Did you know there’s a wedding anniversary gemstone for every year? Sapphire for year 5, opal for year 14, silver for year 25, and so on all the way through 75. It’s a much more fun list than the paper/cotton/wood version most of us grew up hearing about.
Now, full disclosure: this list was popularized by the Gemological Institute of America and Jewelers of America (so yes, the people whose business is selling jewelry definitely had an interest in giving you more reasons to buy jewelry). But come on, a gemstone gift sounds a whole lot better than paper, amiright?
Below, every wedding anniversary year from 1 to 75 with its gemstone, a fun fact, and a gift idea or two. If you just want our top overall anniversary gift picks (not gemstone-specific), we have a separate guide on the top 10 wedding anniversary gifts by year. This one is the complete gemstone reference.
1st Anniversary: Gold
Fun fact: Pure 24k gold is too soft for everyday jewelry, which is why almost everything you buy is 14k or 18k (gold mixed with copper, silver, or palladium for strength).
Gold isn’t technically a gemstone, but it’s the metal assigned to year one on the gemstone list. Egyptians were burying their dead with gold jewelry over 5,000 years ago, which gives it an extremely long association with celebrating major life moments. A simple gold piece is a classic first-anniversary move.
Gift idea: A gold chain necklace, small gold stud earrings, or a thin gold band to stack with the wedding band. Solid 14k gold pieces start around $150 to $400 for something good.
2nd Anniversary: Garnet
Fun fact: Roman soldiers wore garnets into battle as protective talismans. The name comes from “granatum,” Latin for pomegranate, because of the seed-like color.
Garnet’s wine-red color pairs especially well with gold and rose-gold settings, and it’s one of the most affordable gemstones on the anniversary list. Quality vintage garnet pieces start under $100. Bohemian garnet jewelry from the late 1800s is having a real comeback right now.
Gift idea: Garnet stud earrings, a garnet pendant on a gold chain, or a vintage garnet cluster ring. Etsy and antique shops are gold mines for these.
3rd Anniversary: Pearl
Fun fact: Cleopatra reportedly dissolved a giant pearl in vinegar and drank it to win a bet with Mark Antony about who could throw the most expensive dinner.
Pearls were the original “expensive jewelry” for thousands of years, until cultured pearls were perfected in the early 1900s and the price collapsed. Today, freshwater pearls are extremely accessible, and the modern pearl moment (think Harry Styles necklaces, big chunky strands) has made them feel current again.
Gift idea: Pearl drop earrings, a classic single-strand pearl necklace, or a pair of modern pearl studs. Freshwater pearl pieces start around $50 and go up from there.
4th Anniversary: Blue Topaz
Fun fact: Almost all blue topaz on the market starts out colorless and gets its blue color from heat or radiation treatment. Naturally blue topaz is extremely scarce.
Blue topaz might be the most underrated stone on the anniversary list. The color is gorgeous, the price is friendly, and “Swiss blue” topaz (the deeper, electric shade) photographs especially well. Sky-blue topaz is the more delicate version.
Gift idea: A blue topaz cocktail ring, a pendant on a delicate chain, or a pair of blue topaz drop earrings. Topaz won’t blow up your budget, so $100 to $300 gets you something special.
Smart move: If your wedding had a “something blue,” a blue topaz piece at year four is a sweet way to echo that detail.
5th Anniversary: Sapphire
Fun fact: Sapphires are probably the most-worn gemstone in royal engagement rings. Princess Diana’s sapphire (now Kate Middleton’s) and Queen Victoria’s collection are the most famous.
Sapphire is the second-hardest natural gemstone after diamond, which makes it ideal for everyday jewelry that won’t show wear. Blue is the iconic shade, but Montana sapphires (steel blue and teal) and pink sapphires are increasingly popular and often more affordable than the iconic deep royal blue.
Gift idea: Sapphire stud earrings, a sapphire pendant, or a thin sapphire band to stack with the wedding band. Pink and yellow sapphires are striking and often more affordable than the blue ones.
