i got a sample honed, it was beautiful. i ended up going with marble but the honed madre perle was a close second.

No way you should post this without pix! (hint, hint)

I know, I know...I'm just so painfully technologically challenged. I promise once I have something definite to show you I'll make a real effort to master posting pics.

babushka cat...do you remember any concerns about etching with the honed madreperola? Did you lemon rest it by any chance? My fabricator is happy to supply it honed but is a little clueless when it comes to quartzite...don't think he's very experienced with it and has little advice to give.

i did not test it that far as the madreperla was too grey for me so i moved on to marble. i have seen on this site postings of quartzite etching but think it is not as prevelant as etching to marble. search this site for more info. i finally concluded if i was going to select a product that was prone to etching i might as well get what i want -marble! i would say get a sample honed and have at it. and search this site for more reports on etching on quartzite for accurate assessments by owners.

I'm bumping this because I found my quartzite slab (whaddya think?!) and it just occurred to me that honed might look nice with the soapstone I'm pairing it with. Wondering if more people have tried it and if it affects the durability at all?

Just wanna say....that is one gorgeous slab! Is it calacatta quartzite?

icskaisgir- thanks! It's labeled as white macaubas but it is absolutely indiscernible from calacatta marble. They may use the name "calacatta quartzite" other places. I hear the same material gets different names from place to place. It's so similar to the marble I'm going to be very aggressive with my tests just to make sure there's no mistake!

The kind with the linear pattern is the one that is more commonly called macaubas and the more swirly, veiny pattern is usually called calacatta quartzite. Although I've seen either of them called the other also. They are the same stone, one is just crosscut and the other is not. I have the same stone in my kitchen! It is very durable!

*swoon!*

Good that you are ready to do the tests, smart shopper!

That's interesting. At our stoneyard they call them white Macaubas vein cut and cross cut. Good information for shopping around!