Perlato Indonesia (also Grand Perlato, Grand Perlato Indonesia, Perlato Grey Marble or Perlato Indonesia Limestone) is an Indonesian limestone in two colour versions — the warmer beige grade Grand Perlato and the cooler grey version Perlato Grey — with a calm, cloudy bioclastic material signature, a fine mineral texture and clearly visible fossil inclusions. Traded as marble, polishable — a planning-flexible Asian alternative to the classic Mediterranean Perlato grades for wall claddings, floor areas, staircases, pool surrounds and prestige interior and exterior fit-outs.
Petrographically this is a tropical marine bioclastic limestone of Indonesian origin, traded internationally as marble — a convention for carbonate rocks that take a polish. Available in two colour variants: Grand Perlato (cream-beige) and Perlato Grey (grey-beige).
Other trade names: Grand Perlato, Grand Perlato Indonesia, Grey Perlato Marble, Perlato Gray Marble, Perlato Grey Limestone, Perlato Grey Marble, Perlato Indonesia Limestone, Perlato Indonesia Marble, RO-02-041
About Perlato Indonesia
Perlato Indonesia is an Indonesian carbonate stone family that has advanced onto the European and international market since the 2000s as an attractively priced South-East Asian alternative to the classic Italian and Mediterranean Perlato grades. Alongside China and Vietnam, Indonesia has established itself as one of the most important Asian suppliers of dimension stone and supplies architects and fabricators worldwide, particularly with cream-beige and grey tropical carbonate rocks. The Italian marketing name “Perlato” — Italian for “pearly” — points to the round, pearl-like pattern characteristic of this stone group, which arises from cross-sections of fossil shells and shellfish in the stone matrix and thereby establishes a visual kinship with the proven classic Perlato families of Italy.
Geologically it is a tropical marine bioclastic limestone that formed through the deposition of shell and skeletal fragments of marine organisms in the warm shallow shelf seas of Indonesia. The intense density of fossils is the visually defining feature — on closer inspection one recognises cross-sections of fossil bivalves, gastropods, foraminifera and smaller shellfish, which emerge as round, oval or irregularly outlined pale inclusions from the warm cream-beige or cool grey carbonate cement. The stone is offered in two main versions: Grand Perlato (also Grand Perlato Indonesia) — the warmer, cream-beige version with clearly visible fossil inclusions — and Perlato Grey (also Perlato Indonesia Grey) — the cooler, grey-beige to pale grey version. Both come from Indonesian carbonate formations, and both are traditionally traded in the stone trade as marble — a convention established in the international market for polishable carbonate rocks.
Visually, the beige version (Grand Perlato Indonesia) is marked by a warm cream-beige to honey-yellow-beige ground effect with an intense fossil texture — the numerous shell fragments create a lively, characterful slab appearance. Pale calcite inclusions and occasional fine ochre accents lend the stone additional depth and movement. The grey version shows a cooler grey-beige to pale grey tonality with a similar fossil structure. Both versions have a moderate slab-to-slab variation — the overall character is reliable in every delivery, while individual slabs vary in fossil density and colour intensity. The surface finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down.
Technically, Perlato Indonesia shows the typical properties of tropical Asian Mediterranean limestones: a medium compressive strength, a medium water absorption within the typical Mediterranean limestone range, frost resistance with proper impregnation. Like all carbonate rocks, Perlato Indonesia is acid-sensitive and reacts to citric acid, vinegar or acidic cleaners with matt etching. In properly impregnated and structurally protected applications the stone is stable against weathering over long periods in Central European climate conditions.
In interior fit-out, Perlato Indonesia is a versatile choice for Mediterranean-inspired, classic, Asian-elegant and contemporary architectural concepts. Classic applications are floor areas in entrance halls and living spaces, wall claddings, stair treads, skirtings, window sills, bathrooms and spa installations. The warm cream-beige or cool grey tonality with its characteristic fossil inclusions creates a calm, friendly atmosphere and harmonises with timber fittings, Mediterranean furniture styles, brass and bronze accents just as well as with clear white and muted earth tones. Outdoors it finds use as façade cladding, plinth slabs, stairs under a canopy, pool surrounds and fountain surrounds — usable with a proven track record in Central European climate conditions with proper impregnation. The choice between the beige and grey versions is a design decision determined by the desired atmosphere of the room, the accompanying materials and the architectural direction.
In stock
Current availability from our warehouse.
