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The complete anniversary guide
Anniversary gifts
by year.
Every year has a symbol. Find the traditions, colours and gemstones behind your milestone—then choose a gift that makes the meaning personal.
A tradition made personal
Choose the symbol.
Tell your story.
Anniversary themes turn the passing years into a language—from paper’s blank beginning to the strength of diamond.
There is no rule that says a gift must be literal. Use the traditional material as a starting point, the modern theme as an alternative, and your partner’s tastes as the final guide.
Explore every anniversary year ↓
52
anniversary guides
1–60
years of marriage
4
ways to find meaning
1
story that belongs to you
The milestones everyone remembers
A marriage,
measured in meaning.
These landmark years carry some of the best-known anniversary symbols. Select one to open its full guide.
The complete reference
Anniversary gifts
from 1 to 60 years.
Compare traditional and modern themes, signature colours and anniversary gemstones. Select any row for its meaning and a thoughtful gift direction.
25th
25
years together
The silver anniversary
A quarter-century, still shining.
Silver reflects light without losing its strength—a fitting symbol for twenty-five years shaped, polished and brightened by a life together.
Thoughtful direction
Pair something silver with twenty-five handwritten memories, one for every year you have shared.
- traditional
- Silver
- modern
- Silver
- colour
- Silver
- gemstone
- Silver jewellery
| Anniversary | Traditional theme | Modern theme | Colour | Gemstone | Open guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper | Clocks | Gold · Yellow | Gold · Peridot · Pearl | ↗ | |
| Cotton | China | Red | Garnet · Rose quartz | ↗ | |
| Leather | Crystal or glass | Jade · White | Pearl · Moonstone · Jade | ↗ | |
| Linen / flowers* | Appliances | Blue · Green | Blue topaz · Amethyst | ↗ | |
| Wood | Silverware | Blue · Pink · Turquoise | Sapphire · Tourmaline | ↗ | |
| Candy / Iron* | Wood | Purple · White | Amethyst · Garnet | ↗ | |
| Wool / Copper* | Brass · Desk sets | Yellow · Off-white | Onyx · Yellow sapphire | ↗ | |
| Salt / Bronze* | Linen · Lace | Bronze | Tourmaline · Tanzanite | ↗ | |
| Copper / Pottery* | Leather | Terracotta | Lapis lazuli · Tiger eye | ↗ | |
| Tin · Aluminium | Diamond jewellery | Silver · Blue | Diamond · Onyx | ↗ | |
| Steel | Fashion jewellery | Turquoise | Turquoise · Hematite | ↗ | |
| Linen · Silk* | Pearls | Oyster white | Jade · Pearl · Garnet | ↗ | |
| Lace | Textiles | White | Citrine · Moonstone · Opal | ↗ | |
| Ivory motif† | Gold jewellery | Ivory | Opal · Gold · Kunzite | ↗ | |
| Crystal | Watches | Red | Ruby · Sapphire | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Silverware | Silver | Peridot · Aquamarine | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Furniture | Yellow | Carnelian · Citrine | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Porcelain | Blue | Cat’s eye · Opal | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Bronze | Bronze | Aquamarine · Topaz | ↗ | |
| China | Platinum | Emerald green · White | Emerald · Platinum | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Brass · Nickel | Orange | Iolite | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Copper | Green | Spinel | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Silver plate | Silver | Imperial topaz · Sapphire | ↗ | |
| Opal* | Musical instruments | Lavender | Tanzanite | ↗ | |
| Silver | Silver | Silver | Silver jewellery | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Pictures | Not set | Not set | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Sculpture | Not set | Not set | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Orchids | Lavender | Amethyst · Tourmaline | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Furniture | Not set | Not set | ↗ | |
| Pearl | Diamond | Green | Pearl · Diamond · Jade | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Travel | Sky blue | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Bronze | Bronze | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Iron | Graphite · silver | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Food | Burgundy · gold | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| Coral / Jade* | Jade | Coral | Emerald · Jade | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Antiques | Aged gold | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Books | Ink blue | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Luck | Fresh green | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Laughter | Gold · yellow | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| Ruby | Ruby | Red | Ruby | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Office or desk décor | Platinum · navy | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Clocks or watches | Silver · midnight blue | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Entertainment | Purple · gold | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Electronics | Electric blue · silver | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| Sapphire | Sapphire | Blue | Sapphire · Alexandrite | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Games | Dark blue · gold | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Garden or plants | Leaf green | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Home improvement | Warm white · gold | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| No set theme | Copper | Copper · rose gold | No fixed gemstone | ↗ | |
| Gold | Gold | Gold | Gold · Imperial topaz | ↗ | |
| Emerald | Emerald | Emerald green | Alexandrite · Emerald | ↗ | |
| Diamond | Diamond | Diamond white | Diamond | ↗ |
* Regional variations: Anniversary traditions vary between the UK, US and other countries. Where well-established versions differ, both are shown.
† Ethical guidance: Although ivory was historically associated with the 14th anniversary, new ivory should never be purchased. Choose an ivory colour, an elephant-inspired charitable gift, or the modern gold theme instead.
Why the symbols endure
The material changes.
The promise remains.
Anniversary lists have never been completely fixed. They grew over time, travelled between countries and gained modern alternatives as the way we live changed.
The value is not in following a rule perfectly. It is in using a shared symbol to notice the distance travelled together—whether that becomes a paper love letter, a wooden heirloom or a golden keepsake.
A simple way to choose
Tradition is the prompt.
She is the answer.
-
Start with the year
Learn the traditional and modern symbols, then decide which one feels closer to your relationship.
-
Follow her taste
Use the material, colour or gemstone as inspiration—not a restriction. The best gift should still feel unmistakably hers.
-
Add your history
Connect the symbol to a memory, promise or quality you admire. The explanation is often the most treasured part.
-
Create the next chapter
Pair the keepsake with a shared experience or future plan, giving the anniversary a memory of its own.
One gift, many meanings
A real rose.
A golden chapter.
A 24 karat gold-dipped natural rose brings together several anniversary traditions: the romance of a flower, the warmth of gold, the craftsmanship of a keepsake and the individual character of something created by nature.
Explore the gold rose