What kind of plates do you have? We have not had that problem with our honed marble countertops, but we have bone china and porcelain. Stoneware might be different.

Do you eat on your countertops? We don't, so that could be another factor.

I had the sink cutout polished and that sits between our sink and range. It's where we hand pour our coffee and often set our dishes. It takes the "hits" for the countertop underneath.

Your solution is interesting. I would be more likely to experiment in a sink, to avoid ruining your dishwasher. My suspicion is you will have better luck using table mats or the like.

Is there a rough edge under your plates? Can you smooth it? Anything younaffix to a dish thta is used on a daily basis is going to come off.

I would get new plates and rely on place mats in the meantime, if you can't fix the dishes. I have Carrara marble and even my heavy Apilco serving dishes don't pose a problem.

Sounds like the situation may be calling for new plates, made from something very lightweight and silky smooth. Silicone caulk isn't meant for active use like that. My expectation would be that it would peel quickly from the friction of use, heat of cleaning/microwave, and the force of water to wash. That's not to mention it isn't food safe and could end up being ingested if pieces fell unnoticed from the bottom of one plate onto the top of another. You may have an exta-delicate variety of marble. Many people with marble talk about using a lot of decorative trays placed everywhere on which they do the heavier work to help protect the surface.

No to the silicone and don’t slide the plates, use placemats when you need them . I have never had an issue with counters and plates but my dinner knives scratched some dishes I bought a long time ago.

If the plates are stoneware and the problem is that the bottom of the foot of the plate is unglazed and therefore rough, you can use some fine-grit sandpaper to smooth them out. That might not be enough to make them safe to slide on marble. I just try not to drag things on our marble countertops.

Yes, placemats would be the easiest and cheapest solution. Would be a shame to get rid of your plates - and what would you do with them, throw them away? Williams Sonoma always a good bet for placemats, or Sur La Table. I understand how NYC kitchens are so small. Love your kitchen, that green is fabulous.

What a gorgeous kitchen. That green and the marble are heavenly,

I assume this is not the spot where the plates are scatching since I see no point in using plates in that spot.

What a gorgeous kitchen.

Patricia, I assume the plates are there where plating meals or putting in serving dishes, loading the dishwasher, etc., not eating.

Yes, this is where I plate, serve when I have guests, cook/prep, all kitchen related activities except the actual eating. I'm going to find placemats! Thank you everyone for your help!

Bloomingdale's and West Elm also have a bunch of placemat choices. And also for wear-like-iron, inexpensive-but-does-the-job, the classic Ritz placemat in several colors at Amazon.

Nice colors in that kitchen! I don't have stoneware, everyday and good plates too are porcelain. We eat many meals at our breakfast table and its glass. Place mats are an absolute must! Not only will the table scratch, its noisy without mats. In your place, I think I might store the present dishes and buy something else, at the very least buy placemats. Lots of pretty choices out there, mine are all washer/dryer and several are no iron.

If you do everything on that small section of counter, I don't see how you are going to avoid patina and wear-and-tear. Just enjoy your life and the scars/wrinkles that all surfaces accumulate. Why stress yourself over something relatively trivial ...

But if it really bothers you, then you could buy one of those clear thick plastic sheets that you use on desktops, cut it down to size and place it on that area. Easy to remove and clean.

This type https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/739244/Artistic-Krystal-View-Clear-Desk-Pad/

Matte Stoneguard.