I have researched until I am blue in the face about the geology of these stones. I know they are similar in hardness, I know they need to be sealed, I know they will scratch and I know they are going to etch. I am comfortable with these "sacrifices" for my overall love of the space. In my shopping of stone yards these are the two stones (marble and calcite) that I love. The ones I am looking at are similarly priced. I am going for a white stone with simple gray veining (think carrara).

My question for the experts who have worked with these stones: Is there any benefit in choosing one stone over the other? At this point, knowing the pros and cons, they seem pretty well "tied" in my opinion and just a matter of design. Is there anything I am missing, any reason to pick one over the other besides looks?