The facts
What marble actually is
Marble is classified as metamorphosed limestone, with the composition CaCO₃. It crystallises in the trigonal (calcite) system.
Colour comes from impurities — iron, serpentine, graphite — give the veining, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.486–1.658. Specific gravity around 2.60–2.85. Cleavage: perfect rhombohedral in the calcite grains. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where marble comes from
Marble is produced at Carrara, Italy, Thassos, Greece, Makrana, India and Turkey.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How marble is treated
Resin-filled and mesh-backed as standard for slabbing.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What marble is confused with
In the trade marble is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Engineered quartz, Porcelain or Dolomite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.486–1.658 and specific gravity 2.60–2.85 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What marble is used for
Demand for marble comes from architecture and interiors, sculpture, furniture, memorials, awards and corporate gifts and kitchen and table, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the square metre, by the piece or by the order.
Durability and care
Hardness 3–4; cleavage perfect rhombohedral in the calcite grains. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What marble costs
As a guide, marble trades around Slabs $40–900/m².
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is marble treated, and how?
Resin-filled and mesh-backed as standard for slabbing.
Where does marble come from?
Carrara, Italy, Thassos, Greece, Makrana, India and Turkey. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is marble hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 3–4 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does marble cost?
Indicatively Slabs $40–900/m². Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is marble confused with?
Most often Engineered quartz, Porcelain and Dolomite. A refractive index of 1.486–1.658 and a specific gravity near 2.60–2.85 separate it quickly.
What is marble used for besides jewellery?
architecture and interiors, sculpture, furniture, memorials, awards and corporate gifts and kitchen and table. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for marble?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about marble