All About Anniversary Bands: When to Give, How to Choose

The old-fashioned list of anniversary gifts states that couples should give each other specific types of gifts for each year that they are married. For example, wood for their fifth anniversary, tin on their tenth, and once you get to fifty years married… gold! I don’t know about you guys, but having to wait fifty years to get some jewelry for an anniversary seems like a bad deal. The modern list is a little easier, which states that diamond jewelry should be given on your tenth anniversary. Our list says: Buy an anniversary band whenever it feels right. If the element of surprise is important to you, consider giving her a ring in an “off year” anniversary (second, fourth, or sixth for example). That being said, here’s a few guidelines that can sometimes be helpful:

The first year of marriage is filled with precious memories, and giving the gift of gold is a perfect way to commemorate them. For a classic first anniversary present, choose a piece of jewelry that complements her wedding ring stack. 

Sapphires have long been the symbol of truth and loyalty. They are traditional gemstones of fifth year wedding anniversaries. The good thing about sapphires is that they’re available in almost any color! They’re usually thought of being a deep blue like Kate Middletone’s gorgeous engagement ring, but sapphires are almost just as popular in pink as they are in blue! A sapphire anniversary band is a classic gift that is sure to go down well. Sapphire pendants and earrings are also a classy choice. 

A ten year wedding anniversary is really something to celebrate… a huge milestone! So naturally, it fits that the traditional gemstones for this occasion are diamonds. Prized for generations for brilliant sparkle and superior hardness on Mohs scale of hardness, diamonds adorn many of our most sought after jewelry pieces. A diamond ring is both sentimental and beautiful, often reminiscent of the day you exchanged rings ten years prior. Diamond earrings and diamond necklaces are also a nice choice for this occasion. 

The first thing to consider when choosing an anniversary ring is whether you want the anniversary ring to be similar in style to the wedding and engagement rings. The advantage to coordinating rings is that you can wear them together on the same finger. A lot of the time when a woman has a simple wedding band, the couple opts for an anniversary with more embellishment (often, diamonds). Eternity bands, featuring diamonds or other precious gems like sapphires encircling the finger, are one popular choice. Or maybe you can consider choosing a ring featuring the same number of diamond accents as years you’ve been married (maybe 5 diamonds for 5 years married!). 

If your wedding ring already contains precious gemstones, consider an anniversary band in a similar style but with different gemstones. Birthstones of children are a popular choice for selecting the gemstones in anniversary bands. If your wedding ring is a white gold band, maybe you could choose an eternity band in rose gold as an anniversary band for a beautiful mixed metal look. But feel free to choose an anniversary band in an entirely different style than that of your wedding ring. If your taste has changed since you’ve been married, this is a perfect opportunity to choose a ring that reflects where you are today.

There’s no hard rule on which finger you should wear your anniversary ring. Some women wear the rings in a stack alongside their engagement and wedding rings, and others wear their anniversary ring on a completely unrelated finger altogether. Some choose to wear their anniversary bands instead of their engagement ring and wedding ring, and some women trade in their wedding band to put that value toward a more expensive new anniversary band! This is a totally personal choice and there’s no right or wrong way to wear an anniversary ring. 

As always, here to help with any questions you may have. Please reach out to us at help@rachelandvictoria.com