Wedding Anniversary Gift Guide: Gemstones by the Years

Here is your own personal guide to finding the perfect jewelry piece for each anniversary.

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Published 07/22/2022 by Whitney Flautt

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Jewelry is the perfect gift to celebrate each wedding anniversary. You’ve probably heard of the traditional gold representing your first and fiftieth anniversaries, but what about everything in between? We believe every anniversary is a significant milestone worthy of celebratory jewelry. Celebrate your anniversary with a piece of jewelry that is as unique and special as each year of your marriage. Use Jedora’s anniversary jewelry gift guide to help you choose the perfect piece of jewelry for every anniversary.

The First Ten Years: Beginning Your Journey Together

The first ten years of marriage are often considered the sweetest. You are wrapped up in creating new family traditions and making memories that will last a lifetime. Show your spouse how much each of these first five years have meant to you by showering them with a stunning piece of jewelry.

1st Anniversary: Gold

Celebrate the first wonderful year of your marriage with gorgeous gold jewelry. Its simplistic elegance makes it incredibly versatile, and it will quickly become a jewelry piece they never go without!

Gold looks perfect by itself or paired with any gemstone. Gold is incredibly versatile, dressing up an outfit for a night out or serving as a casual piece for an “on-the-go” outfit. Ger her a piece that she can quite literally always wear and always be fashion-forward. An easy pick, you simply can’t miss with such a classic and essential piece.

2nd Anniversary: Garnet

Garnet’s bold red empowers individual confidence, constantly reminding your spouse of the strong marital bond the two of you share. Garnet jewelry generally comes in bold crimson but can be a variety of colors because each stone has a varied chemical composition. The uniform crystalline structure reflects light for a perfect glistening touch to any ensemble. Let her sparkle and be bold with a stunning gemstone that will come in any color.

3rd Anniversary: Pearl

Have three years of marriage given you a lifetime of memories? Pearl is a timelessly elegant gemstone that perfectly cultivates three years of your timeless marriage.

Pearl jewelry is the most elegant, versatile, and absolutely essential for any collection. It completes a sophisticated style and can also be used to dress-up an outfit for a night out. The pearl is carefully crafted in the deep sea. Give a gift that is as intentional, special, unique, and meaningful as your marriage.

4th Anniversary: Blue Topaz

Blue topaz serves as a versatile stone that is as blissful as it is beautiful. Its elegance makes any piece overcome its owner with peace. We all know the value of rest to break up a busy day’s schedule!

Between its affordability and wearability, topaz jewelry is a must-have item. It adds such elegance without overpowering a look. You can pair it perfectly with so many other gemstones. Topaz comes in three shades of blue: Sky Blue, Swiss Blue, and London Blue. These colors range from an aquamarine to a darker blue tone to an electrically vibrant blue. These beautiful blues make for a gift to match any type of style.

5th Anniversary: Sapphire

Remind your partner of your forever dedication to them, undeterred by other life changes, with sapphire jewelry. The darker blue of a sapphire signifies a sense of security built upon the solid foundation of your love over the past five years.

Historically, sapphire has always been one of the most beloved gemstones. Royalty coveted this mystical gemstone. While it maintains this elegance, it is also used in daily life. You know the rough polishing material on an emery board? That’s sapphire all right. Get a sapphire piece today to have jewelry fit for a queen that will surely serve handy in everyday styles.

6th Anniversary: Amethyst

Who doesn’t want a little magic in their marriage? The mystical purple of amethyst jewelry creates a magical feel, making her feel like royalty.

Ancient cultures coveted this gemstone for its presumed healing powers. Closely associated with spirituality, faith, and wisdom, Amethyst quite literally means “not drunk” in Greek. This stone offers a sense of security and safety with its serene purple color. Its perpetual popularity elevates its status, but its affordability makes it the perfect gift to feel regal while also remembering the stability and security of your dedicated marriage.

