A long marriage is a huge accomplishment that deserves some serious praise. While pop culture may tell us that modern romance has a short shelf life, there are plenty of long-lasting marriages that deserve to be celebrated each year. Whether celebrating your first year or a lifetime as a married couple, following the traditional roadmap of anniversary gifts by year can inspire you and connect you to centuries of romantic anniversary gift-giving. Read on to discover the perfect gift ideas for each chapter of your marriage.
What are traditional anniversary gifts?
The custom of assigning specific materials to different years of marriage is not a modern retail invention. Historical records suggest these endearing traditions date back to medieval Germany or even ancient Rome, where spouses presented their partners with silver and gold wreaths for their 25th and 50th anniversaries. By the Victorian era, the practice expanded to include even more anniversary milestones.
In general, early anniversary milestones feature simpler materials, such as paper, cotton and leather, to symbolize the humble beginnings of a shared life. As the years add up, the materials used in anniversary gifts become more durable, precious and rare. Many couples tend to go all out with distinct annual gifts for the first ten years of marriage, then transition to celebrating major milestones every five or so years after that.
Jewelry makes the perfect anniversary gift
Sure, you could buy a bouquet of flowers for your milestone, but those eventually wilt and die. Do you really want dead stems symbolizing your lasting commitment? You could also purchase a box of decadent chocolates, but that delicious gift is usually gone within a weekend, leaving you with nothing but an empty cardboard box to show for another year of partnership.
Fine jewelry, on the other hand, has a bit more staying power. Because precious gemstones and metals are designed to last for a lifetime, giving jewelry allows you to pass down pieces of your love story to future generations. Even better, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has designated a gemstone or metal for every major marital milestone, making it easy to point you in the right direction for your next anniversary gift.
1-year anniversary gift: paper and gold
Paper represents the clean slate of a new marriage. But if you want a gift that lasts longer than a card, consider the modern alternative: gold. A classic gold chain in yellow, white gold or rose gold serves as the perfect foundation for a growing jewelry collection. You can also consider dainty gold pieces, possibly engraved with your wedding date or initials, to make the milestone feel extra personal.
2-year anniversary gift: cotton and garnet
While the historical choice for year two is cotton, the official gemstone gift for this anniversary milestone is garnet. This fiery gem represents passion, commitment and lifelong friendship. Consider gifting a stunning garnet ring or a pair of earrings featuring rhodolite garnets or vibrant orange spessartites to add a beautiful pop of color to their daily wardrobe.
3-year anniversary gift: leather and pearls
Leather symbolizes shelter and security, making a luxury timepiece with a sleek leather wristband a great third-anniversary gift option. If you are wondering whether a watch is considered jewelry, it absolutely fits the bill as both a functional and stylish accessory. If leather is not your style, you can opt for the alternative third-year gift and select glamorous pearls to bring some class and sophistication to the anniversary celebration.
4-year anniversary gift: fruit, flowers and topaz
Four years of partnership calls for fruit and flowers, symbolizing a relationship that continues to blossom. To align with this theme, the gemstone world turns to beautiful blue topaz. This brilliant gem is believed to bring good fortune and prosperity, making a topaz pendant or a pair of stud earrings a wonderful way to celebrate four years of togetherness.
5-year anniversary gift: wood and sapphire
Reaching the five-year mark is a major achievement, traditionally symbolized by the strength and stability of wood. If you want to celebrate this milestone with something a bit more glam, look no further than a sapphire. While famous for its royal blue hue, sapphire is available in a full spectrum of sapphire colors, ranging from bright yellow to blush pink, to complement your partner's style.
6-year anniversary gift: candy and amethyst
Tradition says to celebrate your sixth year with sweet candy. But another sweet anniversary gift idea is the six-year amethyst. This gorgeous purple gemstone symbolizes inner wisdom, peace and security. Legend even says that St. Valentine wore an amethyst ring carved with the image of Cupid, making it a highly romantic choice for a sixth-year present.
7-year anniversary gift: copper and onyx
Copper is the traditional seventh-year material, offering a warm, rustic aesthetic. If you’re looking for a sleek gemstone option instead, onyx is the official choice for this milestone. While green onyx is a vibrant and affordable option, classic black onyx is versatile and looks fantastic in minimalist rings, beaded bracelets or modern medallion pendants.
8-year anniversary gift: bronze, pottery and tourmaline
Bronze, the traditional eight-year anniversary gift, represents the strength created by blending two distinct elements together. However, if you’re looking to celebrate eight years with fine jewelry, the official gemstone alternative is tourmaline. This stone is versatile and comes in a rainbow of varieties, allowing you to choose between rich forest greens, soft pinks or rare bi-colored stones to create a unique anniversary gift.
9-year anniversary gift: pottery and lapis lazuli
Pottery symbolizes the care and molding that shape a beautiful marriage over nine years. For a luxurious jewelry spin on this milestone, vibrant blue lapis lazuli is the traditional gemstone choice. Known for its deep sky-blue color and golden flecks of pyrite (aka “Fool’s Gold”), lapis lazuli looks great in bohemian beaded necklaces or custom signet rings.
