Under the layer of this mud is one of the rarest marbles in the world. Marble Grand Antique, known for its attractive black color and white veins, can only be found in one quarry. His location was lost for over 70 years – until this man set off with a kayak to find him. Today, however, the employees of the quarry encountered a problem. They have difficulty extracting this block of Grand Antique valued at almost 150,000. hole.
– I'm very stressed today. Work does not go as it should. We have huge problems with this block. It's a bad day. Una Brutta Giornata – says Giorgio Rivieri, a stonemason.
Each fragment is valuable because the Grand Antique marble can be sold for almost $ 2,000 per square meter. This is about 20 times more than the price of ordinary Carrara marble. So why is the Grand Antique marble so expensive? And will Giorgio and his team be able to extract the needed block in one piece?
What distinguishes the Marble Grand Antique?
In a quiet corner of the French Pyrenees, the quarry employees are preparing to extract the marble of Grand Antique.
I am a stonemason. Each of us touches the block after mining. We touch him to have a sense of relationship with marble. We touch him as if we touched a woman. It's a similar feeling
– says Giorgio.
Grand Antique is a marble formed at least 66 million years agowhen the collision of tectonic plates broke the black limestone, which was then filled with a white calcite. Due to the rich contrast between black and white, Grand Antique was desirable by the elites since ancient times. The Romans extracted marble from the Pyrenees for centuries, and over 1000 years later it was used in the Basilica of Saint Marek in Venice, as well as in the tomb of Napoleon.
Marble Grand Antique is valued for its unusual appearance
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– Through this small bridge there were people who removed the blocks from the quarry at a time when they did not have the machines we have today. They placed blocks on carts pulled by cattle and drove through the bridge – says Kamienierz.
However, the extraction of this marble stopped almost 70 years ago, and the information about its location was lost. In 2012, Giorgio Rivieri, an Italian stonemason in the third generation, decided to find him.
– I said: “It is impossible for the quarry to simply disappear. The quarries do not disappear. We must at least find its remains” – its stubbornness paid off.
Giorgio borrowed a kayak from a friend and, together with several family members, set off to the wilderness to the place where he suspected that there was a quarry. When Giorgio found a quarry, he was in poor condition.
– We never knew why he was abandoned. In my opinion, once people did not cope with water after abundant rains. The then pumps and machines could not be able to remove water. Currently, Despite modern pumps, we have water problems in winter. It seems to me that they just gave up at the time – wonders Giorgio.
Marble extraction. A small mistake can cost a dear
Giorgio immediately started to work. He obtained permission to drain water and remove only the necessary vegetation. Then he bought the rights to operate and officially opened the quarry at the end of 2014, re -introducing the Grand Antique to the market. Today, Giorgio and his team chose a high -quality block, which they think can be sold for almost 150,000. hole. Its extraction, however, is not easy.
Usually, employees place large rocks and metal fragments between the block and the mountain. Then, using excavators, they try to gently tip the marble to separate it. Today, however, not everything goes as planned. Each failed push breaks valuable marble, but it still doesn't want to fall over.
We sell a prestigious material that is very difficult to extract
Giorgio boasts.
Marble extraction is not easy tasks
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Giorgio extracts marble only when he receives an order from the client. That is why the day like today affects its profits.
– Today our productivity is less than zero. It happens sometimes. These are difficulties associated with this type of quarry – admits the stonemason.
As with any marble extracted Giorgio predicts that half will break down when they hit the ground. It is included in the price. Giorgio only extracts a limited amount, so it is important that the remaining 50 percent. It was of the highest quality. If so, Giorgio can download a full price from the client.
The permit limits it to the extraction of 1200 tons of marble per yearbecause if small quarries were excessively exploited, resources would be exhausted. However, Giorgio claims that he never achieves this amount for another reason.
If we were bringing out a lot, we would have to lower prices, and we don't want it
– admits Giorgio.
Any error at extraction can reduce the price of marble
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Artificial rarity conquers prices
This is a concept called artificial rare. Other luxury industries are based on it. Take, for example, fashion brands such as Nike or Supreme. Instead of simply producing more product to satisfy the demand, Companies introduce limited editions. This increases excitement and price, not only in the case of a specific product, but also all brand products.
