Color of Granite
All important and the focus of so much attention, color is a trait inherit within the stone itself. The color was set 500 million years ago when quartz and feldspar (among other minerals) combined to form the stone. The human hand effects the color of stone by the method of cut and finish. I have shown three examples of finishes of the same color and piece of granite for comparison.
First a piece of Split Face Pacific Gray granite. Granite does not have a grain so it may be cut in almost any fashion. Note the contrast of the black within the gray field. The shade of the increased black within the field appears to darken the stone. Shadow cast upon the rough surface will enhance the split face look further.
Second, I have shown a Thermal finished Pacific Gray sample. Note that the overall value had become more even and moved more towards the gray rather than the black of the value scale. As compared to the last sample, the shade has moved midrange between light and dark while the pink tone is beginning to be visible.
The third granite sample is Honed Pacific Gray granite. The process of honing removes surface imperfections and brings out all of the stone's natural coloring. While it has comparatively more to the white side of the gray scale, the added pink hue has softened the appearance of the stone.