6th Anniversary: Amethyst
Fun fact: Amethyst was once considered as valuable as ruby and emerald. The price collapsed in the 1800s when massive deposits were discovered in Brazil, which is why it’s now affordable.
Amethyst dominates the purple-gemstone category in jewelry, and the deeper the color, the more it costs. “Siberian” amethyst (the deepest purple-violet) sets the standard, but most modern pieces use lighter Brazilian or Uruguayan amethyst, which is just as wearable.
Gift idea: An amethyst cocktail ring, amethyst drop earrings, or a statement amethyst pendant. Amethyst is affordable ($50 to $250 gets you something really pretty), which makes it a fun year to go bolder with the setting.
7th Anniversary: Onyx
Fun fact: Roman cameos were almost always carved from black-and-white banded onyx. The technique relied on cutting through the black layer to reveal a contrasting white face underneath.
Onyx in modern jewelry tends to be solid jet-black, set in gold or silver. It’s been used in mourning jewelry, signet rings, and men’s pieces for centuries. The aesthetic is somewhere between rock-and-roll and old-money formal, depending on the setting.
Gift idea: Black onyx stud earrings, onyx cufflinks (a great men’s gift!), or an onyx-accented ring. Onyx also pairs gorgeously with gold.
8th Anniversary: Tourmaline
Fun fact: Tourmaline comes in more colors than any other gemstone, which is how it got its name. “Tourmaline” comes from a Sinhalese word meaning “stone of mixed colors.”
Watermelon tourmaline (pink center, green edges, in the same stone) is the most photogenic version and a real designer favorite right now. Paraiba tourmaline (an electric neon-blue variety from Brazil) is one of the rarest and most expensive gemstones in the world.
Gift idea: A watermelon tourmaline pendant, a pink tourmaline ring, or green tourmaline earrings. The multi-color pieces are one-of-one and feel custom without the custom price tag.
9th Anniversary: Lapis Lazuli
Fun fact: Renaissance painters ground lapis lazuli into the pigment ultramarine. It was so expensive that artists usually reserved it for the Virgin Mary’s robes. Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is the famous example.
The gold flecks in lapis are pyrite, and the contrast between the deep blue stone and gold flecks is what makes lapis pieces so striking on camera. Most lapis comes from Afghanistan today, where it’s been mined continuously for at least 7,000 years.
Gift idea: A lapis lazuli pendant on a gold chain, lapis drop earrings, or a vintage lapis cocktail ring.
Best for: Someone who loves history. Lapis lazuli pieces from antique shops and estate sales are often more affordable than new, and they come with centuries of backstory.
10th Anniversary: Diamond
Fun fact: The first diamond engagement ring was given by Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. The “diamonds for engagement” tradition didn’t go fully mainstream until De Beers’ 1947 “A Diamond is Forever” ad campaign.
Ten years earns you the diamond. It’s also the perfect excuse to upgrade an engagement ring, add a diamond band, or finally splurge on diamond studs. Lab-grown diamonds (chemically identical to mined, just grown faster) have made larger stones much more accessible than they used to be.
Gift idea: Diamond stud earrings (the forever-classic), a diamond tennis bracelet, or a diamond anniversary band to stack with the wedding ring.
11th Anniversary: Turquoise
Fun fact: Turquoise is one of the oldest gemstones in jewelry. Egyptian queens wore it 7,000 years ago, Aztec emperors used it ceremonially, and Native American silversmiths have worked with it for centuries.
The southwestern silver-and-turquoise look is having a real moment right now, but turquoise also works in more modern, minimal settings. Color and matrix (the brown veining you see in some pieces) varies wildly. Sleeping Beauty turquoise (a robin’s-egg blue with no matrix) sets the gold standard.
Gift idea: A turquoise cocktail ring, a long turquoise pendant, or southwestern silver-and-turquoise earrings. Look for natural (not dyed) turquoise, and be ready for the color to vary piece-to-piece.
