Just as each month has a birthstone, many wedding anniversaries have their own associated gemstone — a meaningful tradition that makes choosing a gift wonderfully simple. Whether you’re celebrating your first year or your sixtieth, there’s a gem to mark it. At Gems Lore, here’s the complete anniversary gemstones list, with each year’s stone, its meaning, and gift ideas.
A quick frame first: gemstone meanings come from tradition and belief, not science — and anniversary stone lists vary slightly by source, so treat this as a meaningful guide rather than a fixed rule.
How Anniversary Gemstones Work
Alongside the familiar materials (paper, cotton, silver, gold), modern tradition assigns a gemstone to many anniversary years — especially the milestones. They’re a thoughtful way to choose jewelry or a keepsake that says “this exact year matters.” Lists differ a little between sources, so if you see a slightly different stone elsewhere, both can be valid.
Anniversary Gemstones by Year
| Year | Gemstone |
|---|---|
| 1st | Gold / clear quartz |
| 2nd | Garnet |
| 3rd | Pearl / moonstone |
| 4th | Blue topaz |
| 5th | Sapphire (also rose quartz) |
| 6th | Amethyst |
| 7th | Onyx |
| 8th | Tourmaline |
| 9th | Lapis lazuli |
| 10th | Diamond |
| 11th | Turquoise |
| 12th | Jade |
| 13th | Citrine |
| 14th | Opal |
| 15th | Ruby |
| 20th | Emerald |
| 25th | Silver jubilee (silver) |
| 30th | Pearl |
| 35th | Emerald / coral |
| 40th | Ruby |
| 45th | Sapphire |
| 50th | Gold (golden jubilee) |
| 55th | Alexandrite / emerald |
| 60th | Diamond (diamond jubilee) |
Note: lists vary by source — these are among the most commonly recognized.
The Milestone Anniversaries
A few years carry especially well-known gems:
- 5th — Sapphire: the deep-blue stone of loyalty and wisdom, a beautiful early milestone. (Rose quartz, the love stone, is a popular alternative.)
- 10th — Diamond: strength and enduring love for a decade together.
- 15th — Ruby: passion and vitality at fifteen years.
- 20th — Emerald: growth and renewal.
- 40th — Ruby and 45th — Sapphire: rich, precious stones for long marriages.
- 60th — Diamond: the “diamond jubilee,” the hardest stone for the longest love.
Anniversary Gemstone Meanings
Part of the charm is the symbolism. Sapphire (5th, 45th) traditionally means loyalty and truth; ruby (15th, 40th) means passion; emerald (20th, 35th) means growth and renewal; and diamond (10th, 60th) means enduring strength. Choosing the year’s stone is a quiet way to say something about the relationship — find each stone’s fuller meaning in our stone-by-stone guides and crystal meanings chart.
Gift Ideas by Anniversary Gemstone
- Jewelry — a ring, pendant, or earrings in the year’s stone is the classic choice.
- A loose or display stone — a beautiful specimen for those who prefer crystals to jewelry.
- A paired keepsake — the stone with a note about its meaning and your years together.
- Combine traditions — pair the gemstone with the year’s classic material (e.g. silver for the 25th) for a layered gift.
For more on choosing meaningful stones as gifts, see our crystal gifts for a birthday guide, and find birth gems in our birthstones by month chart.
A Note on Buying
For anniversary jewelry — especially milestone pieces with valuable stones like diamond, ruby, sapphire, or emerald — buy from reputable sellers and ask for certification on higher-value gems. See our how to buy gemstones online guide for what to check.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the gemstone for each wedding anniversary?
Common ones include sapphire (5th), diamond (10th), ruby (15th and 40th), emerald (20th), sapphire (45th), and diamond (60th). Many other years have associated stones too — see the full list above. Lists vary slightly by source.
What is the 5th anniversary gemstone?
Sapphire is the traditional 5th-anniversary gemstone, symbolizing loyalty and wisdom. Rose quartz, the love stone, is a popular alternative.
What is the 25th and 50th anniversary?
The 25th is the silver jubilee (silver) and the 50th is the golden jubilee (gold), while the 60th is the diamond jubilee — the milestone “jubilee” anniversaries.
Why do some anniversary gemstone lists differ?
Because anniversary stone traditions vary by country and source, with both older and modern lists in use. Different stones can be valid for the same year, so choose whichever resonates.
Where to Go From Here
Anniversary gemstones turn a milestone into a meaningful, personal gift — match the year to its stone, lean on the symbolism, and add a note about your time together. From the 1st to the 60th, there’s a gem to celebrate every chapter.
Choosing a gift? See our crystal gifts for a birthday guide for more ideas, look up birth gems in our birthstones by month chart, and check each stone’s meaning in our crystal meanings chart. Explore more any time here at Gems Lore.
Which anniversary are you celebrating — and what’s the stone? Tell us in the comments.