22 slabs in stock · plus 1 block
Thicknesses: 3 cm · Finishes: Polished · Available as: Slabs
Perlato Indonesia is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.
Polished
Polishing is the most classic finish for marble and limestone — a glossy surface with the highest possible colour intensity and a pronounced depth to the veining. Depending on the mineral composition, the effect can be matte-gloss in places. Acid-sensitive — wine, lemon and vinegar leave etch marks after prolonged contact.
Care & fabrication
As a limestone, Perlato Indonesia is acid-sensitive and should be cared for attentively. Indoors, use exclusively warm water with a pH-neutral stone cleaning product for daily cleaning — acidic household cleaners, vinegar, citric acid descalers or other acidic substances cause matt-etched spots that can only be reversed by professional re-polishing. Take up spilled acidic liquids promptly with clear water. A professional impregnation after laying and then every 1 to 2 years is recommended indoors and obligatory outdoors — it decisively reduces water absorption, protects against freeze-thaw damage and mitigates the take-up of pigments (red wine, coffee, olive oil). In the bathroom, water drops should be wiped away after showering, because standing water on non-impregnated spots can lead to discolouration over the long term. With pool surrounds, alongside the impregnation, attention to chlorine-bearing splash water also matters: strong chlorine can cause local lightening, and care products insensitive to salt water are to be preferred. De-icing salt in winter is to be avoided on exterior surfaces without fail — chloride-free de-icing agents are the gentler alternative. With acidic precipitation in urban locations, a light patina can form over long periods, which in Mediterranean and tropically inspired architecture is often accepted as a welcome effect of ageing.
Frequently asked questions
Which colour versions are there of Perlato Indonesia?
Perlato Indonesia is offered in two main versions: Grand Perlato (also Grand Perlato Indonesia) — the warmer, cream-beige to honey-beige version with clearly visible fossil inclusions — and Perlato Grey (also Perlato Indonesia Grey) — the cooler, grey-beige to pale grey version with a similar fossil structure. Both come from Indonesian carbonate formations and are technically comparable. The choice between them is a purely design decision — beige for warm Mediterranean concepts, grey for cool contemporary architecture.
What is the difference between Perlato Indonesia and the Mediterranean Perlato grades?
Both belong to the family of fossil-rich carbonate rocks with a characteristically pearly fossil structure. Mediterranean Perlato grades such as Perlato Royal (Italy) and Perlato Europa (Serbia) come from Tethys shelf sea sediments of the Cretaceous and Jurassic. Perlato Indonesia comes from tropical Indonesian carbonate formations with a similar sedimentation history. The visual character is related — both show the fossil-rich pearly texture — while the specific colouring and fossil density can vary. Perlato Indonesia positions itself as an attractively priced South-East Asian alternative to the classic Mediterranean Perlato grades.
Is Perlato Indonesia suitable for exterior applications?
Yes, with consistent impregnation. Tropical Asian bioclastic limestones are frost-resistant in Central European climate conditions when properly fabricated. The stone is used for façade claddings, plinth slabs, stairs under a canopy, pool surrounds and fountain surrounds. For heavily weathered horizontal exterior surfaces with pronounced freeze-thaw cycles and de-icing salt loading, denser hard rocks such as granite or quartzite are the more robust alternative.
Is Perlato Indonesia suitable for kitchen worktops?
With reservations. The acid sensitivity towards lemon juice, vinegar, wine and cola leads on contact to matt-etched spots — a property typical of limestone that cannot be prevented by impregnation. Anyone who accepts the characterfully ageing limestone aspect gets an elegantly classic working surface; anyone who wants a blemish-free surface should prefer acid-insensitive hard rocks such as granite or quartzite.
What does the designation “Grand Perlato” mean?
“Grand Perlato” is the marketing name for the warmer, cream-beige main version of Perlato Indonesia. The addition “Grand” points to the high-quality selection and the pronounced fossil texture of this grade. Grand Perlato and Grand Perlato Indonesia are synonymous trade names for one and the same material — the warm beige version with clearly visible fossil inclusions of Indonesian origin.
Which slab formats are usual for Perlato Indonesia?
Standard large formats from the Indonesian quarries typically lie between 240 × 130 cm and 280 × 160 cm at thicknesses of 2 cm and 3 cm. Through ROSSITTIS, special thicknesses (1 cm for lightweight wall claddings) as well as skirtings and tile formats for floor areas can also be sourced.
What does Perlato Indonesia 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.