12th Anniversary: Jade
Fun fact: Jade has been more valuable than gold in Chinese culture for thousands of years. The Chinese imperial jade collection is considered one of the most valuable in the world.
“Imperial jade” is the deep, almost translucent green that commands the highest prices, but jade comes in lavender, white, yellow, and black too. Most affordable jade in the U.S. market is nephrite jade (still genuine, just less hard to find than imperial green jadeite).
Gift idea: A jade bangle, a jade pendant, or a carved jade ring. Real jade varies in price wildly based on color and clarity. Imperial jade (deep green) commands the steepest prices.
13th Anniversary: Citrine
Fun fact: Most “natural” citrine on the market is actually heat-treated amethyst. Pure natural citrine is genuinely uncommon, and most jewelry citrine comes from Brazilian amethyst that’s been heated to change the color.
Citrine is the warm-toned, golden-yellow alternative to topaz. Madeira citrine (the deep amber-orange variety) is the collector’s pick, but lemon citrine is equally pretty and even more affordable. The stone takes a big cut well, which is why citrine cocktail rings tend to be sizable.
Gift idea: A citrine ring (they tend to be big and bold, which is the fun of it), citrine drop earrings, or a citrine pendant. Citrine is one of the more affordable gemstones, so you can go sizable.
14th Anniversary: Opal
Fun fact: Walter Scott’s 1829 novel “Anne of Geierstein” convinced Victorians that opals were unlucky and the market crashed for decades. It only fully recovered in the early 1900s when Australia became the world’s biggest opal supplier.
Opal is the alternative to the (ethically problematic) traditional ivory for year 14, and it’s a much more interesting gift anyway. Australian black opals are the most valuable, with their dark base and flashes of every color when you tilt them in the light. White and fire opals are more affordable and just as eye-catching.
Gift idea: A white opal pendant, opal drop earrings, or a black opal cocktail ring for something more dramatic. Opals are delicate, so pick settings that protect the stone.
Watch out for: Very cheap opal pieces. Real quality opals start around $100+ per carat. Anything much cheaper is often “doublet” or “triplet” opal, which is a thin slice of real opal on a backing. It’s not bad, just be aware.
15th Anniversary: Ruby
Fun fact: Elizabeth Taylor’s ruby and diamond suite (gifted to her by Mike Todd) sold at auction for over $4 million in 2011. Burmese rubies, the gold standard, can hit $1 million per carat at the high end.
Ruby is essentially red sapphire (chemically the same mineral, corundum, just with a different trace element). Burmese rubies from Myanmar’s Mogok Valley are the gold standard for color, but Mozambique rubies have become increasingly available and prized in the last decade.
Gift idea: Ruby stud earrings, a ruby pendant, or a ruby band. For something different, consider a ruby piece set in rose gold.
16th Anniversary: Peridot
Fun fact: Some peridot found on Earth came from meteorites. The ancient Egyptians mined peridot from a remote Red Sea island called Zabargad over 3,000 years ago.
Peridot is one of the few gemstones that only comes in green. Brighter, more saturated peridot from Pakistan and Afghanistan commands higher prices, but the more affordable Arizona peridot is just as wearable in everyday jewelry.
Gift idea: Peridot stud earrings or a peridot pendant. It’s also a gorgeous choice for a cocktail ring.
17th Anniversary: Carnelian (or Watches)
Fun fact: Napoleon wore a carnelian seal ring engraved with his initials, which he picked up during his 1798 Egyptian campaign. Carnelian was sacred in ancient Egypt and Tibet.
Year 17’s gemstone isn’t universally agreed on. Some lists use carnelian (a warm orange-red stone), others use a watch as the year’s “gift” rather than a stone. If you’re going the gemstone route, carnelian is a gorgeous, underrated pick that pairs especially well with vintage gold settings.
Gift idea: A carnelian pendant or signet ring, or a nice watch with a carnelian face if you want to split the difference.
