I've seen this before, but not with polished rectified porcelain. Be that as it may, this is what you're stuck with. As for the idea of using Schluter Rondec, I'm not a big fan unless there's no better choice, but in this case, it's sounds like that's where you are. I've done a couple of projects where the Rondec was used for outside corners and a finishing edge, and the look wasn't all that bad. Here are two of them. In the first 2 pics, every outside corner on the tub, as well as coming down the edges of the shower are all trimmed out in Rondec. The other pics, it's easy to see:

Bill:

Thank you for the pics. They really helped us see how this may need to be done. The Schluter edge looks fine for the edges. Not quite as crazy about it for the outside corner edges (although it looks like you did a beautiful job with it). Question: for the outside edges around the recessed window, I wonder if we should just skip the tile in that recess and do a jamb and casing for the window out of some waterproof moulding, if such a thing is available. The window is fairly high and small, 48" x 12", at the back of the tub/shower enclosure. It starts about 73" above the floor, where the existing tile ends, so it won't get a lot of splashing from the shower. We were just going to continue the new replacement tile up to the ceiling and tile in the recess around the window (it is recessed about 3"). We are placing the existing old window with a new vinyl window. If we could find another way to waterproof the recess, like with a waterproof jamb and case, maybe that would work. (Does such a thing exist?) Of course that still leaves no solution for the tile niches we were planning for the walls of the surround. Maybe a complementary trim from another tile series would work for those?

Thank you for your quick response. This is really aggravating. Work is starting tomorrow, when I also get on a plane for the E Coast. (I promised my wife that everything was ready to go and that she would not be left with any problems!) I like to plan these projects down to the last detail, and this was so unexpected.

Concerning around the window, that's more of an aesthetic question, which means you're the only one with the right answer. :-)

"Has anyone ever heard of this kind of problem with bullnose tile?"

Sadly, all the time. In fact, I make it a point to see a bullnose piece before committing to the tile. It just amazes me what people will put up with...

What about revising your design to include some of the matte finish tiles in addition to the polished? Then use the matte finish bullnoses. Turn it into a design feature --

I like sweeby's suggestion, making it a design feature if you can find a look you like. Either by using the matte version of the bullnose and some matte tiles in your design, or find a different coordinating accent tile that also has a matching bullnose. (see link)

Here is a link that might be useful: accent tile and matching ogee

The matte finish (unpolished) General's Gray really isn't attractive, IMHO, and doesn't look good installed next to the polished. (One of the tile places I visited had them in an alternating diamond pattern. They don't look remotely like the same tile.) I suspect that the matte finish bullnose pieces are made in the same idiotic way as the polished ones we have. From the bullnose side, you can literally see the division between the upper and lower layers of the tile. The bullnose does not continue the surface finish, as it would with most tiles.

We went shopping today for other trim from other tile series, but nothing really seemed to work well. We also looked at Schluter trim (and other brands of the same type) with our tile, and my wife is ok with it, even around the niches and the window. We hate living in construction mess, so we try to have rapid well-planned renovations (thanks to our outstanding contractor, it has always worked). It's not worth it for us to hold up construction while we shop and wait for a new kind of tile trim. The Schluter trim in brushed chrome actually looks pretty good. Fortunately, we were planning a more contemporary look anyway, and the other hardware is also brushed chrome/nickel. Agree with sweeby that you should look at everything first. (Although, that said, we just received some really terrific towel bars etc that we bought online, even though the images were not that great. Just got lucky that time, I guess.)

We are experiencing this same problem with Crossville Empire. We've chosen to use Schluter "Jolly" edging for the exposed edges and are mitering the edges of the tiles on the outside corners of the tub surround niches.

We've also had quality issues with Crossville Empire tile, including, some edges on some tiles not being micro-bevelled, chips along the micro-bevelled edges, chipped corners, tiles packed back-to-face (resulting in scratched faces) instead of back-to-back, inclusions in the tile surface, etc. Crossville offered to send a replacement shipment (they wanted me to pack up and return all of the tile from the original shipment), but neither Crossville nor the supplier would check the replacement shipment to see if it had similar quality issues.

I just ordered the same Schluter Scheine Jolly edging today in brushed SS. We're going to use it along the top of a 3" wall base strip of tile (which we had planned to do in the bullnose), along the edge of the tub/shower surround where it meets the normal drywall, around a window, and around two niches. It makes for a very contemporary look, so you have to want that. As you know, the "Jolly" edging profile lets you have the narrower edge facing out so that the edging isn't quite as prominent.

Didn't think about mitering the tile. Have you had luck with that? Seems as if it would be difficult, but might look nice if it works. We used the Crossville Empire in our entryway, and it still looks like the day it was installed. I'm told that this kind of rectified porcelain tile is the hardest, most durable you can buy. If you've had quality problems, it might have been an exceptional case. (Interesting that Lowes just started carrying a very similar tile from China. It is available in two nice colors but in just one size -- 12" x 24". Same depth of finish using stone pieces, not a glaze. And it is less than $4 sf. No trim pieces, just the field tile. If it holds up as well, it could be a very attractive option for large areas where someone wants a polished limestone look.)

We used the Empire series (polished) in Palais Taupe in a bathroom four years ago. The bullnose was used around the shower door. The Palais Taupe is a light color. Is it possible that the dark colors have this problem? Is it possible for you to switch to one of the lighter colors of tile?

This tile is ridiculously expensive and shouldn't have this problem.