In spite of color being one of the physicochemical parameters most commonly used to characterize ornamental stone, there is yet no standardized protocol for measuring this parameter. Such a protocol is of particular importance for characterizing the color of heterogeneous surfaces, as in the case of granite. The aim of the present study was to determine the minimum area and the number of measurements required to characterize the color of granite rocks. A spectrophotometer and a tristimulus colorimeter, were used to measure the color of granite samples, and the measurements were expressed in CIE L*a*b* color system units. Three parameters were considered as variable factors: the type of rock (Labrador Claro, Grissal, Rosa Porrino, and Blanco Cristal), surface finish (polished, honed, sawn, and flamed), and target area (circular apertures of diameter 5, 8, 10, and 50 mm). The results of the application of multivariate analysis of variance and of the classical CIELAB formula and CIE L*a*b*-based color-difference formulae (i.e., CIE94 and CIEDE2000) to the data revealed that, although all considered factors affected the minimal area and the number of measurements required, the different circular apertures of both the instruments can be disregarded if the number of measurements and area recommended in this study are used. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 35, 368-375, 2010; Published online 22 January 2010 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.20579