Onyx Bianco (also Onice Bianco, Bianco Onice, Bianco Onyx or Iran White Onyx) is an Iranian calcite onyx with a pure white to cream-white translucent ground effect and subtle warm honey-coloured to ivory cloudings. Highly translucent — the first choice for backlit wall claddings, feature walls, bar counter fronts, washstand tops and prestigious decorative interior architecture with a pure white, luminous atmosphere and a refined material effect in the style of high-quality hotels and exclusive private residences.
Other trade names: Bianco Onice, Bianco Onyx, Bianco Persia, Bianco Turco, Iran White Onyx, Onice Bianco, Onyx White, RO-10-009
About Onyx Bianco
Onyx Bianco belongs to the family of Iranian white onyx varieties — Iran is among the world's leading onyx supplier countries and exports an exceptional range of chromatically differentiated onyx grades to the global stone industry. Whereas the warm Iranian onyx variants such as Onyx Vaniglia and Onyx Sultan are characterised by golden-yellow and honey-beige tonalities, Onyx Bianco positions itself as the cool white, almost milky ivory variant of the Iranian onyx family and is the choice for design concepts wanting a pure white, light-filled onyx appearance. The Italian marketing name “Bianco” — Italian for “white” — refers to the light ground tone; the designations used in parallel, Onice Bianco, Bianco Onice, Bianco Onyx and Iran White Onyx, are synonymous trade names from Italian and international marketing.
Geologically, Onyx Bianco, like all onyx varieties, is a chemical sedimentary stone formed by the slow precipitation of calcium carbonate from supersaturated calcareous spring or cave waters. This layer-by-layer formation explains the characteristic banded structure of onyx and its high translucency: the material consists of parallel-grown calcite crystal layers that let light through unusually deeply and softly. The light white to ivory tonality of Onyx Bianco results from a particularly pure calcite composition with the most minimal colouring mineral fractions — a high-quality, purely grown onyx that draws its visual beauty from the purity of the calcite layering itself, not from coloured derivations.
Visually, Onyx Bianco is defined by an exceptionally elegant, almost ethereal material signature. The ground tone is a soft, milky cream-white to ivory white with a delicate translucency, shot through with fine, softly contoured cloudings and lines of movement in warm honey-coloured, pearl-coloured and occasionally subtly grey-bluish tones. The layered banded structure typical of onyx is recognisable, but more restrained than with chromatically contrasting onyx variants — Onyx Bianco appears calm, refined and distinguishedly restrained rather than theatrically dramatic. With bookmatch laying — mirror-image laying of adjacent slabs — particularly elegant symmetrical large-scale patterns are created with the fine warm cloudings, which lend the otherwise white surface an atmospheric depth.
The outstanding property of Onyx Bianco is its exceptional translucency — the ability to let light shine through the material. Backlit, the stone shows a warmly luminous, almost porcelain-like inner glow that makes the delicate cloudings appear as frozen movements of light — an effect comparable to no other natural material, and one that makes Onyx Bianco one of the most sought-after materials for luxurious backlit interior architecture. Top-class hotels, exclusive private residences, lounge and bar areas, spa facilities and yacht interiors use Onyx Bianco as backlit wall claddings, counter fronts, illuminated washstand tops and wall accents. Compared with Onyx Vaniglia (a warm golden cream) or Onyx Sultan (an intense honey gold), the light through Onyx Bianco appears cooler and more neutral, which makes the stone particularly attractive for modern, urban-elegant and restrainedly luxurious design concepts.
Technically, Onyx Bianco is a comparatively soft and sensitive material — considerably softer than marble, with high acid sensitivity, low abrasion resistance and limited load-bearing capacity. The water absorption of 0.95 % is elevated compared with marble. Fabrication is traditionally carried out in thicknesses of 2 cm, frequently also in thinner thicknesses of 1 cm to 1.5 cm for backlit applications, since a lower material thickness increases light transmission. Like all carbonate rocks, Onyx Bianco is acid-sensitive and reacts to citric acid, vinegar or acidic cleaners with matt etching — a sensitivity that can become visually particularly conspicuous through the light, pure white ground tone.
In interior construction, Onyx Bianco is primarily a decorative statement material for the highest design ambitions. Classic applications are backlit wall claddings in hotel lobbies, restaurants and exclusive living spaces; bar counters and counter fronts with backlighting; washstand upstands and illuminated mirror surfaces in luxurious bathrooms; decorative column claddings; free-standing wall panels with staged lighting; table and console tops; lampshades and desk tops in prestigious offices. Use as a floor tile is not advisable in heavily frequented areas — the low hardness and the acid sensitivity make onyx vulnerable as a high-traffic floor covering. The cool white tonality of Onyx Bianco harmonises particularly with clear white, with light timber fittings in pale oak or birch, with nickel, chrome and silver accents, with exposed concrete and with reduced neutral wall colours — a stone for modern, urban-luxurious interior architecture with a light-filled atmosphere.
In stock
Current availability from our warehouse.
