Save the Day With Anniversary Gifts for Her & Anniversary Gifts for Him at Dean’s Jewelry!
As the years pass in a relationship, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the day-to-day events in our lives. Sometimes we need a little nudge to remind us to appreciate those we cherish. Anniversary gifts are one of the most significant ways by which couples can continue to express their love to one another throughout the years.
Because anniversaries are such meaningful milestones, the pressure to find the perfect anniversary gift can feel overwhelming. In this blog, we’ll dive into both the traditional and contemporary symbolism behind each anniversary, share some gift ideas for him and for her, and of course, we’ll remind you why jewelry is the perfect gift for any occasion.
Where Did All These Anniversary Gifts Come From?
It might feel obvious to us now, but the tradition of giving anniversary gifts had to originate somewhere. It’s thought to have begun in medieval Germany, where husbands bestowed their wives with silver wreaths for their 25th anniversary and gold wreaths for their 50th anniversary. The touching gesture symbolized the couple’s enduring love for one another, and was also thought to bring continued luck and prosperity to the marriage.
The anniversary gifts we’re more familiar with come from an etiquette guide published by socialite Emily Post in 1922. This guide offered anniversary gift ideas for the first year of marriage, and then every five years after that.
With each gift, Post chose objects that would represent the journey of a couple through the years. For instance, the traditional one year anniversary gift was paper. It exemplified the endless possibilities of a new union–a blank page upon which the newlywed couple could write their story together.
Following that theme, Post suggested diamonds as the couple’s 75th anniversary gift. If you and your love have made it through seventy-five years together, you’re as resilient as can be, and there’s nothing stronger or more radiant than diamond anniversary rings. However, the British royals have since popularized the diamond as a 60th anniversary gift instead. Thanks to the royal family, we now know the 60th anniversary to be the ‘diamond jubilee.’
As time went on, the American National Retail Jewelers Association expanded upon and updated the original list. The contemporary list, introduced in 1937, filled in the gaps of the original by offering gifts by year for each of the first fifteen years. It provided some more practical suggestions for modern gifts.
Let’s be honest: the sentiment behind ‘paper’ is sweet, but clocks–the modern 1 year anniversary gift–maintain the ‘fresh start’ theme while being a bit more useful. We’ve since come to associate each year of marriage with colors, flowers, and, most importantly, gemstones.
Jewelry is a classic gift for any occasion, and for good reason. Your journey as a couple begins with a ring, so it makes sense to carry on that tradition. Whether you’re looking for anniversary gifts for her or anniversary gifts for him, jewelry and gemstones offer a yearly reminder of that original commitment you made to each other.
1 Year Anniversary Gift Ideas
As we mentioned before, the traditional 1 year anniversary gift was paper, and clocks are the updated version. If you’re looking for anniversary gifts for him, the answer is probably obvious: watches! This striking Bulova Marine Star watch is made with the kind of quality and precision that ensure it will keep ticking through all the joyful years you spend together.
Bulova also makes watches that would serve as perfect anniversary gifts for her. A gorgeous watch like this will show her that she’s on your mind with every second of every day. It features an on-trend rose gold band as well as three small diamonds at the center. Though the 60th anniversary is traditionally the diamond jubilee, a girl can never have too many diamonds, and the subtlety of these gemstones means you can still save showstopping diamond anniversary rings for later milestones.
The other great thing about this watch? It’s gold–and gold is the precious metal associated with the first anniversary. If your love doesn’t wear a watch, a gold necklace makes a perfect substitute. She’ll keep you close to her heart with this timeless gold necklace that can be worn anywhere and everywhere.
A rose gold necklace is another great choice for the perfect one year anniversary gift. The warm tones of rose gold represent the closeness you feel to each other after that first beautiful year together.
An Extra-Special First Anniversary Gift Idea From Dean’s
When you buy your engagement and wedding jewelry with us, we offer you the chance to get your “Something Borrowed” from our store. You can pick a piece of jewelry from our collection to wear free-of-charge on your wedding day and then return. The borrowed jewelry will be filled with sentimental value, so it makes a great gift for that first anniversary. Give your love a keepsake that holds all the memories you made together on that special day by purchasing your “Something Borrowed” jewelry from Dean’s.
2 Year Anniversary Gift Ideas
The traditional two year anniversary gift was cotton, symbolizing the stitching-together of two lives. Nowadays, the garnet makes a perfect anniversary gift for her. The deep red gemstone is also the birthstone for January.
Its vivid color evokes images of the heart and sparks feelings of love and passion. It’s also sturdy, just like your bond after two years of facing life’s trials together.
The bands in this sterling silver ring come together to surround an exquisite garnet centerpiece, echoing the sentiment of the traditional cotton gift. Show her how grateful you are that your lives are intertwined with this stunning 2nd anniversary gift.
Given that men’s jewelry doesn’t typically feature gemstones, let’s get creative and return to symbolic cotton for his anniversary gift. This piece from Samuel B. makes for a fantastic anniversary ring. Its sterling silver bands weave together as effortlessly and elegantly as your lives. We’re certain he’ll love this ring and all the meaning it carries.
3 Year Anniversary Gift Ideas
The symbolic gemstone for the three year anniversary is the beautiful pearl. Alluring pearl earrings are the centerpiece of one of history’s greatest paintings. Let her know she’s a work of art, too, with these pearls set in diamond halo stud earrings. Bonus points if she’s a June baby–these are her birthstone, too!
If you’re looking for an anniversary gift for him, try the traditional leather as first suggested by Emily Post. Leather is flexible but strong. Like your relationship, it might bend, but it’ll never break.
This beautiful watch features a rich leather strap and bold blue face. Cased in gold-tone stainless steel, it’s a powerful reminder of the bond you both share.