10-year anniversary gift: aluminum, tin and diamonds
Congratulations on hitting double digits! While the traditional metals for a decade of marriage are humble tin and aluminum, a milestone this big often calls for the ultimate brilliant material: diamonds. Commemorate ten years of marriage with a diamond eternity band or a classic tennis bracelet. As the hardest natural substance on Earth, diamonds are the perfect symbol for celebrating a 10-year anniversary—and an unbreakable marriage.
15-year anniversary gift: crystal and rubies
Crystal is the traditional gift for 15 years of marriage, symbolizing the transparency of a mature relationship. If you want a more passionate option, the fifteen-year gemstone anniversary gift is a ruby. Universally recognized as the stone of love and vitality, a rich red ruby is a gorgeous, timeless stone, perfect for any jewelry collection.
20-year anniversary gift: china and emeralds
Two decades of marriage is often called the china anniversary, referencing the delicate care needed to keep fine china dishes from breaking. However, the official twentieth-anniversary gemstone is the regal emerald. Symbolizing renewal, loyalty and lasting love, emerald jewelry is a superb way to honor twenty years of building a life together.
25-year anniversary gift: sterling silver and silver
Reaching the quarter-century mark is officially known as the Silver Jubilee Anniversary. If you were first wed at the dawn of the early 2000s, celebrate how far you have come since the turn of the millennium with heavy silver chains, sterling silver rings or an elegant pair of silver hoop earrings that can be worn every day.
30-year anniversary gift: pearls
Thirty years of marriage is traditionally celebrated with pearls. As your relationship continues to grow, mark the milestone with beautiful pearls that take years to grow inside a mollusk shell. If you gifted your partner a simple pearl strand early in your marriage, use this major milestone to go bigger and bolder. Since pearls come in many colors, you can choose from a variety of gifts, like jumbo baroque pearls, an iridescent strand of dark Tahitian pearls or a head-turning South Sea pearl cocktail ring.
35-year anniversary gift: coral and emeralds
Coral symbolizes protection and success, making it the traditional gift for 35-year anniversary celebrations. However, modern style guides and jewelers heavily feature the emerald as the gemstone choice for this milestone. Whether you opt for a magnificent emerald ring or track down beautiful vintage, estate-quality coral beads, your gift will showcase a stunning look with rich history and symbolism.
40-year anniversary gift: rubies
Four decades of marriage calls for a return to the ruby. This vibrant red gemstone perfectly represents the fiery passion and dedication that have sustained your relationship through forty years of ups and downs. To celebrate this impressive anniversary milestone, consider gifting a bold ruby tennis necklace or a two-stone ruby-and-diamond toi et moi ring.
45-year anniversary gift: sapphires
Sapphires return to the spotlight for the forty-fifth anniversary. If you gifted a traditional blue sapphire for your fifth anniversary, use this milestone to explore other fancy sapphire shades. An ombré eternity band that transitions from soft pastel pinks to deep fuchsia sapphires can perfectly reflect how your love has deepened and evolved over the decades.
50-year anniversary gift: gold
It is time for the Golden Jubilee! Growing your love with your partner over fifty years of marriage is a monumental achievement that few couples reach. Honor this half-century of lasting love with a substantial piece of solid gold jewelry, such as a luxury gold watch or a heavy signet ring engraved with a personal message commemorating your incredible journey.
55-year anniversary gift: emerald and alexandrite
Commonly known as the Emerald Extravaganza, the fifty-fifth anniversary traditionally highlights this lush green gem. However, alexandrite has become an equally magnificent modern gemstone option for year 55. Famously known as “emerald by day, ruby by night” due to its incredible color-changing properties, an alexandrite piece celebrates a rare, multifaceted bond that beautifully adapts over time.
60-year anniversary gift: diamonds
Cheers to sixty years of devotion! If you walked down the aisle 60 years ago, your marriage deserves the exciting brilliance of the Diamond Jubilee. Celebrate this ultimate milestone with a watch encrusted in diamonds or a breathtaking diamond necklace, celebrating a love that is resilient and radiant.
70-year anniversary gift
70 YEARS OF MARRIAGE?! What?! Yes, some marriages reach this amazing anniversary milestone. Former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, whose storybook marriage lasted 73 years, are proof that some marriages do last. And if you’re curious, he gifted her a bracelet to mark their Platinum Anniversary, which their granddaughter, Barbara, wore as her “something borrowed” at her own wedding in 2018.
Protect your anniversary jewelry with Jewelers Mutual
Once you find the perfect anniversary gift to celebrate your love story, protecting the new piece is an essential final step. While home and renters insurance may offer some jewelry coverage, low coverage limits and high deductibles can cost you more out of pocket when it matters most. Specialized policies from Jewelers Mutual provide comprehensive coverage against loss, theft, damage and disappearance. If your jewelry is valued at $1,500 or more, has real sentimental value, or would be a financial burden to replace, a standalone jewelry insurance policy is your best protection against life’s more unpleasant surprises. Click the link below to check your rate today.
