Ticino Quarry Repositions Swiss Marble as Exclusive Luxury Goods

Ticino-based family enterprise Maurino Graniti has launched a line of high-end consumer products under the brand name Cristallina Design, shifting its business focus from raw building materials to custom luxury items. The initiative aims to secure the commercial viability of Switzerland's only active marble quarry against mounting price pressure from cheap imports and digital ceramic imitations. Company owner Cesare Maurino and his wife Natascia operate the business in its fourth generation, having managed the Peccia quarry in the Maggia Valley since 2010.

The stone is quarried at an elevation of roughly 1,200 meters above sea level above Peccia before being transported by truck to Biasca for industrial processing. Cristallina marble is distinguished by embedded rock crystals that yield a characteristic luster, appearing in 16 distinct color shades that range from classic white-grey to green, black, and violet tones. Maurino Graniti also runs other stone quarries across Ticino, but views the Peccia site as its primary enterprise.

Compared to major international quarrying locations such as Carrara in Italy, the Ticino production volume remains relatively small. In previous years, annual extraction averaged approximately 600 cubic meters of stone, a quantity roughly equal to the volume of a standard single-family house. The company currently extracts raw material mainly on order and does not disclose exact current extraction figures.

The strategic pivot comes as technical developments alter the market for natural stone in building construction. Modern surface-scanning techniques allow manufacturers to produce ceramic tiles that closely replicate natural stone finishes, offering cheaper options for facades, bathroom fit-outs, and flooring. Property developers increasingly choose these synthetic substitutes over quarry-cut stone due to lower procurement costs.

To counteract declining demand for construction stone, Maurino Graniti is offering finished luxury goods designed by Swiss artists and manufactured primarily in Ticino. The product lineup displayed in the Biasca showroom includes vases, wine holders, candlesticks, and a hand-carved chess set priced in the five-figure range. The pieces target an international clientele seeking exclusive Swiss craftsmanship, with entry-level items priced at several thousand Swiss francs.

Written by Sandy van Dongen sandy.vandongen@alpineweekly.com