Whether you are celebrating your first anniversary or your 25th wedding anniversary, an anniversary ring is the most beautiful way to mark your special milestone.
Anniversary rings are a precious token of love that treasures and celebrates your everlasting marriage. It is a symbol of the strong bonds that are created through marriage and the promise of staying together forever.
But finding the right anniversary ring for your loved one can be just as difficult as finding the perfect engagement ring.
In this post, we take a look at what anniversary rings are, how to choose them, and most importantly, how to wear them.
What are wedding anniversary rings?
Anniversary rings symbolize milestones in marriage and an eternal bond. They are gifted to your partner to celebrate your love and the beautiful memories you have shared together. Anniversary rings reflect love and devotion towards one another and truly stand the test of time.
These rings are usually a simple band consisting of diamonds or precious stones. Anniversary rings are often gifted on big anniversaries such as 5, 10, and 25 years. However, they can be gifted on any anniversary.
The perfect wedding anniversary ring celebrates the love, memories, and time you and your loved one share. It is an intimate and unique memento that is solely yours to keep. An anniversary ring signifies how far you both have come together and what you have accomplished as a couple.
When should you give someone an anniversary ring?
When you should give anniversary jewelry to your loved one, there is no specific time or rules. You can gift your partner a wedding anniversary ring or another jewelry piece whenever you wish.
But gifting your partner an anniversary ring for every year of marriage can be extremely costly and impractical over the long term. That is why many couples prefer to celebrate their big anniversaries with personal gifts like an anniversary ring. This depends entirely on you and your partner.
Anniversary rings are often gifted on your first anniversary, as this is a huge milestone for both of you as newlyweds. Other couples also celebrate their milestone anniversaries, like their 5th, 10th, and 25th wedding anniversary.
Another popular time to give an anniversary ring is the years when you and your partner have started to grow your family. If you are expecting or have recently given birth to a baby, then it can be a good time to give an anniversary ring.
What is the difference between anniversary rings and wedding bands?
You may think that anniversary rings and wedding bands are almost the same things, but they are, in fact, quite different.
Wedding bands are generally subtle, small, and basic bands that are used to
complement the engagement ring. Anniversary rings, on the other hand, celebrate your marriage. These rings don't have to be simple; they can be big and bold.
If you and your partner already have wedding bands and engagement rings, then you may prefer to pick an anniversary ring that complements the other two rings. But, this isn't a set rule. You can mix your ring styles up to suit your taste.
It's not always what the anniversary ring looks like, but rather the ring's meaning. An anniversary ring symbolizes something that is important to that couple, making it a very personal gift.
Popular anniversary rings by year
Although there are no set rules for when you should give anniversary rings, there are general traditions with regard to the type of jewelry you should give your loved one.
Every anniversary is linked to a different type of metal or precious stone. This ranges from gold to pearls and sapphires to rubies.
Let's explore some of the traditional anniversary rings below.
1st-anniversary rings-Gold
First wedding anniversaries are usually associated with gold anniversary rings. Couples often select a matching hers and his set or a subtle gold stacking ring. The simplicity of the gold band will most likely complement your other rings, creating a perfect set.
Giving your loved one gold jewelry on your first wedding anniversary is a beautiful way to celebrate your goals and dreams together.
A first anniversary does not require any custom gemstones, making it one of the more affordable anniversaries to celebrate with jewelry. However, you can decorate the ring with any precious stones that you like; just make sure they complement the gold band.
5th-anniversary rings-Sapphire
The traditional jewelry used to celebrate your fifth anniversary consists of sapphire. These rings are also traditional for royals. Napoleon had gifted his wife a sapphire ring, and Princess Diana's engagement ring was decorated with this precious gemstone.
Sapphires are stunning and durable gemstones that symbolize loyalty. These precious stones are a beautiful and meaningful way to celebrate your fifth anniversary.
Sapphires are known to provide your body protection against toxic substances and fill your mind with honesty and truth. Gifting your partner a sapphire anniversary ring for five years of marriage also signifies the will to maintain harmony and peace in your lives.
10th-anniversary rings-Diamond
A diamond anniversary band is a traditional piece of jewelry to give to your beloved on your tenth wedding anniversary. A diamond band is a classic, beautiful ring that your partner will love. She can stack this with her engagement and wedding bands. These anniversary diamond rings are not only limited to gift on your 10th anniversary, they are also appropriate to celebrate any occasion in your union.
15th anniversary rings-Ruby
Historically, rubies have symbolized passion, love, and well-being. The significance behind these precious stones makes them an attractive choice for your 15 year wedding anniversary ring.
Rubies are best complemented when they are set in silver metal or yellow gold and accompanied by other gemstones.
20th anniversary rings-Emerald
Celebrating 20 years of marriage is a huge milestone. It takes a huge amount of hard work and commitment from both parties to reach this level of marriage. That is why a rare gemstone like emerald is perfect for this occasion.
Emeralds are naturally flawed but are treated to enhance their clarity and strength. Similarly, partners in a relationship will accept that they both have flaws and choose to work together to overcome their shortcomings.
What makes emeralds even more attractive is their distinctive, deep green colour. They are traditional precious stones for 20th wedding anniversary rings.
Emerald anniversary rings can be fitted with any diamond ring, so they are practical and easy to wear.