2 slabs in stock · plus 1 block
Thicknesses: 2 cm · Finishes: Polished · Available as: Slabs
Guide values for the stone type, taken from manufacturer and test reports. Natural stone is a natural product — individual batches and slabs can differ. For critical applications, request slab-specific test data.
Wasseraufnahme
0,95 %
Finishes
Onyx Bianco is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.
Polished
Polishing is the preferred finish for onyx — the mirror-smooth surface brings out the material's varied colour character in full. The highest possible colour intensity and deep light reflection. Onyx is acid-sensitive and softer against scratches than marble — recommended for wall cladding and designed visible surfaces, less so for worktops.
Care & fabrication
Onyx Bianco is a sensitive decorative material and requires careful maintenance. Because of its carbonate composition the stone is acid-sensitive — acidic foods such as lemon juice, vinegar, wine, cola and fruit juices, as well as acidic cleaners, cause matt etch marks even after brief contact, and these become visually particularly conspicuous on the pure white ground tone. For daily cleaning use exclusively warm water with a pH-neutral stone cleaning agent; aggressive household cleaners, abrasive sponges or microfibre cloths with a scouring action must be strictly avoided. Take up spilt acidic liquids immediately with clear water. A professional impregnation after laying, and then every 1 to 2 years, is strongly recommended — it reduces the absorption of pigments (red wine, coffee, olive oil) and protects the polished surface against water droplet rings, which become particularly conspicuous on the light tonality. In bathrooms it is advisable to squeegee off water droplets after showering, since standing water on non-impregnated areas can lead to discolouration in the long term. For backlit wall claddings the care requirement is low — occasional dusting and gentle wiping with a damp cloth is sufficient. For washstand tops and bar counters, gentle cleaning agents and the immediate removal of all soiling should be standard.
Frequently asked questions
What distinguishes Onyx Bianco from other Iranian onyx varieties?
Onyx Bianco is the cool white, milky ivory variant of the Iranian onyx family — it stands in contrast to the warm golden-yellow tones of Onyx Sultan and the creamy vanilla tonality of Onyx Vaniglia. Backlit, the light through Onyx Bianco appears cooler and more neutral, which makes it particularly attractive for modern, urban-elegant design concepts. The choice between the Iranian onyx variants is purely a design decision — Bianco for cool white concepts, Vaniglia for warm creamy ones, Sultan for golden-yellow oriental ones.
What is onyx and how does it differ from marble?
Onyx is a chemical sedimentary stone formed by the slow precipitation of calcium carbonate from mineral-rich spring or cave waters — comparable to stalactites in dripstone caves. Marble, by contrast, is a metamorphic rock. Both consist predominantly of calcium carbonate, but differ in structure, appearance and properties: onyx is translucent (light-permeable) and shows characteristic layered banding, while marble is predominantly opaque and crystalline-granular. Onyx is softer and more sensitive than marble and is used primarily as a decorative statement material.
Can Onyx Bianco be backlit?
Yes — the backlit application is one of the best-known and visually most impressive uses of Onyx Bianco. The crystalline layered structure of the stone lets light pass through the material in a warm, soft glow and makes the delicate cloudings particularly impressively visible. Compared with warm Iranian onyx variants, the light through Onyx Bianco appears cooler and more neutral — a property that makes it particularly attractive for modern and urban-elegant design concepts. For backlit installation, thinner slab thicknesses (1 to 1.5 cm) are usually chosen, and backlighting is done with indirect LED technology.
Is Onyx Bianco suitable for floor surfaces?
Not in heavily frequented areas. Onyx is a comparatively soft and acid-sensitive material and develops visible traces under intensive foot traffic. In prestigious areas with moderate frequency, such as private living rooms, exclusive bedroom areas or salons in top-class hotels, use as a floor tile is possible. For entrance halls, restaurants or other heavily frequented areas, denser hard rocks such as marble, quartzite or granite are the suitable choice.
Is Onyx Bianco suitable for kitchen worktops?
Only to a limited extent. The acid sensitivity towards lemon juice, vinegar, wine and cola, as well as the lower hardness compared with marble and granite, make Onyx Bianco less than ideal for family kitchens with a demand for robustness. On the pure white ground tone, acid-induced etch marks are visually particularly conspicuous. In very well-kept design kitchens in which the appreciation of the material is explicitly based on the naturally ageing character of an onyx, use as a statement island or a decorative counter front is possible; for intensive everyday loads, granite, quartzite or engineered quartz are recommended.
How large are the typical slab formats of Onyx Bianco?
Onyx slabs are format-limited by the natural block size — customary large formats lie between 250 × 130 cm and 280 × 160 cm at thicknesses of 2 cm. For backlit applications the slabs are frequently reduced to 1 cm to 1.5 cm, which increases the translucency. For special formats and bookmatch compositions sourced through ROSSITTIS, please enquire before ordering — with onyx, the choice of slab is in each case a design decision in its own right, because of the individual vein markings.
What does Onyx Bianco cost?
The price depends on the batch, thickness, surface finish and fabrication — with natural stone there is no serious flat rate per square metre. Business customers see prices once their B2B account is activated; private customers receive a complete quote through a fabricator near them.
