I can't answer your direct question, but I will give you a bump and say that I can't see how you could have missed what you're seeing now, the first time. It's quite pronounced. Are you sure it's what you initially picked out?

Thanks for bumping this. :-) Yes, it definitely the same slab. I have compared pics. I know I would have never picked out something that has these rough parts in it but I just can't imagine what could have happened in the fabrication process that would have produced this effect so it makes me doubt my recollection. And the fact that the light parts are fine confuses me even more. My only saving grace is that it definitely looks like there are linear marks that do not follow the flow/grain of the marble and on the edges the gray parts are still glossy looking.

Welcome! Hopefully some super knowledgeable person will chime in soon and you'll get some answers. :)

I'm wondering, and I have no idea about the fabrication process but, is it possible they haven't been polished after being cut to size/shape?

That was also a question I have. Hopefully, that is the case.

Slabs are factory polished, not site polished. They are only cut to size and edge polished. Different areas of the stone are more easily polished than others. Whatever the issue you may have with the slab, it's not due to fabrication. It's an inherent property of the natural stone.

Thanks for chiming in--so those look like natural fissures to you?

Does it feel rough? I think it is kind of neat looking! Pretty stone.

Yes, it is rough and it was not in the slab yard.

This is the slab.

If these are still in the shop, are you sure you're seeing the topside?
Those do look like scratches in the gray bits. Marble being as soft as it is, it should be no problem to buff those out with a polishing pad.
Casey

Thanks for your feedback, Casey. These are actually installed so they are topside.

Feel the underside to see if it is smoother. Maybe they installed it upside down...oops.

Sounds silly, but I was actually thinking the same thing. That looks like the back side, to me.

Okay, to update you all, no, it is not upside down. :) However, the fabricators said that there were difficulties with this marble and it did seem to scratch and kind of almost like "dry out/make brittle" the darker parts of the stone during fabrication. Yes, probably due to the inherent properties of the stone, but since it looks so different they(stone yard) is responsible for it. They are going to try to repair it but if that doesn't work out, they will replace it with something else. I am hoping it can be repaired but am also relieved that I am not crazy and it was different than what I had seen in the slabyard. Thanks so much for weighing in and helping out. :)

Yay! I'm glad they are going to try to make it right. I would not be happy with those counters.

Kev-no, they were polished. At this moment they are polished where the light colors are but seem honed where the gray parts are--but not honed in a good way. Lol. My GC and I were commenting how they looked almost "freezer burned."

Errant, yes, I am so relieved! :-)

Yay!! Let us know how it turns out. :) (and yeah, it does look freezer burned)