18th Anniversary: Cat’s Eye Chrysoberyl
Fun fact: The “cat’s eye” effect (called chatoyancy) is caused by parallel needle-thin inclusions inside the stone reflecting light. Genuine cat’s eye chrysoberyl is one of the rarest gemstones on this list.
Cat’s eye chrysoberyl gets its name from the silvery streak of reflected light that runs across the stone, like the slit of a cat’s pupil. Sri Lanka has historically been the main source. Real cat’s eye is scarce enough that even small pieces command real prices.
Gift idea: A cat’s eye cocktail ring, cat’s eye cufflinks (great for men), or a pendant. Real cat’s eye chrysoberyl is hard to find, so prices can run high.
19th Anniversary: Aquamarine
Fun fact: Eleanor Roosevelt was gifted a 1,298-carat aquamarine by the president of Brazil in 1936. It’s one of the largest cut aquamarines in the world and is now displayed at the FDR Library.
Aquamarine is part of the beryl family (along with emerald), and the color is the literal color of clear seawater. Most aquamarine on the market today comes from Brazil. The deeper, more saturated “Santa Maria” blue costs the most, but lighter aquamarine pieces are equally pretty and far more accessible.
Gift idea: Aquamarine drop earrings, a pendant on a delicate chain, or a ring with an emerald-cut aquamarine (which shows off the water-clear quality of the stone).
20th Anniversary: Emerald
Fun fact: Cleopatra was so obsessed with emeralds that she controlled all of Egypt’s emerald mines herself. Most quality emeralds today come from Colombia, where they’ve been mined since pre-Columbian times.
Emeralds are softer than sapphires or rubies and almost always have visible “inclusions” (tiny natural marks inside the stone). That’s normal for emeralds, not a flaw, and Colombian emeralds in particular are known for their characteristic “garden” of inclusions.
Gift idea: Emerald stud earrings, an emerald pendant, or an emerald-cut ring. The “emerald cut” was actually developed specifically for this gemstone to protect it from chipping.
21st Anniversary: Iolite
Fun fact: Vikings reportedly used iolite to navigate. The stone polarizes light, which let them spot the sun’s position even on cloudy days. Nicknamed “the Viking compass.”
Iolite is sometimes called “water sapphire” because the color mimics blue sapphire at a fraction of the price. It’s one of the lesser-known anniversary gemstones, which also makes it a thoughtful, under-the-radar choice.
Gift idea: An iolite pendant or a cocktail ring. Iolite is affordable ($50 to $200 for a quality piece), so you can go bigger on the setting.
22nd Anniversary: Spinel
Fun fact: Most “rubies” in the British Crown Jewels are actually spinels. The Black Prince’s Ruby (set in the Imperial State Crown) and the Timur Ruby were both confidently identified as ruby until modern testing reclassified them as red spinels.
Red spinel has the same fiery color as ruby but at a more accessible price. Pink and lavender spinels are increasingly popular and bring something a little softer than the red. Burmese spinels are considered the highest quality.
Gift idea: A red spinel pendant or ring. Pink and purple spinels are pretty (and often more affordable) than the red ones.
23rd Anniversary: Imperial Topaz
Fun fact: Imperial topaz is mined almost exclusively in Ouro Preto, Brazil, and was named after Russian czars who collected it in the 1800s.
Imperial topaz is the rarest and most valuable form of topaz. Its warm pink-gold color is unusual and feels very 2026. A fitting choice for a 23-year marriage.
Gift idea: An imperial topaz ring or a pendant. This is a great “you’ve arrived” anniversary gift because the stone itself is genuinely uncommon.
24th Anniversary: Tanzanite
Fun fact: Tanzanite was only discovered in 1967, in a small area near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Tiffany & Co. coined the name “tanzanite” specifically to market it (the technical name is “blue zoisite,” which they decided wasn’t sellable).
