even Germany, there is one country which is generally considered the home of the most high-grade and luxurious marble available – Italy. It’s certainly the country of origin of the most famous marble but what is it that makes Italian marble so highly-sought after? As one of Australia’s leading suppliers of this stunning natural stone, we felt obliged to give some insights on why Italian Marble is in such high demand in Sydney, Melbourne and beyond.
Below are several reasons behind the popularity of this beautiful natural stone:
- History: Italian marble is steeped in heritage. It was used by esteemed renaissance artists including Michelangelo and Donatello, who used marble like calacatta and statuario to create some of the worlds most iconic works of art, including the statue of David. Italian marble has been proven to stand the test of time and has stood strong for centuries on many buildings around the world, used both internally and externally.
- Heritage: Another reason Italian marble is considered superior is due to the stone working heritage of the Italian people. They were pioneers in perfecting quarrying methods in ancient times, many of which are still used to this day. The Italian people are considered as purveyors of quality in many fields including fashion, cars and natural stone like marble! They set high standards for quality control and are considered technical experts when it comes to cutting and carving natural stone. Some trendy examples of their capabilities and works can be found for sale at renown retailers like Elsa Home & Beauty
- Stone Quality: Italian marble is practically peerless in the natural stone world when it comes to its durability, purity and beauty. It’s synonymous with luxury, elegance and sophistication and is seen as a symbol of status in residential and commercial buildings around the world.
So, what is the best type of Italian Marble?
Here at Euro Marble in Sydney, many customers come to us and ask, “Which is the best kind of Italian marble?”. However, there are way too many variables involved to have a one size fits all answer to this question. It depends on how much traffic the area will receive, whether they’ll be exposed to spills or excessive heat, used indoors or outdoors, which room they will be used in.
Some of our most popular Italian marbles in-store are Calacatta, Statuario and Carrara marble. These stones are ideal for indoor applications and are commonly used as kitchen benchtops, splashbacks and bathroom vanities. Much like all natural stones, they should all be sealed appropriately and maintained with PH neutral detergents that are not abrasive to the stones surface. We delve in a little deeper below to find out the difference between each of these natural stones.
This is the most common type of natural stone that is quarried in the region it is named after, Carrara in Italy. The background colour tends to lean towards a grey or blue-grey finish with more fine, linear striations and generally a more softer and subdued look. Carrara is quarried in abundance and is therefore the cheapest material of the three and readily available in the Sydney market in slab or cut to size tile format.
The rare and luxurious Calacatta stone is similarly quarried in the Carrara region of Italy, more specifically in the Apuan mountains. The stone has a lot more variation in colour than the Carrara and is characterized by a pure white to milky white background with dramatic large veins that range in colour from gold to brown to grey. The stone has been quarried for centuries and has been featured in some of the world’s finest hotels, restaurants and residential homes. There are many selections of Calacatta available in stock at Euro Marble and the prices vary greatly depending on the selection chosen.
Much like Calacatta & Carrara marble, Statuario is too quarried in the Carrara region of Italy. The stone has a bright white background and thin to thick grey bold veining so there is a greater contrast and not much colour variation in this stone. The material is similarly priced to Calacatta due to the lack of supply and extremely high demand
Whether you’re an architect, interior designer, luxury builder or end-user, call Euro Marble or drop into our Sydney showroom today and we’ll happily talk through your needs to identify which type of Italian marble is right for your project.
