GEMS FOR ANNIVERSARIES 115
Jade (12th year)
Jade is a flexible gem
that can be carved into
a vast array of objects.Opal (14th year)
Ivory was once the choice for the
14th year, but for conservation
reasons, opals are now given.Ruby (15th year)
Originally used to mark 40
years of marriage, rubies are now
the gift for a 15th anniversary.Peridot (16th year)
Peridots have rather exotic
associations, having sometimes
been found in meteorites.Quartz (17th year)
Watches were once the
traditional 17th-year gift:
the modern choice of quartz
may be a link to a watch’s
quartz movement.Emerald
(20th year)
Replacing china,
emerald is now
the standard
gift for a 20th
anniversary.Citrine (13th year)
Named after the French word for
“lemon”, citrine is often heat-treated
to produce a more golden colour.Chrysoberyl (18th year)
The attractive cat’s eye
chrysoberyl is the official
gemstone for 18th
anniversaries.Aquamarine (19th year)
Aquamarine, with its glorious
sea-blue colouring, makes for a
wonderful 19th-anniversary gift.Silver
(25th year)
In medieval
Germany, silver
wreaths were
given to mark 25
years of marriage.Pearl (30th year)
Prized for their rarity, pearls
have been the traditional gift
for a 30 year anniversary.Ruby (40th year)
Like gold and diamond,
ruby is one of the more
traditional gem gifts.Diamond (60th year)
Its origin in the Greek word adamas,
meaning enduring, makes diamond
a fitting gift to mark this anniversary.Gold (50th year)
In the Holy Roman Empire, wives
were crowned with gold wreaths
on their 50th anniversary.114-115_FEA_Anniversary_stones.indd 115 19/05/2016 14:44