7th Anniversary: Onyx

Black onyx jewelry is notoriously popular in jewelry, but its versatility allows onyx to be a gemstone that will satisfy all individual tastes. Onyx is a way to switch up a jewelry collection, without straying away from the safety of a classic style.

Much of onyx is dyed to enhance the color, especially because the stone is banded in its natural state. The rich, deep coloring makes for adornment of the surrounding metals to really bring style to the piece. It will be different and unlike any part of a collection but will amazingly still pair well with anything. Add a splash of variance into the collection with this must-have piece.

8th Anniversary: Tourmaline

Tourmaline’s diverse assortment of colors pairs well to create celestial pieces sure to make a personalized stylistic statement. Who wouldn’t want a piece of tourmaline jewelry to complete any and every outfit?

It is the most colorful of all gemstones. Ancient Egyptian legend said that the stone passed through and brought the rainbow on its way down to Earth. Make a statement and add a piece as unique as your spouse to her collection.

9th Anniversary: Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is the oldest known gemstone to be appreciated and worn, so its royal blue’s mystical allure diversifies all pieces. Give your wife a gemstone as unique and special as your love for her!

Lapis Lazuli was ground up to be the first eye shadow and an early pigment for oil paint. Often cut into beads or en cabochon, so they make perfect addition to necklaces or earrings. Be careful buying them in rings or bracelets because they tend to be softer than other stone. The dark blue is mysterious and alluring, the perfect gift to represent nearly a decade of constantly discovering new things about one another.

10th Anniversary: Diamond

Show your wife how much you cherish the time you’ve spent together with fine diamond jewelry. Diamonds make classic pieces whose sparkle and shimmer speak for themselves, so be sure your tenth anniversary shines…like a diamond!

Blinded by its stunning beauty, many people don’t consider a diamond’s amazing story. Through eruptions and time, diamonds have slowly but surely reached a surface that is accessible to man. They can then mine the land and find the beauties buried within chunks of carbon. Diamonds are beautiful but are so because of the time and effort it takes to curate them. This is representative of your last decade together. It hasn’t always been smooth, but you have made something beautiful and worth celebration through love and dedication to one another after so many years.

The Next Ten Years: Jewelry for Your Growing Love

Your 10th year of marriage proves that your love can withstand the tests of time. The fond memories of the previous years and the promise of many more years to come deserve a gift as wonderfully exciting as your love for one another. Celebrate this enormous milestone with the timeless gift of fine and favorable jewelry.

11th Anniversary: Turquoise

Turquoise jewelry exudes a refreshingly vibrant aura leaving the recipient to feel like the king or queen of the household. It brings a serenity with its calming blue but its electric tint to that same blue makes any piece assertive and noticeable.

Turquoise was one of the first gemstones mined. Since 4000 BCE, people have admired and desired the beautifully vibrant blue. It is often cut with copper or iron to make dark veins on the stone. Turquoise often has a more rustic look that improves the wearability of such a bright stone. It is the perfect, individualized gift for your better half of eleven years!

12th Anniversary: Jade

Jade is a stunning green that makes for a bold and empowering piece for your spouse to boost their confidence for years to come. The light feel of the gemstone balances the bold color to maintain delicacy as a jewelry piece.

Jade falls into two categories: Jadeite and Nephrite. It is most popular in a rich jadeite green. Historically in East Asian culture, Jade represented serenity and wisdom through tranquility. It was also believed to have healing and protective powers. No matter their symbolic meaning, the pure, light green color offers peace. Jade is the perfect gift because it will surely bring your spouse relaxation and a smile.

13th Anniversary: Citrine

Think your wife deserves a spotlight on her? Citrine jewelry is the way to go! Under the light, it is sure to shine like the sun. Deep gold metal really compliments the zest of citrine’s color, a joyful shade for a joyful anniversary.

