restoring saarinen table top  

Knoll confirms that
it is a knoll made table. Knoll engineer looked at the pictures and got back to us saying new table tops will work with this base.
Knoll also suggested talking to a local rep and finding out if she can recommend someone for the restoration. Have not heard back from the local rep.
In the meantime - we have received couple quotes from local stone restoration places, which are in range of 600-700, and include fixing chips/cracks, light honing and resealing.
Now our dilemma -
- Buy a new laminated table top (cost ~850) and save this one for later
- Restore this table top (cost ~650)
- Use the table top as it is and hope for the best
What would you suggest?
Also, please suggest chairs for this table that don't cost a fortune. I am looking for sort of a varsetile, child friendly chair that would work as a dining chair but won't look out of place if pulled into family room.
thank you!
Meg

It's possible the top was professionally repaired
and that the epoxy used darkened on the surface due to UV exposure, which is really inevitable. If you can live with the visible repair, you may be safe using the table as is. Give it some good sharp raps with your knuckles in various areas over the entire top listening for any telltale dull or dead-sounding spots. If you get a consistent, almost ringing report, the joints are likely good. In the old days, they would have added metal "staples" to the underside.
I think the travertine top is drop-dead gorgeous and completely worth restoring, if at all possible. Thanks to the surge in popularity of stone kitchen countertops, there are a lot of skilled contractors around and a variety of purpose-specific repair tools and materials that just weren't available even 15 years ago. Try to check examples of their work and listen carefully to what they say about their experience, or lack thereof, with travertine.
What's the height to the surface of your table? Never having had one, I'm not sure if it is consistent from year to year among different models. To me, it is a critical factor when researching which set of chairs to consider.

Funny coincidence.
I had thought about black DCM's as a possible choice and then saw this just now.
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/fuo/2342866226.html

Decisions to make
Hi tktoo ? you are very right about the epoxy color and metal staples. The epoxy color has changed but that?s about it. The metal staples seem to be holding up the top fairly well.
After going back and forth with few restorers, I am really leaning towards keeping the top as it is. Only thing that I will do is get it resealed so that food/liquid doesn?t damage the surface.
Table is 28? high. Feels lot shorter compared to our other dining table.

The Eames DCMs might work well.
Individual fit is important for comfortable dining. We have them at our kitchen table and I think they'e great. My wife, who has relatively short legs, has never liked them. Our table is 29" high and I think the chairs are a tad low for it.
Visually, I'd want something that wouldn't clutter or impede too much on that beautiful base.
Best of luck.

I was wrong
about the authenticity of your lovely travertine top. I do have the same table in white marble in another residence, and I use the Knoll Riccio arm chairs around it.

Just saw this thread
... and it looks like you got the info you needed, but I thought this might be of interest so I'll share.
We have a Florence Knoll parallel bar coffee table that was custom ordered with a travertine top. It came from the Inland Steel building in Chicago which was a S.O.M. building. They also did the interior and speced several of these tables. The tops are the same as a Saarinen with the deep bevel, and it measures 42".
So while it was not a standard offering, your tulip table most likely had the top special ordered.
As for your question about chairs, the tulip table works well with a great many chairs designs. You have a lot of options, I'd be sure to take into consideration other elements of your interior where the table will be used.

thank you every for...
thank you every for providing such valuable feedback. I appreciate it very much.
Still haven't figured out the right chair. It's so hard to pick one! I like the molded plastic chair by herman miller but not 100% sure yet. Need to visit a store and try out few chairs first as it's impossible to figure out how comfortable they are from the pics.