What is exotic stones? it is definitely for those who want something very different. One of the things very alluring about natural stones, such as marble and granite, is that you can travel the world and never find two pieces exactly alike. That literally makes your stone installation one of a kind.

While less than 100 granite and marble varieties generally make up the color pallet from which U.S. consumers select their kitchen and bath stones, there are literally thousands of potential stone varieties when you parlay color and graining. If you are looking for stones that are truly unique and generally pretty pricey, exotic stones could fill the bill.

“Exotic can be used to describe a multitude of different stones, depending upon the customer,” said Mark Shedrofsky of Stone Source of New York, a major U.S. stone supplier. “Some clients want the most dramatic, unusual and expensive stone, and to satisfy these people, we need to think about Onyx, sodalite, quartz and agates. These stones are easily identified as exotic by their captivating opulence and by their high price tag.”

“When other clients are thinking exotic, they have in a very unique selection of common marble or granite in mind. But, the one-of-a-kind appearance is exotic and appealing because it fits a design or sometimes the stone just ‘speaks’ to a client.” Shedrofsky says some exotic stones are neither dramatic nor one of a kind, but the stone is exotic because it is not very wellknown. “Sometimes these stones are rather common in the country where they are quarried, but in our market these stones have yet to make much of an appearance,” he explained. “Some  of the rocks can be subtle and elegant. At first glance they may not fit the common description of exotic, but when the job is finished and the project is both unique as well as a striking success, the stone is every bit deserving of the description ‘exotic.’ Imagine a Zen-like bathroom made of simple charcoal colored basalt, with subtle markings and shading. To me, this can be considered mysterious and exotic.”

Darlene Speezi, owner and president of Mystic Granite and Marble of Orlando, Florida, one of the southeast’s largest stone distributors, has traveled the world looking for unique stones that qualify as exotic. In a recent tour of her Orlando indoor warehouse, she unblushingly showed magnificent slabs with a price tag of $22,000 each, which means that the stone alone for a kitchen might run upwards of
$100,000, without fabrication. That’s the really high end of the spectrum. Spezzi says exotics are determined by stone quality and availability.

“They are usually harder to quarry than the more standard materials and there may be only a limited quantity of that type of stone in the quarry,” she said. “Location of the quarry and the difficulty in  eaching the stone way up in a mountain are factors. Exotic stones are usually harder than traditional stone and may take twice as long to cut, which adds to the cost.”

“Materials can become exotic if they become less abundant. A major factor in determining the price is how rare the stone is. Excellent exotic stones can range in price from $100 to $400 per square foot, but can be worth every penny of it in terms of the finished product.” Spezzi said.

The countries that produce the most exotic stones include Madagascar, The Ukraine, Russia, Finland, Pakistan, Brazil, Ireland, Australia, Sri Lanka and Italy. Shedrofsky said picking the right fabricator is as important as selecting the right stone. “Working exotic stones can be difficult,” he said. “Each stone will behave differently and the learning curve can be frustrating and expensive to overcome.

While most high quality fabricators are familiar with working some exotic stones, no shop can claim they have mastered each and every one, especially with new exotic stones appearing every year. An experienced fabricator will typically realize the unique characteristics of a stone and then have the experience necessary to research and learn before beginning the job.”