500 million years in the making...The Just Slate Company design team harnesses this character to produce stylish and handcrafted tableware. From their workshops in Scotland, they hand-cut each individual slate piece to fit with contemporary designs. Throughout the production process they focus on the elegance of the finished product and using traditional methods each piece of slate is selected, cut, shaped, felted, oiled and inspected before packing. Cheese needs to be served at room temperature if it"s to be properly savored. The beautifully handcrafted slate cheese board keeps it just cool enough. Each foam-backed round slate cheese board is hand cut with a specialist slate knife. The curve of each cheese board has been judged by the eye of our expert craftsmen, they roll each board around the edge to ensure a balance to every piece. It measures 11.7-Inch diameter FAQs: Can we wash the Slate in a dishwasher? No, the slate simply needs a wipe down with mild kitchen cleaner and a damp cloth. Putting slate through the dishwasher is not recommended due to the foam backing. Will all slate look the same? No, because the slate is handcrafted therefore irregularities must be expected on the surface & edges. Over time the color and amount of mineral content of slate will change slightly depending on which seams are quarried. How can we look after our Slate? After a long period of time your slate may dull in color therefore, from time to time you may wish to rub good oil onto the surface to rejuvenate the deep black coloring and to enhance its contours. Can we heat the slate up in the oven? Slate can withstand temperatures of up to 390 Fahrenheit therefore It is suitable for use as a Trivet to place your hot pans on. We do not however recommend placing the slate in the oven due to its foam backing.