I have Cambrian Balck in a brushed or antique finish -- it has a slight shine and a little more uneven surface than my honed marble. The stuff is not impacted by anything that we have found -- just wipe it with a damp cloth r sponge. The surface was acid washed as part of the finish and the stone fabricator said the surface was so densse he didn't know if it would take any of the sealer. They put some on it and tried to rub it in to force it into any pores, but there's no real way of knowing if it took any of it. I can tell you that we haven't needed anything more on it. True Cambrian Black has not only the slightly speckled look with those dark crystaline parts, but it also has what my fabricator called "ice flowers" that tens to be round or roundish light crystaline peices scattered in it. I love the colors and character of them (silver blue and warm coppery tones). It is a smooth black surface and you will see things on it, but I think it is more forgiving than a glossy black granite or a very matte black surface. Oh -- the stone yard guy took a hammer to it to try to chip a piece off the corner for me. Several times. It didn't chip with a strong guy taking a hammer to it. I don't have to baby it in my kitchen. I love it -- no regrets.

Your first post is still on page 1! Have you checked the Finished Kitchens Blog (FKB)? As mentioned in the "Read Me" thread, the FKB has pictures of finished kitchens. There is also an "FKB Categories" link on the right navigation panel that will take you to a page that lists things like cabinets (by manufacturer, color, style, etc.), countertop (by type and name), special features, etc. In the case of your question, there is a link for "Volga Blue". Click on it and will list all the kitchens in the FKB that have Volga Blue granite. As to posting pictures, that information is also in the "Read Me" thread. A friendly request: In the future, please bump the current thread rather than starting another one if it's the same question. Unlike most other forums, this Forum moves so quickly that we have a limited number of threads that we can keep active (approx 4 - 6 weeks worth). So, every new thread knocks off a fairly recent one. Thanks! Here is a link that might be useful: Read Me If You're New To GW Kitchens!

emperador dark (or light) is a marble and it's gotten very hard to get. what is available in the last year has been poor quaility with a lot of fill.

You have a classic reinforcement rod failure. Your sink leaked, the water penetrated past the cheap polyester bedding the cold steel reinforcement rod, thereby oxidizing (expanding) it, and splitting the stone. There is no stone stronger than rust. You are going to get Craigslisters offering to fill it for several hundred dollars. That will work for about a month. The sink must be dropped, the rod(s) removed, the stone patched and/or the sink replaced with an apron style which will eliminate the repaired crack. Anyone charging less than $1,000.00 for this repair should be thrown out. Depending on the shape of your sink, please post a picture taken further back, you may need a custom sink replacement which could be north of 4K. Depending on the size of your kitchen, your sink's placement in the top layout, the rarity of your stone, and the availability of repair material, top replacement may be more cost effective. Your split is past your cutout; not good. Don't wait please. Not only is this terribly unsanitary, but your top will continue to self destruct. Elkay Quartz Luxe in Silvermist.