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Anniversary stones by year
Every year from one to twenty five, then each five-year milestone to sixty. The list names the gift; the Mohs score tells you how readily a stone will scratch.
The complete jewellery-anniversary list
This follows the current Jewelers of America list. Mohs hardness measures scratch resistance only, not whether a stone can chip or whether its setting is secure.
| Year | Jewellery gift | Mohs | Scratch resistance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gold jewellery | Not applicable | |
| 2 | Garnet | 6.5–7.5 | Medium |
| 3 | Pearl | 2.5–4.5 | Low |
| 4 | Blue topaz | 8 | High |
| 5 | Sapphire | 9 | High |
| 6 | Amethyst | 7 | Medium |
| 7 | Onyx | 6.5–7 | Low |
| 8 | Tourmaline | 7–7.5 | Medium |
| 9 | Lapis lazuli | 5–6 | Low |
| 10 | Diamond | 10 | High |
| 11 | Turquoise | 5–6 | Low |
| 12 | Jade | 6–7 | Low |
| 13 | Citrine | 7 | Medium |
| 14 | Opal | 5–6.5 | Low |
| 15 | Ruby | 9 | High |
| 16 | Peridot | 6.5–7 | Low |
| 17 | A watch | Not applicable | |
| 18 | Cat's-eye chrysoberyl | 8.5 | High |
| 19 | Aquamarine | 7.5–8 | Medium |
| 20 | Emerald | 7.5–8 | Medium |
| 21 | Iolite | 7–7.5 | Medium |
| 22 | Spinel | 8 | High |
| 23 | Imperial topaz | 8 | High |
| 24 | Tanzanite | 6–7 | Low |
| 25 | Silver jewellery | Not applicable | |
| 30 | Pearl | 2.5–4.5 | Low |
| 35 | Emerald | 7.5–8 | Medium |
| 40 | Ruby | 9 | High |
| 45 | Sapphire | 9 | High |
| 50 | Gold jewellery | Not applicable | |
| 55 | Alexandrite | 8.5 | High |
| 60 | Diamond | 10 | High |
Anniversary questions
- What is the 40th wedding anniversary stone?
- Ruby. The current Jewelers of America list assigns ruby to forty years. Ruby is Mohs 9, so it has high resistance to scratching, although any stone can still chip if it is struck.
- What is the 30th wedding anniversary stone?
- Pearl. Pearl is only Mohs 2.5 to 4.5 and needs protection from scratches, perfume and household chemicals, so earrings or a pendant are usually more practical than a ring worn every day.
- Which anniversaries have gemstones?
- The jewellery-industry list used here covers every year from one to twenty five, then five-year milestones to sixty. Not every entry is a gemstone: year seventeen is a watch, year twenty five is silver jewellery and year fifty is gold jewellery.
- Is there one official anniversary gemstone list?
- No. GIA says there is no single authoritative list. This table follows the current jewellery-anniversary list published by Jewelers of America so that it does not quietly combine conflicting traditions.
- What can I give if the anniversary stone scratches easily?
- Use it in a piece that takes fewer knocks, such as a pendant, earrings or a brooch. Mohs hardness only measures scratch resistance; toughness, cleavage and the setting also decide whether a stone is sensible in a ring.