This year, the quarries have extracted 850 tons of marble, which is 350 less than he could extract. In addition to supply and demand, the price of the Grand Antique marble plate boils down to the two main factors: its size and quality of the pattern. The most expensive blocks have a balance between white and black. If the marble is too black or too white, it loses its value.
These blocks were purchased at the highest price by luxury brands, so Giorgio pays special attention to the patterns. If the color balance is not worthy of the highest price, the syndrome cuts the block for smaller blocks with more impressive veins.
– David, we will have to cut the block again. This pattern is not very interesting. Let's try 20 cm. Let's look at this page. Here, the stains are a bit more visible – instructs a man.
A smaller block means smaller earnings, but quality control is necessary to maintain a high reputation of the Grand Antique marble.
– We work with nature. We can have marble with a beautiful front, and there will be something that we did not expect. We have to change the plans then – says Giorgio.
Who buys the Grand Antique marble?
The main markets are the United States and China for Giorgio. He says that American buyers prefer large, high -quality blocks. In turn, Chinese buyers willingly order smaller blocks. Giorgio also sells small amounts to local buyers, such as the sculptor Jean-Jacques. Today, Jean-Jacques chooses the Grand Antique block to make a sculpture for his son.
– What block are you looking for? Rather venous, flat and black or linear? – asks the stonemason.
-Rather linear and high-says sculptor Jean-Jacques.
– Narrow but big.
– Exactly, more high than wide.
– We'll choose something together. I was looking for this, it's a real Grand Antique. It has the highest quality, and this type of blocks have the highest demand – admits Giorgio.
Jean-Jacques, however, chooses another block-narrow, but thick with linear veins.
– If you choose this, I will give you a good price. This is a suitable block for you – encourages Giorgio.
– Yes, but you will give me the price “not for tourists” – says the sculptor.
– Of course, I will give you a price for the artist.
Another of the local clients of Giorgio is Xavier Marquier, who in the French Capvern conducts the La Maison des Cailloux workshop, which makes marble products.
– When we are dealing with material such as the historic French Marble Grand Antique, the customer looks at it differently because he knows that he is buying a piece of French history – admits Xavier Marquier, president of La Maison des Cailloux.
The workshop specializes in marble from Pyrenees.
– In Grand Antique I am looking for homogeneous veins. If the block is too dark on one side or is too different, then working with it will not be too pleasant – admits Xavier.
This marble fireplace portal Grand Antique is almost completed. The edges have been curved according to the customer's specification and the portal only requires cleaning and polishing. La Maison des Cailloux products can cost up to $ 31,620. per cubic meterwith a higher price is reserved for the best quality Grand Antique. This is partly because Xavier cannot use the whole marble he buys from Giorgio.
– We need to add the losses we incur during cutting, working time and the cost of machines. The final product may seem expensive, but these are quite rational prices – says the president of the company.
Xavier would not mind if the marble was cheaper, but he understands the Giorgio strategy regarding limited extractionespecially since overproduction can threaten the future of the quarry.
We never know what is hidden in the depths of the quarry. During each subsequent extraction, we can come across a flaw, cracking or just a change in color. This may mean the end of marble extraction
– says Xavier.
Losing access to Grand Antique would be a real tragedy for Xavierbecause he claims that his work gives him a sense of his goal.
– It is interesting to follow the path of people who worked in these quarries. Today, it is one of us to build modern castles for our future generations – says Xavier.
A quarry employees must be precise
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Working in a quarry is for the patients
Let's go back to the quarry. Giorgio and his team again took up a problematic block. They changed the strategy and used plumbers. Two days later their work paid off. The last push has released the block. However, the result is not perfect. Only 20 percent From this 140-meter Grand Antique block, it can be sold as premium marble.
After three days of hard work, the block finally dropped. The issue of obtaining is complicated. Here is a small fragment that comes from this block. From a large block we will carefully choose black and white fragments. It will be very good quality – says Giorgio.
Ultimately, Giorgio sold this block for 65,000 dol., or less than half of what he was counting on.
– The demand for Grand Antique was greater two or three years ago. This year it clearly decreased. From January 2024, it seems as if the market has been clogging – says the man.
Workshops such as La Maison des Cailloux are still going to buy and sell Grand Antique, but the marble market is fluctuated. However, Giorgio and Xavier believe that regardless of the hesitation of supply or demand, Grand Antique will always be a luxurious marble.
– It's just wonderful. His vein fits this sense of greatness – Xavier is delighted.
