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Celebrating your marriage on your wedding anniversary each year gives you the chance to genuinely thank your spouse and grow closer together as a couple. The love you share with each other is the greatest gift, but to express that love in the form of a tangible present can bring immense joy to both the giver and the receiver. Jewelry pieces with anniversary stones make sweet and thoughtful gifts for your significant other during these special occasions.
Let’s take a closer look at the traditional anniversary gemstones and metals for each year spent together. Read through this list of beautiful anniversary gemstones by year to perfectly mark the milestone.
The traditional anniversary gift for the first year together is gold, the metal. Since 4000 BCE, the shining aura of gold has been used to adorn decorative objects. Gold is a striking color symbolizing the sun and representing the power of life.
Garnets attracted Egyptian Pharaohs and Russian Czars. Even Fabregé encrusted his famed eggs with garnet stones. These gorgeous crystal gems are also the birthstone of January and come in many colors, although the most well-known is red.
Queen Mary I received a natural pearl the size of a pigeon’s egg from her husband in the 1500’s! Natural pearls are rare, but cultured pearl jewelry is classic, timeless, and essential to every wardrobe. Beyond strands, pearl jewelry comes in many styles, shapes, and colors.
Topaz in nature rarely occurs in blue. The stones you see on the market have been heat-treated to give them their stunning blue color. The Greeks believed topaz gave strength and the Europeans believed it drove away angry thoughts. Today some believe topaz will bring prosperity.
Sapphire ranks a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale as one of the toughest gemstones, perfect for a marriage that will stand the test of time! The most common color of sapphire is blue, but you’ll come across a rainbow of colors.
Give your spouse an amethyst for your sixth anniversary and you will celebrate like it’s Valentine’s Day all year long! St. Valentine, the patron saint of love, is said to have always worn an amethyst ring with a carved cupid. Purple is also the color of royalty and will make your spouse feel like they should be wearing a crown!
Onyx is a chalcedony that has been dyed black. Chalcedony has been found in Mesopotamian jewelry, dating back to the cradles of civilization. The anniversary gemstone meaning of onyx is protection, as many believe the stone brings health and safe travels to couples. Onyx is a tough stone and will stand the test of time and everyday wear.
Tourmaline was first discovered by a Spanish conquistador in Brazil in the 1500s. A mine in San Diego supplied tourmaline to a Chinese Empress Tz’u Hsi in the 1800s. Tourmaline comes in several vivid colors, ranging from green to pink! Tourmaline comes in several vivid colors from green to pink!
The premier source of Lapis Lazuli is in Afghanistan, where rough lies buried in mountains up to 17,000 feet high. Mines date back as far as 700 BCE making them one of the oldest commercial gemstone sources.
Diamond is the hardest mineral on Earth, created under extreme conditions, and is a good match for the strength of your love. Diamond is rare like your true love, with most mines harvesting one part diamond to one million parts host rock! The 10th anniversary is your first double milestone, the first of many to come.
If you would like to read more about Wedding Anniversary Gemstones years 1-10 , check out this article from GIA, click here.
Years 11-20 can be trying for a marriage with raising kids, expanding careers, and just everyday life. Take time on your anniversary to remind your spouse just how much they mean to you and how much you love them with the following types of anniversary stones.
The prized color for turquoise is a pure robin’s egg blue. The most noted sources are Iran, China, and Arizona. Turquoise has been used in jewelry since 4000 BCE!
Poets have long referred to jade as “the stone of Heaven.” Jade is the trade name for both Jadeite and Nephrite. Jadeite is rarer, with the best exhibiting a smooth texture and semi-translucent opacity. Mayan, Aztec, and Chinese cultures have treasured jade for centuries.
Citrine is from the Quartz family. Natural citrine is quite rare, and most of what is on the market is actually amethyst that has been treated with heat to achieve the color of Citrine. This beloved stone and anniversary gem has been loved since the Pharaohs of Egypt.
Romans believed opal symbolized love and hope. What better anniversary gemstone is there? Opal is enchanting with its play-of-color that is unique to each stone and provides a kaleidoscope of color as the stone is viewed from various angles.
Ruby is known as the king of precious stones, coming from the family of corundum (same as sapphire). Ruby gets its red color from chromium. Myanmar has long been the most important source of ruby, along with Mozambique, Kenya, and Vietnam.
Most peridot has arrived at the Earth’s surface as the result of a volcanic eruption, but some rare specimens even came from space via a meteorite!
Many beautiful watches also feature gemstones, but watches are “gems” in themselves, being one of the most popular anniversary gifts. Watches have been a part of great achievements such as Sir Edmund Hillary’s summit of Mount Everest while wearing a Rolex, and Neil Armstrong wearing an Omega when setting foot on the moon!
The phenomenon of cat’s eye, or chatoyancy, occurs in varying gems, with chrysoberyl and tourmaline being the most popular. When light reflects off needle-like inclusions near the surface, a band of light moves that resembles that of a cat’s eye.
It is said that aquamarine calms the stormy waters and that it brings happiness to a marriage. Aquamarine is Latin for seawater and brings with it images of the beautiful blue seawater of tropical locales.
20th Anniversary – Emerald
Emerald is associated with the renewal of life. What a perfect gemstone to represent two decades together! Colombia has historically been the most important source for emerald. Today, Afghanistan, Brazil, and Namibia are also key sources.
If you would like to read more about Wedding Anniversary Gemstones years 11-20 , check out this article from GIA, click here.
Below are the milestones, 25-60 years together! They are special anniversariesl. Your love is forever. Give them a gift that will thrill them for years to come.
25 years has flown by in a flash and now your silver anniversary is here! Mother of pearl is a gem with a silvery sheen and it is perfect for the Silver Jubilee when paired with a silver metal, including steel, white gold, and platinum.
Just like your marriage, cultured pearls are grown from a tiny seed. They come in many varieties including freshwater, Akoya, Tahitian, and South Seas.
The most desired colors of emerald are bluish green to pure green, and the more vivid the color, the better. All emeralds are included, some more than others, just like a marriage that has survived and thrived to 35 years!
It is said that a ruby’s glow comes from an inner fire that can never be extinguished, just like your love after 40 years together! Show your spouse that your love is still burning bright with beautiful rubies.
Sapphire symbolizes sincerity, truth, and faithfulness. What a perfect gift for a spouse that has been with you for 45 years! Your marriage is clear and strong like sapphire.
Gold has been fashioned into jewelry since the ancient times and has been coveted ever since. Gold conveys timelessness. After half a century together, gold is the perfect gift for the love of your life.
Alexandrite is a very rare gem with the exciting effect of color change! On the market today, you will see far more synthetic than natural, and both are special. The colors transform between incandescent and fluorescent light.
The story of the diamond is much like that of your marriage, it is a precious thing formed under unique conditions. Diamonds are prized, just like a marriage that has flourished to reach 60 years! Diamond is a symbol of unchanging love and commitment. What a wonderful present for your love!
If you would like to read more about Wedding Anniversary Gemstones years 21-60 , check out this article from GIA, click here.
Please reach out to us if you would like assistance in finding the perfect anniversary gemstone gift. The team at Solvang Antiques is always happy to help!