I am not familiar with the gemstone brand of quartz, but generally, the quartz finish will be slightly rougher and isn't polished like hydrazzo. Hydrazzo contains marble dust, which is soft, so it can be polished smooth. The only issue with hydrazzo is that because it contains softer marble, it can be more susceptible to staining. Some companies, like SGM (maker of diamond brite) give a shorter warranty on their hydrazzo type product.

Here is a link that might be useful: www.monogramcustompools.com

Thanks for responding.... I am worried about the quartz being rough.. we have already signed with gemstone builder for other reasons... Gemstone does make a polished product to... but haven't asked how much to upgrade. Probably not in my budget. He says the qtz we are getting as of now has 8 yr warranty..... Thanks again very much

To Texgirl1:

What did you decide on your pool finish? How do you like it?

I chose a Hydrazzo finish in my pool to gain a uniform look with no high or low variance. I can see the polish swirls in the surface as well as light and dark finish throughout the pool. Does anyone have a picture of their Hydrazzo finish pool that could be posted so I might compare? The surface is smooth to the touch yet I am very displeased with the look. Thank you

I am considering Hydrazso, Our contractor suggested Quartzscape but that is still rough, I would prefer somethng smoother like Hydrazzo...