Anniversary Gemstones by Year: Jewelers of America Complete Chart
The anniversary gemstone list is published by the Jewelers of America — the most authoritative single source for this designation. Unlike the flower list (which has multiple competing versions), the Jewelers of America chart is the standard reference used by jewelry retailers and gift guides in the United States. See the Anniversary Gift Guide for the complete year-by-year breakdown.
Anniversary Gemstone Chart: Years 1–25
Year 1: Gold (precious metal) | Year 2: Garnet | Year 3: Pearl | Year 4: Blue Topaz | Year 5: Sapphire | Year 6: Amethyst | Year 7: Onyx | Year 8: Tourmaline | Year 9: Lapis Lazuli | Year 10: Diamond | Year 11: Turquoise | Year 12: Jade | Year 13: Citrine | Year 14: Opal | Year 15: Ruby | Year 20: Emerald | Year 25: Silver (precious metal)
Anniversary Gemstone Chart: Years 30–75
Year 30: Pearl | Year 35: Coral | Year 40: Ruby | Year 45: Sapphire | Year 50: Gold | Year 55: Alexandrite | Year 60: Diamond | Year 65: Blue Spinel | Year 70: Platinum | Year 75: Diamond/Gold For comparison, explore Anniversary Flowers by Year.
Gemstone vs. Material List Alignment
The Jewelers of America gemstone list partially aligns with the traditional material list at key years: ruby (year 15 and 40), emerald (year 20), sapphire (year 45), gold (year 50), diamond (year 60). The gemstone list diverges most significantly in years 1–14, where it uses gems not appearing in the material lists. Notable: the gemstone list assigns diamond to year 10 (matching the modern material list) rather than year 60 only. Related reading: Modern Anniversary Gifts List.
Key Anniversary Gemstones: Symbolic Meaning and Quality Guide
Ruby (Year 40): Ruby is a corundum variety (same mineral family as sapphire) colored by chromium. Natural rubies without treatment are rare — most commercial rubies are heat-treated to enhance color. A fine natural ruby is rarer and more valuable per carat than diamond. The ruby's assignment to the 40th anniversary aligns with its fiery red color — passion and strength sustained over four decades. When selecting ruby jewelry for a 40th anniversary gift, look for: vivid red color (pigeon-blood red is the highest quality designation), minimal visible inclusions to the naked eye, and origin certification (Burmese rubies from Mogok command premiums). Diamond (Year 60): The diamond's assignment to the 60th anniversary (and also year 10 in the modern list) reflects its status as the hardest natural mineral (Mohs hardness 10). A 60th anniversary diamond gift should prioritize the 4C quality standards: cut (most important for brilliance), color (D-G grades for colorless/near-colorless), clarity (VS1 or VS2 for eye-clean), and carat weight (relative to budget). Lab-grown diamonds are a budget-accessible alternative — identical in chemical composition and physical properties to natural diamonds, typically 50–80% less expensive per carat.
How to Buy Anniversary Gemstone Jewelry: A Practical Guide
For anniversary gemstone gift purchases: (1) Use the Jewelers of America chart as your starting reference — it is the most authoritative single source and the one U.S. jewelry retailers use for certification. (2) Always request a gemological certificate for significant gemstone purchases ($200+) — GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and AGS (American Gem Society) are the most trusted grading laboratories. (3) For ruby (year 40) and sapphire (year 45) jewelry, ask explicitly about treatment disclosure — heat treatment is common and accepted, but oil filling and fracture filling significantly lower value and must be disclosed. (4) For diamond (year 10 and 60), a GIA grading report is the industry standard — it specifies cut, color, clarity, and carat weight objectively. (5) Budget guidance: sapphire earrings or pendant (year 5 or 45): $100–$500 quality range; ruby jewelry (year 40): $200–$1500+ depending on quality; diamond jewelry (year 10 or 60): $300–$5000+ depending on carat weight and quality.
Gemstone Chart — Key Facts
- â–¸Source: Jewelers of America (most authoritative single source)
- ▸Year 1: Gold (not a gemstone — precious metal)
- â–¸Year 10: Diamond (aligns with modern material list)
- â–¸Year 40: Ruby (aligns with both traditional and modern material lists)
- ▸Year 55: Alexandrite (color-change chrysoberyl — rarest gemstone designation)
- â–¸Year 65: Blue Spinel (recent addition to the list)