The quick answer: each wedding anniversary has a traditional gift material, from paper for the first year to diamond for the 10th and 60th, and gold for the 50th. Below is the full year-by-year list, plus the gemstones tied to the big milestones, so you can pick a gift that carries real meaning.
I’m Suman Smith, founder of Lux Jewels. I started this as Canada’s first lab grown diamond company back in 2015, and anniversary gifts are one of the most common reasons people come to me. Here’s the complete chart, and where a diamond fits beautifully.
Anniversary gifts by year chart
This is the widely used traditional list, with the modern alternative where it differs, for the key years.
| Year | Traditional gift | Gemstone / modern |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Paper | Gold jewelry (modern) |
| 5th | Wood | Sapphire |
| 10th | Tin / Aluminium | Diamond |
| 15th | Crystal | Ruby |
| 20th | China | Emerald |
| 25th | Silver | Silver jubilee |
| 30th | Pearl | Pearl |
| 40th | Ruby | Ruby |
| 50th | Gold | Golden jubilee |
| 60th | Diamond | Diamond jubilee |
What is the traditional gift for each anniversary year?
The early years use everyday materials, paper, cotton, leather, that grow sturdier as the marriage does, while the milestone years move into precious materials: silver at 25, pearl at 30, ruby at 40, gold at 50, and diamond at 60. Many couples follow the traditional list, the modern list, or they simply pick the gemstone tied to the year. There’s no wrong way to use it, and it’s a prompt, not a rule, so don’t feel boxed in by it.
Which anniversaries are diamond anniversaries?
Two: the 10th and the 60th. The 60th is the famous “diamond jubilee,” but the 10th is the modern diamond anniversary, and that’s why a diamond gift is so popular for that first big milestone. A diamond marks ten years together with the most enduring gem there is, so it’s a fitting symbol for a decade of marriage.
What are the best diamond anniversary gifts?
For a 10th or 60th, or honestly any year you’d like to make special, a diamond piece is hard to beat. A diamond eternity band is the classic anniversary gift, and its unbroken circle of stones symbolises never-ending love. Diamond studs and a diamond pendant are also perennial favourites because they’ll get worn constantly. For a partner who’s already got a ring, an eternity band that stacks with it is especially meaningful, and it’s a gift they’ll wear every day.
How a lab grown diamond makes the anniversary gift go further
Here’s the part worth knowing: a diamond anniversary gift doesn’t have to mean a mined-diamond price anymore. A lab grown diamond is a real diamond, chemically identical and certified by IGI or GIA, just grown in a lab. So an eternity band or pendant can be fuller, larger, and brighter for the same budget, because there’s no mined markup, and you won’t be able to tell it apart from mined. We custom-make anniversary pieces in repurposed gold and platinum across Canada and the USA, so you can mark the milestone generously without overspending.
The honest takeaway
Use the anniversary chart as inspiration: everyday materials early on, precious gems and metals at the milestones, with diamond marking both the 10th and the 60th. When the year calls for a diamond, or you simply want to give one, a certified lab grown diamond lets your gift go further, since it’s a real diamond for less. If you’d like help designing an anniversary piece, that’s exactly what our free consultation is for.
Anniversary gift FAQs
What are the traditional anniversary gifts by year?
Year one is paper, five is wood, ten is tin (with diamond as the modern gift), 15 crystal, 20 china, 25 silver, 30 pearl, 40 ruby, 50 gold, and 60 diamond. Many years also have a gemstone association.
What is the diamond anniversary year?
Two years are diamond: the 60th is the traditional diamond jubilee, and the 10th is the modern diamond anniversary, which is why a diamond gift is popular for the ten-year milestone.
What is the gemstone for each anniversary?
Key gemstone years are sapphire (5th), diamond (10th), ruby (15th and 40th), emerald (20th), pearl (30th), and diamond again (60th). They make easy, meaningful jewelry gifts.
What is a good 25th anniversary gift?
The 25th is the silver anniversary, so silver or white-metal jewelry is traditional. Many couples mark it with a diamond piece in white gold or platinum to make the silver jubilee extra special.
What is the best 10 year anniversary gift?
A diamond, as the 10th is the modern diamond anniversary. A diamond eternity band, pendant, or studs are classic choices, and a lab grown diamond lets the gift go further for the budget.
Can a lab grown diamond be an anniversary gift?
Yes. A lab grown diamond is a real, certified diamond, so it carries the same meaning as a mined one for an anniversary, usually at a lower price, meaning a larger or fuller piece for your budget.
Marking a milestone anniversary? Book a free 30 to 40 minute video consultation and we’ll design a certified lab grown diamond anniversary piece to suit your budget. Book your free consultation, or explore our eternity rings and diamond jewelry.
