Pretoria is an Indian gneiss from the South Indian hard rock extraction regions, with a dense, fine- to medium-grained foliation structure and a high-contrast black-and-white slab appearance. Traded as granite — a high-strength, frost-resistant natural stone for floor areas, stairs, façades, external paving, kitchen worktops and prestigious interior and exterior architecture.
Petrographically a gneiss, listed in the trade as granite.
Gneiss
India
Available as: Slabs, Skirting, Tiles and flooring slabs ·
1 of 167 reserved
Other trade names: Black Beauty, Black Forest, Black Scorpion, Black Skorpion, Oscuro Mist, Pegasus, RO-01-514, RO-01-666, Scorpion Black
About Pretoria
Pretoria is a classic Indian gneiss from the broad family of South Indian deep-seated metamorphites. Characteristic is a fine- to medium-grained foliation structure with a high-contrast interplay of deep black biotite and hornblende bands and light white to grey quartz and feldspar fields; depending on the selection, discreet warm pink or bronze-coloured accents may enrich the slab appearance. The directional banding typical of gneiss makes the material a lively, independent stone with movement. At ROSSITTIS we carry Pretoria for floor areas, wall claddings, staircases, façade claddings, external paving, plinth details, pool surrounds, kitchen worktops, bar counters, washbasin tops and project-related special fabrications.
Geologically, Pretoria is a highly metamorphic gneiss from the Indian deep-metamorphite provinces — the main deposits lie in the South Indian granulite belt, where a whole family of related gneisses and migmatites (e.g. Kashmir White, Astoria Ivory, Cielo Ivory, Ivory Fantasy) is quarried for the European market. Gneisses are formed by high-pressure and high-temperature metamorphism of old granitic or sedimentary parent rocks — the parallel mineral bands arise from the pressure orientation of the minerals during metamorphism. In the stone trade, gneisses are consistently assigned to the hard rocks and listed under “granite”, because they behave technically like classic hard granites. Mineralogically, white plagioclase and transparent quartz dominate as the main constituents, complemented by black biotite, hornblende and in places garnet. The source of the identification as an Indian gneiss is Natursteinpflege24.de — an established German natural stone database.
The technical values place Pretoria clearly in the class of robust hard rocks: high compressive strength, low water absorption well below 0.5 per cent, frost-resistant to DIN EN 12371, acid-resistant within the normal application range. This makes the material fully suitable for demanding exterior and interior applications — including in Central European climate zones with hard winters and road salt exposure. The directional foliation structure is characteristic of the material and not a quality feature that can be altered by selection; when aligning the slabs, deliberate slab setting can be used to compose with the direction of movement, much as with wood grain. Compared with classic Indian black granites such as Steel Grey or Black Galaxy, Pretoria brings a considerably stronger movement signature; compared with South African black gneisses, the mineral variety is somewhat warmer and richer.
At ROSSITTIS, Pretoria is available as a raw slab (random-size slab), as a floor tile, as a tread and riser, as a window sill, as a skirting, as a paving stone, as a façade element, as a pool surround and as a project-related cut to size; likewise as a kitchen worktop and washbasin top. The surface finishes available in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down.
Our honest assessment: Pretoria is a very coherent choice for projects looking for an expressive Indian gneiss with a clear black-and-white character and the full robustness of a hard rock. The combination of a characterful movement pattern, high compressive strength, low water absorption and frost resistance makes the material suitable for demanding exterior and interior applications — from prestigious kitchen worktops through heavily loaded floor areas to large façades and external paving. For sampling we recommend selecting from real slab appearances, since the intensity of the banding and the weighting of the colours can vary from block to block.
In stock
Current availability from our warehouse.
167 slabs in stock — 166 available now, 1 reserved · plus 33 blocks
Thicknesses: 1–4 cm · Finishes: Polished, Satin-honed · Available as: Slabs, Skirting, Tiles and flooring slabs
Pretoria is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.
Polished
Polishing is the most classic finish in the hard stone segment — a mirror-smooth, high-gloss surface with the highest possible colour intensity and maximum depth effect in the mineral structure. As an acid-resistant silicate stone, polished granite is easy to care for and the first choice for kitchen worktops, wall claddings and prestigious exposed surfaces.
Satin-honed
The satin surface is created by brushing, which selectively removes softer minerals and gives the surface a slight depth. A matte appearance with subtle light reflection and a warm feel to the touch. Easy to maintain, insensitive to scratches and suited to everyday use — a popular alternative to a polish in modern kitchens and living spaces.
Care & fabrication
As an Indian gneiss of the granite family, Pretoria can be maintained over the long term and cleaned without difficulty. For kitchen worktops, external paving and heavily frequented floor areas we recommend an impregnation on a silane or polysiloxane basis as protection against red wine, coffee, oil and tomato sauce. Routine cleaning is carried out with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a soft microfibre cloth or mop; clear water alone is almost always sufficient for daily care. You should avoid strongly alkaline intensive cleaners, acidic products such as vinegar or lemon cleaners, and abrasive scouring pads. Outdoors, Pretoria is frost-resistant and tolerant of road salt — road salt residues should be rinsed off with water in spring. We recommend refreshing the impregnation every three to five years depending on exposure, and more frequently on kitchen worktops and exposed external surfaces.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pretoria a granite or a gneiss?
Petrographically, Pretoria is a gneiss — recognisable by the clearly visible parallel mineral bands formed by high-pressure metamorphism. In the international and German stone trade the material is consistently listed as granite, because it behaves technically like a classic hard rock: high compressive strength, low water absorption, frost-resistant, acid-resistant in everyday use.
Where is Pretoria quarried?
Pretoria comes from the Indian deep-metamorphite provinces.
Which surface finishes are available for Pretoria?
The surface finishes available in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block on this page.
Is Pretoria suitable for kitchen worktops?
Very much so. As an Indian gneiss of the granite family, Pretoria is fit for everyday cooking, water contact and heavily frequented kitchen surfaces. Wine, lemon juice or vinegar leave no etch marks. An impregnation on a silane basis provides additional protection against strongly staining substances.
Is Pretoria frost-resistant?
Yes. Indian gneisses of the granite family are frost-resistant to DIN EN 12371 and have been proven for decades in Central European climate zones as external paving, stairs, façades and pool surrounds. Rinse off road salt residues in spring.
Is the visible foliation in the slab appearance a quality deviation?
No — the foliation is the geological identifying feature of Pretoria. As a gneiss, the material has a pronounced directional mineral band structure, which is visible in the slab appearance as distinct lines of movement. This is characteristic of the material and intended; when laying, deliberate slab alignment can be used to compose with the direction of the foliation.
How do I clean and care for Pretoria?
Daily care with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a soft microfibre cloth — avoid acidic or strongly alkaline cleaners as well as abrasive pads. An impregnation on a silane or polysiloxane basis after installation provides additional protection against strongly staining substances; refresh every three to five years.
What does Pretoria 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.