4 Year Anniversary Gift Ideas
You have a number of options for great anniversary gifts for her to commemorate your fourth year together! By four years in, you’ve grown as individuals and as a couple. The traditional gift at this stage in the marriage was fruit or flowers. These represent the continued sweetness of your marriage.
The only downside to fruit and flowers is that they’ll go bad eventually. Jewelry, on the other hand, will last forever!
The gemstone associated with the fourth anniversary is topaz. We think that’s fitting. The brightness of blue topaz echoes all things floral and tropical. Adorn her in this gorgeous white gold and topaz ring to remind her how special she is to you.
In search of anniversary gifts for him? Keep the traditional flowers alive with this handsome pendant, featuring a subtle floral design as the focal point. The sleek silver chain and angular accents ensure the necklace still maintains a masculine look.
5 Year Anniversary Gift Ideas
The traditional 5th anniversary gift was wood, symbolizing the strength of your connection after half a decade of marriage. Similarly, the gemstone associated with the fifth year of marriage is the sturdy sapphire. This enchanting stone is thought to bring blessings, abundance, and peace, making it the perfect gift to symbolize your continued growth and happiness as a couple.
Unique anniversary rings will keep things interesting for your fifth year of gift-giving. This beautiful sapphire ring, with its teardrop center stone haloed in diamonds, shows her that five years in, your feelings for her are still true-blue.
If your beloved isn’t big on blue, consider a pink sapphire instead. Yes, you heard right–sapphire comes in a wide variety of hues. The heart shaped gemstone at the center of this diamond anniversary ring symbolizes your enduring love for one another.
Shopping for him? Consider the tiger’s eye stone an elevated version of the traditional wood anniversary gift. Banded with spectacular earth tones, it resembles both wood and the striking pupils of its namesake.
By five years in, you two are probably embarking on some serious adventures together. Maybe you’re relocating to a new city, making strides in your careers, or welcoming a new addition to the family. The tiger’s eye stone represents courage and confidence, making this bracelet perfect for this moment in your marriage.
10 Year Anniversary Gift Ideas
Whoa! Look how far you’ve come! Ten years in and your love has withstood many tests. You’ve probably faced a big life change or two by now–whether that’s a new career, a move, or a new baby. It’s no wonder the famously resilient diamond is the gemstone associated with the ten year anniversary.
Yes, you’re remembering right–diamonds are also the 60th anniversary gift. How does that work? Most people who choose to gift diamond jewelry for anniversaries start small and upgrade the size of the diamond over time.
For your ten year anniversary, these 1 carat diamond stud earrings make a beautiful choice. Make her feel like a princess on this special day by adorning her with these iconic earrings, the epitome of elegance.
As time passes, you can upgrade your diamond. Your love will only continue to grow, after all! This diamond pavé ring is a gorgeous piece of jewelry. A nearly 3 carat diamond ring studded with rows of both blue and white sparkling diamonds, this will truly show your loved one how precious she is to you.
After ten years, it might be time for a wedding band upgrade. That makes this wedding band from Dean’s own collection the ideal anniversary gift for him. On this momentous occasion, surprise him with white gold and black diamonds. This anniversary ring is classy and timeless, just like your love for each other.
25 Year Anniversary Gift Ideas
By year twenty-five of your marriage, you and your spouse are unshakeable and unbreakable. You’ve weathered some of life’s toughest storms together and come out stronger than ever.
Your partnership is solid, time-tested, and yet still shines as if it’s brand new. In short, it’s a lot like sterling silver. Renowned for its durability and lasting sheen, sterling silver is the metal traditionally associated with the twenty-fifth anniversary.
Don’t worry about taking this too literally as you pick out an anniversary gift for him, though. The stainless steel of this luxury Bulova watch is a beautiful stand-in for sterling silver. After all, it’s been a quarter of a century since you celebrated your ‘clock’ anniversary, so your spouse could probably use a new timepiece.
A relationship that lasts 25 years is truly something special. That’s probably why there’s such a unique gemstone associated with it. Tsavorite, also known as green garnet, falls somewhere between the shades of the more well-known green gems, emerald and peridot.
It’s striking, rare, and brilliant–just like your love. This multi-gemstone pendant from LeVian, featuring a flawless tsavorite, makes a perfect 25th anniversary gift for her.
50 Year Anniversary Gift Ideas
Cheers to fifty years! Take a bow; you deserve it.
Fifty years of marriage is a noteworthy feat. It’s hard to put into words how much your love for your partner has deepened over half a century. Thankfully, you can let diamonds do the talking.
After five decades, it’s probably time to upgrade those wedding bands. A new wedding band makes the perfect anniversary gift for him and the perfect anniversary gift for her. What could be more romantic than celebrating the moment you said “I do” all over again with bigger, brighter diamonds?
Let Dean’s give you one more reason to celebrate this major marriage milestone. Upgrade your diamond with us and we’ll offer 100% of what you paid for your original center stone towards the cost of the new diamond.
Of course, you don’t have to wait fifty–or even ten–years to give your special someone a new diamond. Here at Dean’s, we believe every anniversary is a diamond anniversary. We’ll put 100% of your original diamond’s value towards your upgrade at any time.
Pick the Perfect Anniversary Gifts with Dean’s Jewelry
Anniversaries are significant milestones in your marriage. They’re a chance to pause, take stock of all you and your partner have been through, and offer each other tributes of love and gratitude. When searching for an anniversary gift, make sure you select something imbued with meaning.
Whether you pick from the traditional list of symbolic gifts or update your selection for modern times, you can’t go wrong with jewelry from Dean’s. As your local jewelers, we invite you to come in and chat with us to make sure your anniversary gift is as special and unique as your marriage. Or, browse our online selection to get some more ideas. You can also read more about the meaning behind some of these anniversary gemstones on our previous blog here.