What Is Montesol Granite?

Montesol Granite

• Montesol granite actually refers to a pink, black and white color scheme in the Pegasus line of granite products. The majority of the granite has a light brown hue mixed with a little bit of red, making it appear pink. Other minerals strewn throughout the granite will appear either black or grayish white. This makes Montesol-colored granite appear pink with black and white "sprinkling."

Color Causes

• The Montesol color pattern is caused by the arrangement of various minerals within the granite. Granite is composed of a variety of minerals, including quartz and feldspar. The quartz is what contributes to the flecks of white sprinkled throughout the Montesol granite, while the black is from a variety of minerals like zircon or magnetite. The primary pinkish color is caused by feldspar, which can actually appear in a variety of colors.

Granite Formation

• Granite sinks and other accessories are sculpted from large slabs of granite rock. Granite is an igneous rock, meaning that it was formed from the cooling of magma deep below the Earth's crust. Magma is essentially just molten rock, and when it cools, the mineral crystals within it grow and solidify over time. Rapid cooling leads to glassy rocks, while slower cooling leads to larger grains. Montesol granite with extremely large black and white grains cooled much more slowly than those with a more uniform hue, since the grains had more time to grow.

Benefits

• Granite sinks and countertops have many benefits regardless of the color pattern, and there are none specific to the Montesol coloration. Granite accessories are durable and difficult to scratch and cannot be chipped or scratched from anything in your kitchen or bathroom. They're also heat resistant, so you can feel safe laying your pot of boiling pasta noodles on the counter or leave your hair dryer on the sink without having to worry about heat damage. The color in granite tops will also never fade, as it is actually the color of the stone itself, and not an artificial layer that could wear down over time.