Often people make the mistake of assuming that if it is more expensive then the slab is better quality. Often in our industry stone cost has more to do with availability, competitive quarries...in other words; Does color come from multiple locations creating a price competitive market? So the simple answer is: No....the cost has nothing to do with the structural quality. The more complex answer is Yes.

For example; Santa Cecilia Granite is available from many sources so the base price of the granite is fairly low. In that group there is First Choice Material, which is has nicest even looking coloring and movement. Then there is Second Choice Material, this will look close to first choice but have minor color variations which make it slightly less expensive then the first choice. The final classification is Commercial Grade Material, this class of stone will have things that make it look less then desirable, spots/eggs of color that do not match the “Norm” for that material. This is the lowest cost.

These ratings are subjective and have to do with what the granite looks like.  At the end of the day all three classification will perform perfectly for your countertops, but the “quality” is based on the normally based on the subjective appearance, not the ability of the stone to perform well as a countertop material.