Anniversary Gift Guide

Need ideas for your next Anniversary Gift? Our list contains both traditional and modern gifts for each year of your anniversary. But it doesn't always have to be a special occasion to give the gift of jewelry. Not sure what to get? Ask our staff at James & Williams Jewelers for some great gift ideas! Contact us today.

Anniversary Gifts - gold jewelry, diamond jewelry, and pearls

Celebrate Every Year with Meaningful Gifts That Last

An anniversary isn’t just a date on the calendar—it’s a milestone, a memory, and a chance to honor the story you’re writing together. Whether it’s your first year or your fiftieth, each anniversary deserves to be marked with a thoughtful gift that captures the spirit of your journey.

Below, you’ll find our Anniversary Gift Guide—a year-by-year table of meaningful gift ideas, drawn from tradition and modern trends, and with a special focus on jewelry. It’s designed to inspire, whether you want to honor classic customs or try something new.

How to Use This Guide

Traditional Gift:
These are time-honored presents associated with each year of marriage (think paper for the 1st, silver for the 25th). Traditional gifts have roots in centuries-old customs, and are perfect for those who love symbolism and nostalgia.
Modern Gift:
These suggestions update the tradition for today’s couples, often including more practical or contemporary ideas (like clocks, appliances, or new metals). Modern gifts can feel fresh and unexpected, while still honoring the occasion.
Jewelry Gift:
We’ve highlighted a special gemstone or precious metal for many anniversaries, offering a timeless and elegant way to commemorate the year. Whether set in a ring, necklace, or bracelet, jewelry brings lasting beauty and meaning to your celebration.

Browse the table, explore your options, and remember: the best anniversary gift is one that comes from the heart—and reminds your partner just how much you cherish the adventure you share.

How long have you been married?

Gifts for Newlyweds 1-5 years

Year	Jewelry Gift	Traditional Gift	Modern Gift
1st	Gold	Paper	Clocks
2nd	Garnet	Cotton	China
3rd	Pearls	Leather	Crystal or Glass
4th	Blue Topaz OR Blue Zircon	Fruit or Flowers	Appliances
5th	Sapphire	Wood	Silverware

Gifts for the Truly Devoted 6-25 years

Year	Jewelry Gift	Traditional Gift	Modern Gift
6th	Amethyst	Candy or Iron	Wood
7th	Onyx or Yellow Sapphire	Wool or Copper	Desk Sets
8th	Tourmaline	Bronze	Linens or Lace
9th	Lapis Lazuli	Pottery	Leather
10th	Diamond Jewelry	Tin or Aluminum	Diamond Jewelry
11th	Turquoise	Steel	Fashion Jewelry
12th	Jade	Silk	Pearls
13th	Citrine	Lace	Textiles or Furs
14th	Opal	Ivory	Gold Jewelry
15th	Ruby	Crystal	Watches
16th	Peridot		Silver Hollowware
17th			Furniture
18th	Cat’s Eye Chrysoberyl		Porcelain
19th	Aquamarine		Bronze
20th	Emerald	China	Platinum
21st	Iolite		Brass or Nickel
22nd	Spinel		Copper
23rd	Imperial Topaz		Silver Plate
24th	Tanzanite		Musical Instruments
25th	Silver or Tsavorite	Silver	Silver

Gifts for the Golden Years 26-50 years

Year	Jewelry Gift	Traditional Gift	Modern Gift
26th			Original Pictures
27th			Sculpture
28th			Orchids
29th			New Furniture
30th	Pearl	Pearl	Diamond
31st			Timepieces
32nd			Conveyances
33rd			Amethyst
34th			Opal
35th	Emerald	Coral	Jade
36th			Bone China
37th			Alabaster
38th			Beryl or Tourmaline
39th			Lace
40th	Ruby	Ruby	Ruby
41st			Land
42nd			Improved Real Estate
43rd			Travel
44th			Groceries
45th	Sapphire	Sapphire	Sapphire
46th			Original Pottery
47th			Books
48th			Optical Goods
49th			Luxuries of Any Kind
50th	Gold	Gold	Gold

Gifts for Soulmates 51-80 years

Year	Jewelry Gift	Traditional Gift	Modern Gift
55th	Emerald or Alexandrite	Emerald	Emerald
60th	Diamond	Diamond	Diamond
65th	Blue Sapphire	Blue Sapphire	Star Sapphire or Gray Sapphire
70th	Platinum	Platinum	Platinum
75th	Diamond or Sapphire	Diamonds or Diamond-like	Diamond or Gold
80th	Ruby

Not every year has an official gemstone or jewelry gift, but any year is a great year for jewelry!

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