Precious Gemstones – Anniversary Guide

There are two main types of gemstones people often refer to; Precious and semi-precious. A gemstone is considered precious if it is rare or difficult to obtain, these particular stones often attract a high commercial price. A Semi-precious gemstone is classified as such by being more widely available than precious stones. The Gemstone industry has stopped using these terms now as they discovered it confused people!

The most sought-after precious stones are Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald. However, more traditionally stones such as Opal, Pearl (although not strictly a gemstone) and Amethyst were once considered to be precious and extremely rare. Amethyst was considered to be extremely rare and precious going as far back as ancient Greece. However, During the 19th Century, large deposits of the stone were found in South America and have since been reclassified as semi-precious.

Today, we are going to tell you what anniversary a precious gemstone is associated with.

Diamond

The Modern List suggests Diamond Jewellery as the theme for the 30th year wedding anniversary

Diamond is the traditional gemstone for the 60th, 70th and 75th Wedding Anniversaries.

Diamond is the most precious of stones, the stone demands a premium prices and has even sparked wars due to its rarity making many retailers not accept what is now known as Blood Diamonds .

Diamond is a favoured stone for engagements or eternity rings, most likely as it represents “virtue” however its first meaning was “courage” which came from the Greek word “adamas” which translates to ‘invincible’.

Ruby

Ruby gemstone

Ruby is the traditional gemstone for the 40th Wedding Anniversary.

Rubies are deep red in colour and are found in deposits worldwide. Rubies demand a premium depending on the overall look of the stone, A deep red called pigeon blood red, transparent and a superior cut are the rarest and therefore extremely valuable. The stones carat (weight) also determines its worth.

Ruby is one of the best known precious gemstones, it also comes with a wealth of claims including making all obstacles in the path of happiness to melt away, it repairs broken friendships and can help improve memory!

Sapphire

Sapphire Gemstones
Sapphire Gemstones

Sapphire is the traditional gemstone for the 5th, 23rd, 45th and 65th Wedding Anniversaries

Sapphires can vary in colour such as pink and yellow, however the most popular and one of the rarest is the Blue Sapphire. Sapphires and known to be extremely durable and hard and are therefore sometime used in commercials items such as scientific equipment and components in wrist watches.

Although Sapphire is the gemstone for the 65th wedding Anniversary, it is traditionally known as Star Sapphire. A gemstone is considered a “star” when it has star-like properties within the stone, this is known as asterism. It is recognised by having a star shaped pattern when viewed with a light source.

Sapphire gemstones have long been believed to stand for devotion which as it puts in an appearance for the 65th wedding anniversary is rather apt.

Emerald

Emerald Gemstones
Emerald Gemstones

Emerald is the traditional gemstone for the 20th,35th and 55th Wedding Anniversaries

Emerald is a rich green in colour and like other precious gemstones is considered more valuable if it is a dark green with a transparent finish. Other lower quality stones will often be dark green but are completely opaque.

Emerald was once a favourite gift between lovers, as it was believed to lose its colour should either the giver or receiver become unfaithful. It is claimed to help with those who have weak sight and it used to be believed that if a serpent looked at an emerald it would become blind.

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