C H E S N E YS
The journey from quarry to fireside has several key stages.
First the block marble must be selected. This task falls to
Lucio Cruz, who founded the business. He looks at the
directional veining, structure, and shape of a block before he
makes his selection. Blocks can be monumental in size,
weighing more than 20 tonnes and it is impossible to
anticipate exactly the properties of the material inside the
block. Hidden venting and flaws can adversely afect the yield
from the block, but Lucio has an intuitive understanding born
of 50 years experience, and he seldom makes a bad choice.
Next, the block must be cut to produce the material required
for the fireplaces to be manufactured. This is not a random
process. The sawyer must decide whether the block is to be
vein-cut against the natural grain of the material, highlighting
the banding and linear lines in the marble, or whether to
cross-cut along the grain, revealing flowery, circular and
cloud-like patterns. The material he is cutting will dictate the
approach he takes.
Masonry, carving and polishing skills are required to transform
the cut raw material into the finished article, revealing the
vibrant colour, fossils and striations that lie within. There is no
short cut to polishing a piece of marble and there isn’t a
carving machine that can match the delicate finish and detail
that the chisel of an experienced carver can achieve. It is a
truly transformative process founded on centuries old artisanal
skills and Chesneys are proud to work with our Portuguese
partners in this enterprise.
Lucio Cruz, founder of Lucidal (centre), Jorge Cruz (left) grandson and Production Manager,
Idilia Cruz, daughter and Ofce Manager