Nero Assoluto and Zimbabwe Black

A practically pure black stone has a timeless look, whether in a traditional or contemporary kitchen. Historically, the pure-black slot in our stock has been filled by Indian-sourced Nero Assoluto. This is an extremely dense stone which is particularly hard and less porous than many other stones sold as granites. 2017, however, has seen us switch over, for the moment at least, to Zimbabwe Black. This has been due to a bit of recent variation in the look of the Nero Assoluto. If things improve with the Indian stone, at some point in future we may revert.

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As the name implies, Zimbabwe Black is sourced from southern Africa. It is also known as Nero Zimbabwe. The two stones are extremely similar in appearance and practical properties, to the extent that only an industry specialist would be able to tell them apart. See pictures below and here. Kitchen installations in Nero Assoluto therefore serve as a good guide to how a Zimbabwe Black worktop will look.

Nero Assoluto Granite / Zimbabwe Black worktops have a uniform appearance in colour and texture which works extremely well in contemporary kitchens with sleek lines and a minimal look. Dramatic contrasts can be created using gloss kitchen cabinets. Pure black worktops seem to be paired especially with white, black, red or the slightly softer cream shown below. Contrasted with stainless steel appliances and accessories pure black worktops really give a kitchen a striking showhouse feel. Pure black granite shines like a mirror; the reflective properties under lights are breathtaking.

One of the advantages of using a pure black is that there is no danger of being tied to a colour or worries about colour schemes. Colour can be brought into the kitchen using accessories, and these can easily be changed when a change is needed. This makes Nero Assoluto or Zimbabwe Black the natural choice for developers where appeal to maximum number of buyers in the market is a major factor.

  • Nero Assoluto is also called: Absolute Black, Black India, Indian Black, Indisch-Schwartz, Indisch Black, Nero India
  • Other similar stones: Belfast Black, Imperial Black, India Black, Swedish Black

Sensa Moak Black

In addition to the classic polished Zimbabwe and Nero Assoluto, we are also frequently asked for a honed version. We can hone in-house, but the rather “blackboard-like” finish is not helpful when it comes to oil and grease – be it from food or fingers. Far better is a purpose-treated and sealed stone like Moak Black – basically Nero Assoluto which has been surface textured and deep sealed by our friends at Cosentino.

We are pleased to be able to offer Sensa Moak Black in suede finish in our Premium Plus price band.

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