AU Edit | The Colour of Marble

A Rainbow of Marble

The formation of marble is metamorphic; carbonate minerals subjected to enormous amounts of heat and pressure transform into a stone that – in its purest of forms – is completely white.

The colouration of marble only comes about because of impurities penetrating the limestone mass: minerals, iron oxides or bituminous materials.  It is the presence of these impurities that give rise to a veritable explosion of colours from the palest of hues to the blackest of blacks.  Iron oxide will transform marble into shades of yellow or brown; iron and feldspar will mean it takes on a range of pinks and reds.  Serpentine gives rise to a myriad of green hues, whereas violet signifies the presence of porphyry.  Marble appears naturally in many other colours too: greys creams, golds and blues and it is ironic that the very elements labelled ‘impure’ are the necessary ingredients that - together with the Earth’s alchemy - bring about the variety and versatility of this wonderful, rich stone. 

The possibilities as regards the amounts of impurities and the intensity of the heat and pressure are endless and luckily for us, that means the spectrum of colours is never-ending too.  And only when marble is showing off all its colours can we appreciate its true magnificence.

To See AU's collection of vintage marble, click here.