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Whether it's your first year of marriage or your fiftieth, honoring and gifting each other is essential — and there's no better way to do it than with jewelry. From anniversary pendants to timeless earring designs, discover the right gemstone to gift for your next anniversary celebration.
History of Anniversary Gifts
Traditional
The long-standing convention of anniversary gifts dates back to Medieval times, where each yearly gift was chosen to bring good fortune and prosperity to a marriage. In the Victorian era, this tradition became commonplace and incredibly popular, with gifts that ranged from paper (like a card) to leather (such as a journal or bag).
Modern
As the tradition continued, the yearly gifts were updated to reflect modern times. What was once the gift of paper became the gift of a clock that symbolized the timelessness of love. The traditional gift of leather became the gift of crystal (think beautiful glassware). We also began to see gifts become increasingly jewelry-related.
Gemstone
In the gemstone version of anniversary gifting, each year is represented by a jewel that brings unique qualities, such as wisdom or passion to a marriage.
Wedding Anniversary Gifts by Year
1st Anniversary Gift: Gold
Completing the first year of marriage is often referred to as the 'golden anniversary' — so it's only fitting that the gift to celebrate it is gold. Embodying the golden memories and moments in your first 365 days as a married couple, it's the perfect metal to signify a strong and enduring partnership. While the traditional gold gifted on the first anniversary is yellow gold, it can also be white or rose gold should your partner prefer different tones.
2nd Anniversary Gift: Garnet
Symbolizing all things romantic and passionate, the beautiful, deep-red garnet is the most traditional way to mark your second anniversary — though it comes in many colors, such as orange and green. Whichever hue is favored, garnet makes a stunning choice in all forms of jewelry — from pendants to bracelets and beyond. Learn more in our Garnet Guide.
3rd Anniversary Gift: Pearl
The gemstone from the sea, pearls commemorate your third anniversary with significance as vast as the ocean. Treasured for their serene beauty for centuries, pearls are a traditional yet trend-forward gift — whether it's a classic strand or a more modern, edgy hoop. Learn more in our Pearl Guide.
4th Anniversary Gift: Topaz
Topaz is a versatile gemstone that comes in a rainbow of colors — from blue to orange to white. Despite their range in hue, the most gifted topaz for fourth anniversaries is the teal-blue topaz that features a cool, serene color. With generally high clarity grades and a rank of 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, topazes are perfectly suited to everyday wear, in whatever form of jewelry you prefer. Learn more in our Topaz Guide.
5th Anniversary Gift: Sapphire
Celebrate your fifth wedding anniversary with sapphire — a captivating and versatile gemstone available in nearly any color. While blue may be the first color that comes to mind when considering a sapphire, they display hues from pink to orange to white (and everything in between — except red). With their unique color ways and exceptional durability, sapphires are an excellent choice for anniversary bands to update a wedding ring stack. Learn more in our Sapphire Guide.
6th Anniversary Gift: Amethyst
Six years of marriage calls for a vibrant celebration with amethyst. Long considered a regal gemstone, it features a deep purple color that's both striking and unique. Often set in white gold or platinum to balance its bright hues, amethyst makes for an enchanting center or accent stone in necklaces and earrings.
7th Anniversary Gift: Onyx
Bold and eye-catching, onyx is a unique mineral with a pure black color and a high polish finish. Long considered a powerful, spiritual stone, it's a meaningful way to commemorate your seventh year of marriage. Onyx is best set in modern, sculptural jewelry designs such as ID bracelets and medallions.
8th Anniversary Gift: Tourmaline
The traditional gift for eighth anniversaries is tourmaline jewelry. Tourmalines represent wisdom, insight, and creativity, making them the perfect gemstones to celebrate close to a decade together. They come in a variety of colors, though most are pink or green — a rare version, called watermelon tourmaline, features both pink and green in incredible bi-color hues.
9th Anniversary Gift: Lapis Lazuli
A beautiful midnight blue stone comprised of lazurite, calcite, and pyrite, lapis lazuli is the unique gemstone for 9th anniversaries. It can be set in many forms of jewelry and looks particularly compelling when set in a white or yellow gold ring or pendant.
10th Anniversary Gift: Diamond
Your tenth wedding anniversary is an incredible milestone and should be celebrated as much –– with shimmering diamonds. For many, this may be the addition of a diamond band to boost a wedding stack or a separate piece such as a diamond pendant or tennis bracelet. Others choose to upgrade their engagement ring with a new or larger center stone and pass down their original piece as an heirloom. Learn more in our Diamond Guide.
15th Anniversary Gift: Ruby
Romantic rubies are the precious gemstones that mark a decade and a half together. Regal and fiery, they represent devotion and passion while symbolizing strength and dedication. With a high rating in durability, they're often set into diamond-adorned pendants or as the center stone in a cocktail ring to make a bold statement of love.
20th Anniversary Gift: Emerald
Honor two decades of marriage with the regal and lucky emerald. A gorgeous green gemstone long associated with royalty, emeralds are said to symbolize growth, peace, and reflection, making them the perfect gift to look back on twenty years together. Learn more in our Emerald Guide.
25th Anniversary Gift: Silver Jubilee
Sleek silver is the metal that represents your 25th anniversary. After a quarter of a century together, we recommend creating a custom design cast in silver — designing something utterly unique to your love story is a meaningful way to honor each other. It could be a silver ring, a pair of earrings, or a set of jewelry in multiple matching styles.
30th Anniversary Gift: Pearl
There's no better way to celebrate three decades together than with the timeless elegance of pearls that symbolize wisdom and beauty. If you also gifted pearls for your 3rd anniversary, consider redesigning the same pearls into a new piece of jewelry to retain the sentimentality of the original design with a fresh look. Learn more in our Pearl Guide.
40th Anniversary Gift: Ruby
Honor four decades together with the fiery ruby that symbolizes passion and romance. If you also gifted rubies for your 15th anniversary, consider purchasing a piece that perfectly complements the original jewelry design. In doing so, you'll create a matching jewelry set that can be passed down for generations.
50th Anniversary Gift: Golden Jubilee
Fifty years together is a remarkable achievement and should be commemorated with gold jewelry. This could be a gold band or pair of earrings — whatever the style, the gold jewelry you choose should be special enough to celebrate half a century together.
60th Anniversary Gift: Diamond Jubilee
Six decades of marriage is typically celebrated with sparkling diamonds. Whether it is a tennis necklace or diamond studs, we recommend considering a piece your partner still needs to complete a suite of jewelry designs. Learn more in our Diamond Guide.
70th Anniversary Gift: Platinum Jubilee
Long considered the most durable metal, platinum is the perfect material to symbolize the strength and longevity of your 70-year marriage. A beautiful silvery white color that can be worn in a plain-metal design, platinum also complements diamonds and other precious or more unique gemstones.
Wedding Anniversary FAQ
What is the silver anniversary?
The silver anniversary is your 25th wedding anniversary.
What is the diamond anniversary?
The diamond anniversary is your 10th and 60th wedding anniversaries.
What is an anniversary ring?
An anniversary ring is a design you receive or gift to your partner to commemorate the years you've spent together.
How do you wear a diamond anniversary band?
Wear your diamond anniversary band on its own or in a stack with your engagement ring.
How many years is a golden anniversary?
Your first wedding anniversary is considered the 'golden anniversary'.
How many years is a platinum anniversary?
Your 70th wedding anniversary is the 'platinum anniversary'.
