I'm just posting this information for anyone thinking about using marble, but afraid of etching: I found a marble that is amazingly etch-proof!

This was by mistake: I'd gone to get a sample of Vermont White Quartzite at the stone yard over the weekend. The guy who got it for me took the chunk off the wrong slab, unbeknownst to me at the time. We took it home and covered it with spots of vinegar, ketchup, and bathroom products (it's for a bathroom vanity) and left them for the afternoon. Amazingly, nothing etched it at all, not even the straight vinegar. The only thing that stained it was a black liquid eyeliner, and that wasn't even too bad.

The next day the stone yard called to tell me the mistake, and I was amazed to learn that the stone I'd tested was actually considered a marble (Azul Cielo marble). My Cararra counters would have etched in a heartbeat with all that stuff! The stone yard guys said it's definitely a marble, definitely limestone, but it must just be a lot harder/more compressed than most marbles. He also showed me (when I returned to get the correct quartzite sample I wanted!) another marble that he said is super hard to etch. It was dark brown, can't remember the name...

So, anyway.... just some interesting info. If you're looking for marble counters but afraid of etching, check that Azul Cielo out. I looked on line and it seems that most slabs look very blue, but this particular slab was pretty much white, with just a hint of extremely light blue and with a beautiful grey swirling vein.