Bahama Blue Granite Headstones
Bahama Blue granite has a cool, calm color all its own: a steel blue-gray base woven with flecks of charcoal, soft white, and a hint of lavender. Fram Monument has hand-carved memorials for families across Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia since 1922, checking every design against your cemetery's requirements before it's carved.
Bahama Blue finishes
The same block of Bahama Blue can look quite different depending on how its surface is finished. Most memorials combine two or more of these, and your design consultant can show you physical samples of each.
Polished
A high-gloss face that brings out the deepest blue in the stone and makes the speckled crystals stand out most clearly. The most popular choice for the front of a monument.
Steeled (Honed)
A smooth, matte finish that reads lighter and grayer than polished. Often used on tops and sides, or as a soft contrast panel behind lettering.
Rock Pitch
A hand-split, rugged edge that gives the stone a natural, quarried look. A classic frame for a polished face on upright monuments.
Frosted (Sandblasted)
A pale, frosted texture created where the polish is blasted away. It's what makes lettering, borders, and carved designs show up light against the polished stone.
Types of Bahama Blue granite memorials
Every shape below can be carved in Bahama Blue, in any combination of polished, steeled, rock pitch, and frosted finishes. Your cemetery's rules usually decide which ones are allowed on your plot.
Upright Headstones & Memorials
A tall, freestanding monument set on a base. Offers the most surface area for lettering, carvings, and emblems, and reads as the most traditional, prominent option.
Slant Headstones
An angled face set on a base, low to the ground but still easy to read from a standing position. A middle ground between an upright monument and a flat marker.
Flat Headstones
Set flush with the ground. Often required in memorial garden sections, and appeals to families who want a quieter, low-profile memorial.
Bevel (Pillow) Grave Markers
Sits low like a flat marker but with a gently angled top edge, giving a bit more presence and lettering surface while still meeting most memorial garden rules.
Single Grave Markers
Sized for one plot and one name. The most economical Bahama Blue option, available in upright, slant, flat, or bevel form.
Double / Companion Grave Markers
One memorial placed over two adjoining plots, with both names on a single stone. Many families order one name now and add the second later.
Ledger Markers
A large flat slab sized to cover most or all of a single plot, used in some older or historic cemetery sections in place of a smaller flat marker.
Veteran & Military Markers
Service branch emblem, flag, and rank details carved into Bahama Blue granite, often paired with a civilian design for a spouse on a companion marker.
Family Estate Monuments
A larger central monument paired with matching individual markers, built for a family plot with three or more burials.
Carved & Etched Artwork
Sandblasted floral, religious, and scenic designs show up crisp and light on Bahama Blue. For photo-realistic portraits, we etch a black granite panel set into the Bahama Blue stone.
The advantages of Bahama Blue granite
Balanced Color
Not as stark as black granite and not as plain as gray, Bahama Blue's soft blue-gray tone feels warm and personal while still looking dignified in any cemetery setting.
Forgiving Between Visits
Its speckled, mid-tone grain hides dust, pollen, and water spots far better than solid black granite, so it looks cared for even between cleanings.
Built to Last
Bahama Blue is a dense, hard granite that stands up to rain, sun, and Maryland's freeze-thaw winters, and holds its polish for decades with basic care.
A Blue Within Reach
For families who want a blue memorial, Bahama Blue typically costs less than premium stones like Blue Pearl, while still offering a clearly blue, distinctive look.
How much does a Bahama Blue granite headstone cost?
Because every Fram Monument headstone is custom designed and hand carved in house, we quote each family individually rather than publishing a fixed price list. Bahama Blue generally runs a little above standard gray granite and below premium imported stones like Blue Pearl; here are typical ranges by marker type.
| Marker Type | Typical Size | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Single Upright Monument | 24"–36" W × 20"–24" H | $3,200 – $5,600 |
| Double / Companion Upright Monument | 36"–48" W × 24"–30" H | $5,000 – $8,200+ |
| Single Slant Marker | 20"–24" W × 12"–14" H | $2,100 – $3,000 |
| Double / Companion Slant Marker | 28"–36" W × 14"–18" H | $3,000 – $4,600+ |
| Single Flat / Grave Marker | 16"×8" – 24"×12" | $1,300 – $2,600 |
| Double / Companion Flat Marker | 24"×12" – 36"×12" | $2,700 – $4,400+ |
| Single Bevel (Pillow) Marker | 16"–24" W × 4" thick | $1,700 – $2,700 |
| Double / Companion Bevel Marker | 28"–36" W × 4"–6" thick | $2,700 – $4,000+ |
This table is a general guide only. Your exact price depends on size, finish, and personalization, and will be confirmed by a design consultant.
How inscriptions look on Bahama Blue granite
When lettering is sandblasted into polished Bahama Blue, it turns a pale, frosted gray that stands out softly against the blue stone. Most families work from the same handful of building blocks:
- Full name and birth & death years, or dates left blank to add later
- Frosted, painted, or gold-leaf lettering for extra contrast at a distance
- Sandblasted floral borders, crosses, or scenic carvings
- A shared epitaph or verse, in sandblasted or hand-carved lettering
- Religious, military, or fraternal symbols placed above or beside the name
Your design consultant will proof the full layout with you, including a sample of how each lettering style reads against Bahama Blue before anything is carved.
From consultation to installation
Consultation
Meet a design consultant in person at our Annapolis, Baltimore, or Rockville showroom, or schedule a virtual consultation, and view granite samples.
Design & Proofing
Our in-house team designs your monument and walks you through a detailed proof before carving begins.
In-House Carving
Your headstone is carved entirely in our own facility, start to finish.
Installation
Our own crews set your monument at the cemetery and remain available for care and repair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually a little. Bahama Blue is imported and costs somewhat more than standard gray granite, but it typically comes in below premium blue stones like Blue Pearl. Your exact price depends on size, finish, and personalization.
Bahama Blue is a lighter, blue-gray granite with a speckled grain, while Blue Pearl is a near-black Norwegian stone with large, shimmering blue crystals. Bahama Blue feels softer and more understated; Blue Pearl is darker and more dramatic, and usually costs more.
Bahama Blue is quarried in India, where it's cut into blocks and shipped to monument makers. Because it's a natural stone, color and crystal pattern vary slightly from slab to slab.
No. Quality Bahama Blue holds its color for generations. Avoid bleach, wire brushes, or pressure washing, which can dull the polish over time; an occasional rinse with clean water and a soft brush is all it needs.
Laser-etched portraits need a dark, uniform surface to show fine detail, so they don't read well directly on Bahama Blue. The usual solution is a polished black granite panel set into the Bahama Blue monument, which gives you a sharp portrait and keeps the blue stone as the main design.
Yes. Many families pair a Bahama Blue die with a black or gray base, or add a black granite inset for a portrait or verse. Your design consultant can show you combinations during your consultation.
Most cemeteries do, but some older or historic sections restrict granite color or require a minimum polished area. Fram Monument confirms your specific cemetery's requirements before production.
Reach out through the contact form on our site or call your nearest showroom. A design consultant will walk you through granite samples, styles, and next steps for your family.