Natural Stone vs. Engineered Stone: Understanding the Difference Natural stone—granite—is indeed 100% natural since it is quarried directly from the earth in large blocks. These blocks are then sliced into slabs and polished on one side at the quarry before being shipped to the broker or fabricator. Fabricators cut shapes from the slabs according to your countertop specifications. They then profile and polish the edges. Quartz, on the other hand, is an “engineered” stone, mea