Bianco Perlino

Geology and occurrence. Petrographically, Bianco Perlino is a Lower Cretaceous platform limestone – a sedimentary carbonate rock deposited during the Lower Cretaceous (around 130 – 145 million years ago) in a warm tropical shelf sea of the Adriatic-Tethyan carbonate platform. Characteristic are the fine pearlescent shimmering calcite lightenings that gave the selection the name 'perlino' (Italian for 'small-pearled'). These 'pearls' arise through secondary calcite replacement of fine fossil shells during diagenesis. The deposits are located in the Asiago quarry district on the Asiago plateau (Italian 'Altopiano dei Sette Comuni') in the Province of Vicenza/Trento, in the Venetian foothills of the Alps.

Trade designation. In the international stone trade Bianco Perlino is traded as 'Italian marble' – a commercial classification that covers all readily polishable pale carbonate rocks. Petrographically, however, the selection is a limestone and not a marble in the narrower sense (that is, not a metamorphically recrystallised carbonate rock like Italian Carrara marble). Mineralogically calcite dominates – the selection is acid-sensitive, polishable and comes with the typical care profile of a limestone. The old DIN classifications INSK 72.4 / 8.6.1 document its historically long establishment as a dimension stone.

Appearance. The ground tone is a warm creamy ivory dimension stone white with a subtle golden shimmer, markedly warmer than pure ice-white marbles and cooler than powerfully fossiliferous selections such as Perlato Sicilia. Characteristic pearlescent shimmering calcite lightenings (the 'perlini', often 5 – 30 mm in size) are distributed across the face – the defining design feature of this selection. Accompanying them are fine to medium-wide grey stylolitic linear structures that give the stone image structure with soft courses. From a medium distance the selection reads as almost monochrome warm cream with subtle movement; close up one discovers the fine pearlescent depth of the calcite areas. Stylistically, Bianco Perlino resembles the Sicilian Perlato family (the same calcite-pearl look), but differs through its lighter and calmer tonality without the powerful fossil movement of the Custonaci selections.

Technical properties (DNSA #1988). Bulk density 2,700 kg/m³, compressive strength 185 MPa (128 MPa after frost – a marked reduction), flexural strength 12.56 MPa, water absorption 0.11 % (very low), Mohs hardness around 3 – 4 (calcite). This places the stone in the more stable range of the Italian platform limestones. Acid sensitivity: complete (calcitic) – vinegar, wine, lemon, tomato and cola leave etch marks on the material surface immediately. IMPORTANT: frost resistance is NOT given – DNSA note 'not frost-resistant'. Bianco Perlino is therefore clearly to be classified as an internal stone and is NOT suitable for direct external exposure to the weather.

ROSSITTIS range. The finishes currently available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down this page. From the slabs we fabricate internal floors in large format or classic tile format, stairs with treads and risers, wall claddings, bathroom installations (vanity tops, wall and floor tiles, showers with professional waterproofing), window sills, skirtings, bar counters, buffet and furniture tops and – with an acceptance of the acid sensitivity – kitchen worktops.

Comparison. Within the Italian pale limestone family, Bianco Perlino positions itself as the warm ivory-coloured, calm, pearlescent shimmering selection. Related Perlino selections are Perlino Rosato (with a pink tone) and Perlino Bianco. Stylistically similar pale Italian limestones are Botticino Classico (Lombardy, lighter with fine veining), Perlato Sicilia (Sicily, more powerfully fossiliferous with shell fragments), Crema Marfil (Spanish, calmer without the perlino effect) and Cleopatra Creme (Egyptian, sunnier and more monochrome). Within the Venetian dimension stone family, related selections are Pietra di Asiago Grigio and Pietra di Vicenza.

A frank assessment. Bianco Perlino is the ideal choice for any internal application where a calm, elegant creamy ivory natural stone character with a characteristic pearlescent shimmer is wanted. The selection performs particularly strongly as an internal floor in prestigious living spaces, stairwells and hotel lobbies, as a wall cladding in Mediterranean-elegant schemes and as a bathroom installation. Anyone seeking a frost-resistant stone for external applications should switch to polishable quartzites or hard rocks; anyone wanting an acid-resistant stone for heavily used kitchen worktops should turn to a quartzite (Crema Bahia, Mont Blanc) or a porcelain with a creamy warm character.