Are you unsure what gift you should give to your wife for your next anniversary? With so many jewelry types to choose from, it can start to feel overwhelming, but choosing the right present can be simplified if you follow traditional anniversary gift advice. Most anniversaries are associated with a specific metal or gem that can be placed on jewelry.
Buy an Upgraded Engagement or Wedding Ring
Instead of sticking to traditional anniversary milestones, you can upgrade your wife’s engagement or wedding ring instead. Your financial situation has likely changed since your first couple of years together, so a bigger stone or flashier band would be a great gift.
Depending on your wife’s fashion sense or favorite color, she may prefer a different gemstone than what the year requires. For example, if your wife wanted you to purchase a ruby ring from Diamondere, she would have to wait for the 15th year milestone. It’s better to buy her a gift she’ll enjoy rather than adhering to a guideline.
Wedding Jewelry Based on Anniversary Milestones
1st-5th Year Anniversaries: The Honeymoon Stage
The first year of marriage marks the honeymoon stage, but many couples keep that feeling throughout their lifetime. Regardless, both of you likely won’t have a significant amount of disposable income, so years 1-5 won’t be filled with expensive items, gems, or jewels.
– First (1): Gold. A simple bracelet, a necklace with a heart charm, or gold cufflinks.
– Second (2): Garnet. Red garnet is used in earrings, rings, and pendants.
– Third (3): Pearls. Pearl jewelry is easy to find second-hand because it won’t tarnish.
– Fourth (4): Blue Topaz. A hardy stone associated with love and affection.
– Fifth (5): Sapphire. Found in multiple colors, sapphire is commonly blue.
6th-10th Year Anniversaries: A Marriage Built to Last
The first five years are either the hardest or easiest, but after that 5th-year milestone, you can strap in for smooth sailings. As a couple, you both know each other well and have established some form of wealth via a house, and you may even have children and a career.
– Sixth (6): Amethyst. Purple amethysts are found in multiple kinds of jewelry.
– Seventh (7): Onyx. This black stone is durable and looks great with diamonds.
– Eight (8): Tourmaline. Found in all colors, including particolored mixes.
– Ninth (9): Lapis Lazuli. Lazuli is a light blue stone with intricate purple veins.
– Tenth (10): Diamond: White diamonds go well on anything and with everything.
11th-20th Year Anniversaries: The Second Decade
A whole decade together marks a large celebration, and you’re both about to hit your second. With that in mind, anniversary gifts are now expected to be more extravagant.
– Eleventh (11): Turquoise. A greenish-blue stone.
– Twelfth (12): Jade. Green jade looks great on beads.
– Thirteenth (13): Citrine. For wives with sunny dispositions.
– Fourteenth (14): Opal. Opaque and creamy.
– Fifteenth (15): Ruby. Represents passion and love.
– Sixteenth (16): Peridot. Grassy green for spring.
– Seventeenth (17): Watches. Usually with a leather band.
– Eighteenth (18): Cat’s Eye. Sports a straight line in sunlight.
– Nineteenth (19): Aquamarine. Similar to ocean water.
– Twentieth (20): Emerald. Elegant and tough.
21th-50th Year Anniversaries: Life-Long Partners
Congratulations on your two full decades together. With the third, fourth, and fifth decade around the corner, try and think of some creative ways to gift the following milestones.
– Twenty-First (21): Iolite. A hard-to-find purple stone compliments wire earrings.
– Twenty-Second (22): Spinel. Pink spindles look amazing on multi-strand necklaces.
– Twenty-Third (23): Imperial Topaz. Find a necklace in the shape of a sun.
– Twenty-Fourth (24): Tanzanite. Fashion them into peacock feather earrings.
– Twenty-Fifth (25): Silver. Buy 5-10 bangles that can stack on the wrist.
– Thirtieth (30): Pearl. Purchase a double strand bracelet with silver accents.
– Thirty-Fifth (35): Emerald. Purchase a crown lined with this green stone.
– Fortieth (40): Ruby. A gold ruby ring is a classic for a reason. Pair with earrings.
– Fortieth-Fifth (45): Sapphire. Buy sapphires in non-traditional colors, like purple.
– Fiftieth (50): Gold. Make a custom pendant that spells out your wife’s name.
Besides the 55th anniversary, which features alexandrite, and the 70th anniversary, which is celebrated with platinum jewelry, each milestone gift features a previously gifted metal or gem.
