Commercial name
The name most commonly used on the market.The letter ® stands for officially registered names.



They describe the material's main esthetic features. The description may contain the following terms:

Homogeneous pattern: on the scale of a slab or tile, the elements comprising the material do not show a preferential direction so the material is visually isotropic.

Oriented pattern: on the scale of a slab or tile the elements
comprising the material show such a preferential direction as to give it a definite orientation.

Veined pattern: the material has veining crossing the ground mass giving it a more or less definite orientation.

Brecciated pattern: this stems from the accumulation of stone elements(clasts) in various sizes and shapes that are partially or entirely incorporated into a matrix.

Arabesque pattern: a variation of the brecciated pattern in which the elements have somewhat oval shape, more or less elongated, delimited by closely-woven, orientation and inter-connected veining.

Stylolites: thin veinings typical of lime stone, running zigzag nearly parallel to one another oriented like the material's grain.

Clast: stone element found in brecciated or arabesque material.

Grain: the size of the crystals or other elements constituting the material. Grain classifications differs in marble and granite:

Fine grain: in marble and quartzite-the crystals or other constituent are just visible to the naked eye and the rock appears formed and homogenous(or often multi colored) ground mass; granite and stones-the crystals or other constituent elements are just visible to the naked eye and are about 1mm in size.

Medium grain: marble and quartzite-the crystals or other constituent elements are just visible to the naked eye and are about 1mm in size; granite and stones- the crystals and other constituent elements are quite visible to the naked eye and average 2 to 5mm in size.

Coarse grain: marble and quartzite- the crystals are quite visible to the naked eye and have a size of 2 mm or more; granite-the crystals are larger then 5 mm.

Cyristalline: coarse-grain marble in which the crystals from a mosaic of tiny reflecting surfaces.

Chiandonato: granite ,one of whose cyristalline components is much larger then the others, acorn (ghianda) in shape and generally larger then a centimeter.

Grain: (also grainwise) the preferential direction taken by the material’s physical components often coinciding with saw
planes of least resistance.

Easy way: the plane at the right angles to grainwise but running the same direction.

Hard way: the plane at the right angles both the grainwise and the easy way, normally coinciding with the saw planes of most resistance.



These are the main defects that can be found in stone materials. Describtions may contain the following items:

Chain: pale, large-grain, straight run veining centimetres to decimetres wide.

Cispadani: tears in large crystals(acorns)

Closed taroli: white dots sized in millimetres

Closed thread: closed fracture

Crafty thread: closed fracture that opens while the material is being worked.

Dry: (material) very fragile

Foam: whitish or yellowish stripes or spots visible on a polished surface.
Loose bolt: greyish veining centimetres to decimetres wide with low resistance to mechanical stress.

Magrosità: minute excoriations of the rock that do not polish and may correspond to weak zones in the material.

Open thread: open fracture

Oil stain: a greasy looking halo, uneven in shape and size in decimetres
Parsley: sprig-like black spots, often manganese oxide

Patch: a colored area generally somewhat oval and more or less elongated
Rust: yellow-brown spot or halo

Salt: glassy-gray veining generally millimetres wide and of an indefinite length.

Snake: fine-grain veining in various colours running straight or undulating, from centimetres to decimetres wide.

Sparkle: glints from large sized crystals

Stars: unevenly star shaped reflections, centimetres in size.

Tarolli: small uneven cavities, alone or in sets

Tears: minute fractures that look like thin pale lines; often appear in sets.

Threads: threat like veining running straight or undulating



This refers to the size of the blocks available in the market.

Small: shapeless or highly fractured blocks; squared blocks with three small sides and volume between 1m³ and 2m³ (for example 180x90-120x80cm)

Medium: squared blocks with at least two in sizes useful for slabs, and volume between 2m³ and 6m³ (for example 220x140-160x120cm)

Large: squared blocks with three large sides and volume over 6m³(for
example 300x170-190x180cm)



This means whether or not a material is adapted for work on the edge of the slab and depends on its resistance to mechanical stress.

Limited: hard to cut a sharp corner; the edge breaks easily especially if worked with a low angle of curve.

Good: a sharp corner can be cut well and the edge takes the main kinds of workman ship well.

Excellent: a sharp corner can be cut and the edge is very resistant to all standard of work.

Obligatory chamfering: the need to chamfer the tile to keep the corner from breaking during installation



These are common uses in architecture. Uses not mentioned are either not recommended or are applications possible, for various reasons (cost, availability, esthetic characteristics, etc) are not employed.

High tread flooring: flooring in public-access areas such as shopping centres, air ports banks, museums, churches, big hotel lobbies, etc.

Low tread flooring: flooring in homes, offices, small hotel lobbies, etc.

Bathroom: installations subject to direct and frequent contact with water or exposed to high levels of humidity.

Kitchen: installation in areas subject to direct or indirect contact with oily and acid substances normally used in kitchen.

Protuding elements(ledges, etc): elements whose support surface is much smaller and/or heavily unbalance with regards to their centre of gravity.



These are the most common uses in architecture. Uses not mentioned are either not recommended or are applications possible but, for various reasons (cost, availability, esthetic characteristics, etc) seldom or never employed.

Paving: pavments primarily intended for pedestrian use

Street furniture: elements commonly present in architecture of public areas, either with structural functions(curbs, steps, sidewalks, etc) or used for specific elements(planters, benches, fountains, etc)

Funerary: funerary art and décor such as tombstones, tombs, outdoor statuary, etc.



These are conditions that, from the esthetic or physical/mechanical standard points can damage the stone, material or product. The information may come from actually observed occurrences or essentially theoratic considerations based on the material’s chemical, mineralogical, physical and mechanical characteristics.

Sunlight exposure: surfaces located in median latitudes exposed to direct sunlight several months a year.

Polluted atmosphere: the air pollution typical of metropolitan areas and pollution deriving form it (for example, acid rain).

+/- 0°C: environments in which the temperature runs below and above 0 °C in a 24 hour period.

Saline environment: environments with a high concentration of salt in the air or in the substratum where the stone product is installed.