Tanzanite is only found in one place on Earth, which makes it one of the rarest modern gemstones. Geologists estimate the supply will be exhausted within the next 20 to 30 years, which has driven prices up significantly. Today’s tanzanite is also tomorrow’s heirloom.
Gift idea: A tanzanite ring or pendant. Because supply is limited, prices have climbed over time, so an investment in tanzanite now is also a piece that’ll likely appreciate.
25th Anniversary: Silver Jubilee (Tsavorite Garnet)
Fun fact: Tsavorite was discovered in 1967 by the same geologist who found tanzanite that same year. It’s named after Tsavo National Park in Kenya, where most of the world’s tsavorite is mined.
The Silver Jubilee. Twenty-five years earns you either a silver piece or the more gemstone-specific tsavorite garnet, a bright green stone that’s scarce and dazzling.
Gift idea: Sterling silver jewelry, a silver photo frame, or a tsavorite ring as a rarer alternative. A silver-themed anniversary party is also a traditional move.
30th Anniversary: Pearl Jubilee
Fun fact: Coco Chanel built much of her brand identity around pearls, layering long strands as her signature look. Before Chanel, pearls were strictly formal jewelry. After her, they were everyday.
Pearls return for year 30 as the Pearl Jubilee. Thirty years deserves a real pearl moment, whether that’s a vintage strand or a modern statement piece.
Gift idea: A statement pearl strand, pearl studs if she doesn’t already have them, or a vintage pearl piece from the decade you got married in.
35th Anniversary: Emerald (Second Appearance)
Fun fact: The largest cut emerald in the world is the Mogul Mughal Emerald (217 carats), inscribed with prayers from 1695 and sold at Christie’s in 2001 for $2.2 million.
Emerald comes back for year 35. Some lists use coral here instead, but ecological concerns around live coral have pushed most couples toward emerald or emerald-colored alternatives like tsavorite or peridot.
Gift idea: An emerald pendant or earrings. If she already has emerald from year 20, consider a different cut or setting to differentiate.
40th Anniversary: Ruby
Fun fact: The most expensive ruby ever sold at auction is the Sunrise Ruby, a 25.59-carat Burmese ruby that hit $30.4 million at Sotheby’s in 2015.
Year 40 is the Ruby Anniversary. It’s one of the big ones, and ruby’s weight as the year’s stone reflects four decades of marriage.
Gift idea: A ruby ring, ruby drop earrings, or a ruby pendant. Star ruby (a variety that shows a star-shaped pattern in the light) is a scarce and lovely option.
45th Anniversary: Sapphire
Fun fact: Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring (now Kate Middleton’s) cost £28,500 in 1981. Today its value is estimated at over £400,000.
Sapphires make another appearance at year 45, this time as a more refined, deeper-meaning version of the year-five sapphire.
Gift idea: A sapphire band to stack on top of earlier rings, sapphire drop earrings, or a sapphire pendant.
50th Anniversary: Golden Jubilee
Fun fact: The Golden Anniversary tradition dates back to medieval Germany, where 50-year-married couples were given gold wreaths to wear during their celebration.
The Golden Jubilee. Gold has represented the ultimate long-marriage anniversary for over 100 years, and nothing has come close to replacing it. A full five decades earns you the real-deal precious metal.
Gift idea: A solid gold piece of jewelry (not gold-plated), a gold-themed anniversary party with family, or a gold-framed family portrait.
Pro tip: Year 50 is the anniversary your family wants to celebrate with you. Let the kids or grandkids host the party. It’s their gift to you.
55th Anniversary: Alexandrite
Fun fact: Alexandrite was discovered in Russia’s Ural Mountains in 1830, on the day Alexander II turned 16, which is how it got its name. The green-and-red color shift was extra meaningful because those were the colors of the Russian Empire.
Alexandrite is among the rarest natural gemstones on Earth. It changes color depending on the light, going from green in daylight to red under incandescent or candlelight. Russian alexandrite is the gold standard, but most modern pieces use Brazilian or Sri Lankan alexandrite, which still shifts well between colors.
