Wedding stones: the wedding tradition
Traditionally, a precious stone, symbolising enduring love, corresponds to each year’s wedding anniversary. A unique jewel made of a precious metal can also be associated with some occasions. Minerals Kingdom offers the most popular wedding stones to be offered on each year’s celebration. Moreover, some unique jewels can make perfect gifts and are available for you to choose from. Some of them are related to some cultural symbols while some others are the latest fashion statement in jewellery. Feel free to give in to the tradition of showing love by offering a precious present.
Wedding anniversaries have been celebrated since the ancient times. During the Roman Empire, a silver wreath was offered to mark the 25 years of marriage and a gold one for the 50th anniversary. In the 18th century, the same tradition was perpetuated by the French, the English and the Russian bourgeois classes. It then became more popular in the 19th century and celebrations took place every 10 years until 1937. Later on, objects were offered as gifts instead of wreaths. The 1st wedding anniversary was associated with a clock, the 5th one with a wooden object and the 10th with a diamond jewel as precious stones symbolised the union’s longevity. Nowadays, wedding stones are traditionally offered on each year’s anniversary.
The wedding stones’ table
Anniversary | Corresponding stone or jewellery | More gift ideas |
First anniversary | Gold jewellery | Peridot – Pearl |
Second anniversary | Garnet | Pink quartz |
Third anniversary | Pearl | Jade |
Fourth anniversary | Blue topaz | Amethyst – Blue zircon |
Fifth anniversary | Sapphire | Tourmaline – Turquoise |
Sixth anniversary | Amethyst | Garnet – Turquoise |
Seventh anniversary | Onyx | Beryl – Lapis-lazuli |
Eighth anniversary | Tourmaline | Tanzanite |
Ninth anniversary | Lapis-lazuli | Amethyst – Spinel |
Tenth anniversary | Diamond | Onyx – Blue sapphire |
Eleventh anniversary | Turquoise | Citrine – Coral – Hematite |
Twelfth anniversary | Jade | Agate – Opal |
Thirteenth anniversary | Citrine | Malachite – Moonstone |
Fourteenth anniversary | Opal | Agate |
Fifteenth anniversary | Ruby | Alexandrite – Garnet |
Sixteenth anniversary | Peridot | Aquamarine – Sapphire – Spinel |
Seventeenth anniversary | Cornaline | Amethyst – Citrine |
Eighteenth anniversary | Opal – Turquoise | |
Nineteenth anniversary | Garnet – Topaz | |
Twentieth anniversary | Emerald | Yellow diamond |
Twenty-first anniversary | Cordierite | Opal |
Twenty-second anniversary | Spinel | – |
Twenty-third anniversary | Imperial topaz | Beryl |
Twenty-fourth anniversary | Tanzanite | – |
Twenty-fifth anniversary | Tsavorite | |
Thirtieth anniversary | Pearl | – |
Thirty-second anniversary | Copper jewellery | – |
Thirty-third anniversary | Porphyry | – |
Thirty-fourth anniversary | Amber | – |
Thirty-fifth anniversary | Emerald | Coral – Ruby |
Fourteenth anniversary | Ruby | Emerald |
Forty-second anniversary | Nacre | – |
Forty-fourth anniversary | Topaz | – |
Forty-fifth anniversary | Sapphire | Alexandrine – Cat’s eye chrysoberyl |
Forty-eighth anniversary | Amethyst | – |
Fiftieth anniversary | ||
Fifty-second anniversary | Tourmaline | – |
Fifty-fifth anniversary | Emerald | Alexandrine |
Fifty-sixth anniversary | Lapis-lazuli | – |
Sixtieth anniversary | Diamond | |
Sixty-fifth anniversary | ||
Sixty-eighth anniversary | Granit | – |
Seventieth anniversary | Opal – Smoky quartz | |
Seventy-fifth anniversary | Diamond | Alabaster |
Eightieth anniversary | Ruby | – |
The Early Years’ Wedding Stones
Marriage’s first years are often associated with intense and passionate feelings and each of them is symbolised by a wedding stone. The 1st year is to be represented by a pearl, a symbol of uniqueness, or a gold jewel. The 2nd anniversary is related to garnet which can be used to make a pendant or adorn a silver ring. As for the 3rd, 4th and 5th years, respectively, jade, topaz or zircon and sapphire are offered.
The Intermediate Years’ Wedding Stones
Each successive year is an opportunity to offer a different wedding stone. The 6th wedding anniversary is to be celebrated with amethyst. The 7th year is symbolised by onyx and the 8th one by tanzanite. To mark the 9th anniversary, one of the lapis lazuli’s varieties is to be offered. As for the 10th anniversary, diamond can make a perfect gift for such a special occasion, to represent the spouses’ enduring love.
The Mature Years’ Wedding Stones
Ten years of marriage can make the bond grow in maturity and depth. The spouses can then be introduced to new feelings of fulfilment. Each year is represented by a wedding stone, displaying some unique reflections, symbol of the love and relationship of intimacy between the mates. The 11th anniversary is associated with a blue wedding stone: turquoise. The 12th one is related to opal. As for the 13th year, it is related to the beautiful and mysterious moonstone. Agate, ruby and colourless aquamarine are, respectively, to be offered on the 14th, 15th and 16th years. As for the 20th, the 30th, the 40th and the 45th years, emerald, pearl, ruby and sapphire are to be offered. The 50th anniversary is also symbolised by emerald. To mark the 60th year, diamond is the perfect stone. Sapphire is once again offered to celebrate the 65th and 70th anniversaries. Such long-lasting relationships are still existing, knowing the one (Zelmyra and Herbert Fisher, a married American couple) which holds the record lasted over 86 years.