25th anniversary rings (silver jubilee)-Silver
A 25th wedding anniversary is more popularly known as a silver jubilee. Therefore, the most obvious gift for this milestone anniversary is a ring made out of silver metal.
Whether plain or decorated with your partner's favourite precious stone, Sterling silver bands are the best 25th wedding anniversary rings.
30th anniversary rings (pearl jubilee)-Pearls
Pearls are a traditional choice for celebrating your 3rd and 30th wedding anniversary. They symbolize innocence and the strong bond you and your partner share.
You can select natural or cultivated pearls; they are both elegant choices. Pearls are complemented when they are set in yellow gold, rose gold, or white gold.
40th anniversary rings (ruby jubilee)-Ruby
Rubies are a traditional gemstone to celebrate your 15th and 40th wedding anniversary. These beautiful precious stones symbolize eternal love and passion. During the Middle Ages, rubies also represented emotional stability, good health, marriage prosperity, and a clear mind.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why you may want to give this vintage anniversary ring to your partner. The stone should be set in white gold or yellow gold to enhance the beauty of the ruby.
50th anniversary rings (golden jubilee)-Gold
Once again, gold is used to celebrate your 50th wedding anniversary. This rare occasion calls for a memorable way to celebrate your undying love and commitment with yellow gold or rose gold jewelry.
Your 50th wedding anniversary represents half a century of marriage, so it should be celebrated with the same amount of pomp as your wedding day. This anniversary is about going all out to celebrate your marriage. Hence, 50th anniversary rings generally consist of rubies, diamonds, or other gemstones.
Modern alternatives
Choosing an anniversary ring by year is not necessary, nor is it everyone's preference. You may not like a specific metal or stone associated with that year. Traditional anniversary rings have their own special occasions, but for modern couples, their options are endless.
Modern couples tend to choose unique anniversary rings that complement their partner's style and taste. Rose gold anniversary rings are also a very popular choice for young, trendy couples.
Popular anniversary ring styles
Eternity band
A popular ring style to celebrate your first wedding anniversary is the eternity ring. Eternity bands are fairly simple and consist of either one row of diamonds
completely around the band or a row of diamonds going halfway around the band.
Eternity bands are ideal if your partner wants a ring that will match her wedding set.
A three-stone ring
A three-stone ring is an attractive option for an anniversary band because of its significance. People tend to associate the three gemstones with the past, present, and future.
Besides the symbolism of the ring, it is also versatile. The gemstones featured in the ring do not have to be diamonds; they can be precious stones that you like.
A five-stone ring
The five-stone ring is a popular anniversary ring choice, especially to celebrate
your fifth anniversary. The ring represents what you have already achieved together as a couple. This could be buying a house or having a baby.
The five-stone ring is also versatile; you can change the stones to whatever you prefer.
Multiple rows ring
The ring styles above are ideal anniversary gifts for couples who are beginning their new life together. These are simple and more affordable choices. But at some point, when you are more financially stable, you may want to spoil your partner.
An extravagant anniversary ring style is the multiple-row ring. This ring is exquisite, expensive, and very sparkly.
Twisted ring
Another popular anniversary ring style is twisted rings. This style is more common in ruby anniversary rings for couples who are celebrating their 15th or 40th wedding anniversary.
The twisted-style ring is unique and meaningful. The twisted anniversary bands symbolize the intertwining of two lives.
How to choose anniversary rings
Decide whether you are looking for a contrast ring or a similar ring.
As you already have a wedding band, you can decide whether you want a very different anniversary ring or one that is similar. You could even look at your partner's ring and find something similar, so it matches.
This requires time and attention to detail, but it is worth it. If you carefully choose your anniversary ring, you can create a stunning matching set.
Pick a precious stone and a metal.
Once you figure out what you want your anniversary ring to look like, it's time to find the right gemstone and metal. When it comes to choosing these elements, keep your partner's preferences in mind.
Take them to the jewelry shop with you or discuss what they would like in an anniversary ring.
Even though there are traditional suggestions for gemstones and metals that fit each anniversary, you can opt for any combination of gemstones and metals that you prefer. If you want to stick on the safe side, opt for a classic diamond ring set in yellow or white gold.
Communicate your choice.
The longer you and your partner have been together, the less significant surprises there are. This is fitting when it comes to finding anniversary rings for your partner. Your job is to select the best piece of jewelry based on your partner's taste and the style of jewelry you both wear.
How to wear anniversary rings
When it comes to styling your anniversary ring, it all boils down to your personal preferences.
However, anniversary rings are traditionally worn on the ring finger on your right hand. If you decide to wear it on this finger, your anniversary ring can create the perfect set with your engagement ring and wedding band.
But you can place your anniversary ring on any finger that you like. Some people like to place their engagement ring on the ring finger on their left hand to make space on their right hand for their wedding and anniversary rings. Some people may take off all their rings and only wear their anniversary rings.
Final thoughts
Wedding anniversary rings are a great gift to celebrate the longevity of your marriage. The anniversary ring you choose for your partner depends entirely on you. You may opt for something traditional that holds a lot of significance or a ring with a modern twist that matches your partner's style.
We hope that our guide to wedding anniversary rings Canada helps you find the perfect ring for your partner.