While man-made quartz countertops continue to make in-roads in new and remodeled homes, granite is still commonly sought after by consumers. After all, it is all natural and each slab is unique, offering originality to every granite owner on the planet. Its distinctive interlocking crystal structure makes granite extremely strong and gives it the grainy look for which it was named. Granite is sturdy elegance that will last for years if properly maintained.

Not only is each slab different, there are hundreds of named colors and patterns, a variety of price ranges, and since it’s a natural forming stone, variations differ between slabs of the same granite. Granite comes to us from quarries all over the world, but not all quarries produce the same granite. Vermont’s granite is light and dark gray, while red and pink is quarried in South Dakota. Some of the most popular granites come from Brazil and Italy.

And if you really want to make a design statement, consider one of these exotic granites that offer a hard-to-rival beauty and elegance.

Jonesboro Red

Quarried by J.C. Stone at the Jonesboro Quarry in Maine, Jonesboro Red has a color range of  dark pink or muted red, predominant among smatterings of light pink and cream with smoky quartz. The famous Jonesboro Red Granite was shipped all over the United States to construct state and federal buildings, like the Erie County Savings Bank in Buffalo, N.Y., (pictured above) after first being quarried in the late 1890s. Today, it’s used for a variety of applications from landscape projects and floors to paving stones and stairs.

Golden Thunder

A golden-swirled favorite, which displays an almost tannish take on fudge swirl, mixes dark browns, deep green and chocolate with its gold veins. A Brazilian exotic, it is usually described as having a high movement pattern reminiscent of blowing sand.

Rainforest Green (and Brown) is Serpentinite, a rock with similar qualities to both granite and marble. However, it is harder than marble, allowing it to be used on countertops without the constant fear of etching and staining. Quarried in India, it allows for an exotic look with an inexpensive price tag.

Saturnia Granite

This exotic, unique Brazilian granite, has a high concentration of mica, which gives it that extra shine. It gets its name from our planet with the rings: its milky quartz pieces give the impression of a galaxy in the midst of stars.

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