The Italian economy has received the shellacking of a generation over the last two years. 1.2 million jobs were lost, a third of Italians experienced a loss of income, and nearly 700,000 small and midsize businesses are still at risk of bankruptcy. There are few bright spots on the Italian economic horizon right now, with Milan’s FTSE MIB stock market index down more than 15% over the last six months and only half as many tourists expected to visit Italy this year compared to 2019, leaving the €100 billion sector limping along.

So why on Earth is Carrara marble breaking one sales record after another? The circumstances surrounding metamorphic rock’s roaring performance lately are largely linked to the globalization of the marble market, but Italy is playing its part as well.