Citrine the most popular member of the quartz family. Citrine shows evidence that it comes from transformation of amethyst under heat and pressure. The stone is also said to repel negative energy in an environment or individual. I mean, who could feel sad looking at such an uplifting stone that resembles the warmth of the sun? Citrine is perfect to add positivity and joy to an individual and her collection.

14th Anniversary: Opal

With so many colors and shades, opal is the versatile gemstone that fits nicely with all color combinations, refraining from overpowering another piece. Don’t brush it aside though because it will surely make its own statement.

Opal jewelry is a masterpiece. Wearing it is truly like wearing a rainbow. The wide array of colors in each individual bead makes it versatile, able to be paired with any color scheme. It will add character and style to any ensemble. Opal is seen as the queen of the gemstones, perfect for the queen of your household!

15th Anniversary: Ruby

The emblem of fiery passion, rubies, are the perfect way to show your spouse just how meaningful the last 15 years have meant to you. Every woman needs rich ruby jewelry because they should look as strong on the outside, as they feel on the inside!

Throughout history, ruby has been considered connected to the blood of life, making it represent wisdom and power. The stone’s red is commanding and makes a statement. Its setting in jewelry pieces though give it an elegance that stops it from overpowering in its command for attention. This romantic piece makes your special someone remember your love and feel empowered to wear it.

20th Anniversary: Emerald

Twenty years with the love of your life! Emerald jewelry is the perfect jewelry to commemorate this milestone. It commands desire and passion, causing your spouse to remember the love that the two of you have shared for the past two decades.

The gorgeous green color makes emerald a gemstone that has always commanded power and attention, symbolizing eternal spring and immortality. Its beauty is unforgettable, leading to this association with immortality. It is often worn on red carpets or by famous individuals from antiquity, like Cleopatra. The famous story, the Wizard of Oz even used the infamous stone to comprise the magical land of Emerald City. This stone definitely keeps up with pop-culture trends to ensure it never goes out of style. Get her a forever stone to symbolize the last 20 years of your forever marriage.

Jewelry for the Journey to your 25th Anniversary

The twenty-fifth anniversary is an occasion worth celebrating! Your love has triumphed over hard times and amazing times. The years leading up to this milestone are filled with moments that you will remember forever. Mark this special occasion with a beautiful piece of jewelry.

25th Anniversary: Silver Jubilee Embedded with Tanzanite

Give a gift so special that it directly relates to this milestone. Silver jubilee means “the twenty-fifth celebration of a significant event,” making this the perfect way to celebrate a quarter of a century together. Mix that with tanzanite, a gorgeous gemstone a thousand times rarer than diamonds, for a gift that is sure to live up to the occasion.

Tanzanite jewelry may not have a rich history like many other gemstones due to its fairly recent discovery. However, it certainly makes up for it in its stunning beautiful shimmer. The stone is mysterious because it is a different color depending on its angle and interaction with the lighting. Within a year of discovery, it took the gem-world by storm with its booming demand. Get this new high-demand gemstone to represent the new phase in your marriage that is to come after your quarter of a century together.

Jewelry to Stand the Test of Time: 25 Years and Beyond

Celebrate each enormous milestone that builds upon your twenty-five years together! Now it is time to turn your attention to the celebration of the many more years to come! The beautiful memories of the past will propel you to make many more in the years to come. Continue to celebrate each milestone with the perfect gift, adding to her collection where every piece she wears reminds you and the world of your many years together.

30th Anniversary: Pearl

Celebrate your thirtieth anniversary with pearl jewelry that is classic and timeless. Pearl jewelry brings the sea’s majestic elegance to shore and adorns you in elegance and grace. Their multiple layers create a metaphor for the love and memories you have created over these last thirty years.

Pearl is the most elegant and versatile gemstone that is absolutely essential for any collection…seriously! It is so essential that it should be given for two anniversaries, third and thirtieth. It is everyone’s favorite gemstone because of its classic roots that can be jazzed up with any other pairing. This is a gift that she will never grow tired of and you simply can’t miss with such a classily infamous style.