Gift idea: An alexandrite ring or pendant. Real alexandrite is expensive (think $5,000+ per carat for natural), but lab-grown alexandrite is a striking, affordable alternative.
60th Anniversary: Diamond Jubilee
Fun fact: The “Diamond Jubilee” tradition was popularized by Queen Victoria’s 60th anniversary on the throne in 1897. The term has been borrowed for marriage anniversaries ever since.
Sixty years is the Diamond Jubilee. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance on Earth, and 60 years of marriage is an enormous milestone in its own right.
Gift idea: A diamond piece at whatever scale fits, or consider a lab-grown diamond for something significantly more affordable with the same look.
65th Anniversary: Blue Sapphire or Blue Spinel
Fun fact: Queen Elizabeth II’s “Sapphire Jubilee” in 2017 marked her 65 years on the throne. She was the first British monarch ever to reach a Sapphire Jubilee.
Blue sapphire returns for year 65, sometimes paired with or replaced by blue spinel. Both pieces tend to be heirloom-level by this milestone.
Gift idea: A blue sapphire cocktail ring, blue sapphire earrings, or a blue spinel pendant. This is also a meaningful time to invest in a piece that can be passed down.
70th Anniversary: Platinum or Smoky Quartz
Fun fact: Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th wedding anniversary in 2017 was the first British royal “Platinum Anniversary” of marriage on record.
Seventy years is sometimes called the Platinum Anniversary on modern lists, while older lists assign smoky quartz to the year. Either is a fitting marker for a marriage that’s reached this kind of milestone territory.
Gift idea: A platinum piece (a band, a pendant), or a smoky quartz ring for something more grounded and wearable every day.
75th Anniversary: Diamond and Gold Jubilee
Fun fact: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in 2022, the first British royal couple ever to reach the milestone.
Seventy-five years is genuinely uncommon. Only a small percentage of marriages ever reach this milestone, which is why it earns both diamond AND gold. Every anniversary after this is bonus territory.
Gift idea: A diamond-and-gold combined piece, a commissioned portrait, or a family gathering that brings every generation together.
So, What Actually Matters?
The anniversary gemstone list is a lovely tradition, but it’s meant to be inspiration, not a rulebook. If your partner loves sapphire more than diamond, nothing stops you from giving sapphire at year 10. The lists exist to nudge couples toward marking the year with something meaningful, not to lock anyone into a specific stone.
If you want our picks for the gifts that work best for each year (not gemstone-specific), we have our top 10 wedding anniversary gifts by year guide for a simpler take.
The gift doesn’t have to be expensive. It just has to mean something.
FAQ: Wedding Anniversary Gemstones
Who made the anniversary gemstone list?
The modern anniversary gemstone list was developed by organizations like the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and Jewelers of America, building on older traditions going back to Emily Post’s 1922 Blue Book of etiquette. It’s been widely adopted as the go-to guide for gemstone anniversary gifts.
Do I have to give jewelry for an anniversary gemstone?
Nope. A gemstone-themed gift can also be a framed gemstone specimen, a decor piece in that stone, a painting in the stone’s color, or anything else that nods to the theme. Jewelry is the most common, not the only option.
What if the gemstone isn’t one my partner likes?
Skip it or substitute. If she hates yellow and the year-13 stone is citrine, give her something else. The whole point is the gesture, not rigid adherence to a list.
Are lab-grown gemstones okay?
Absolutely. Lab-grown diamonds, sapphires, and rubies are chemically identical to mined ones and often significantly more affordable and ethically cleaner. For a milestone anniversary on a real budget, they’re a very smart call.
What’s a good budget for an anniversary gemstone gift?
There’s no official etiquette. Most couples spend $100 to $500 for smaller-year anniversaries and scale up for milestones like 10, 25, and 50. The gemstone itself determines a lot of the price (garnet and topaz are affordable, diamonds and alexandrite are not).
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