Anniversary Gift Guide

For centuries wedding anniversaries have been celebrated through the exchanging of gifts. Although each couple celebrates these milestones in their own unique way, anniversary gifts have come to be guided by a universal set of rules, used to define what is given to mark each year of marriage. Despite what tradition says, at Maya Magal, we believe every anniversary should be celebrated with jewellery. Each piece in our collection is handcrafted in London and designed to become a treasured lifelong addition to any jewellery collection. Discover meaningful gifts to mark your wedding anniversary in our guide.

What is the history of traditional and modern anniversary gifts?

The history of anniversary gift-giving has been traced back as far as Ancient Rome and Medieval Germany. In 18th-century Germany, it was typical to be gifted a silver wreath to mark a 25th wedding anniversary and a gold wreath to celebrate the 50th. In England, the tradition of exchanging anniversary gifts is often dated to the Victorian era, when gift-giving between couples became increasingly common as arranged marriages declined in popularity and people began to marry for love. 

Over time people also began to look for gifts to represent earlier anniversaries. Items, such as paper, wood, china, and tin, were chosen to symbolise the strength, beauty, and longevity of a couple’s marriage. The first exhaustive list of anniversary gifts is often attributed to American author, Emily Post, dating back to 1922. Today, this list represents over a century of anniversary traditions.

 

Anniversary gift inspiration

At Maya Magal, we gift jewellery for all occasions and our anniversary gift guide is a contemporary interpretation of the classic traditions. Browse through gifts inspired by the various anniversary milestones to find your perfect piece.

 

1st anniversary: Paper

The typical gift given to mark a first anniversary is paper. Our paper chain necklaces are the ideal play on this time honoured tradition, available in both sterling silver and solid gold. For something extra special, explore our Solid Gold Heavy Paper Chain and matching Solid Gold Heavy Paper Chain Bracelet. Add a little extra meaning to a modern jewellery staple.
   
 

5th anniversary: Wood

Wood is the traditional gift for a 5th anniversary. For this occasion, choose a piece from our Etched Collection, featuring the organic textures of nature, captured in solid gold and sterling silver. Find your favourite etched ring, each handcrafted in our London atelier. If you don’t already know your size, find the perfect fit by measuring your ring size from home or explore our Etched Adjustable Rings.

 

10th anniversary: Tin - or upgrade to white gold

While the classic gift for 10 year anniversaries is tin, we see this milestone as a reason to upgrade to white gold, symbolising the strength and resilience of your marriage. Truly timeless, our white gold jewellery is made with classic designs featuring complimentary diamonds and unique white sapphires. Handcrafted in our London workshop to be treasured for a lifetime and beyond.

 

25th anniversary: Silver

Silver has been the traditional 25th wedding anniversary gift dating back to Ancient Rome and is said to represent the radiance and brilliance of marriage. Our collection of handcrafted sterling silver jewellery is a perfect choice to celebrate this special moment in your marriage. Choose between classic silver pearl hoop earrings or the more contemporary sculptural forms of our Lucid Chain Necklace and Lucid Bangles. For a truly special touch, take advantage of our complimentary engraving service to add your anniversary date or initials.

 

50th anniversary: Gold

Solid gold has been gifted for 50th wedding anniversaries for centuries. To mark this impressive achievement in your marriage, celebrate with our Solid Gold Jewellery Collection, handcrafted in our London ateliers with timeless design. Destined to become modern heirlooms, choose between solid gold rings adorned with emeralds and diamonds or opt for a contemporary twist on the traditional pearl necklace for something classic yet unique. Our solid gold jewellery is handcrafted as lifelong additions to your jewellery box, ideal to pass down through generations.

60th anniversary: Diamond

Celebrate your 60th wedding anniversary with diamonds. Explore the responsibly sourced, conflict-free grey diamonds, recycled diamonds, and white diamonds adorning the rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets in our collection. This milestone deserves to be honoured with something truly one of a kind. If you still haven’t found the ultimate gift in our collection, our Bespoke Design Service is a perfect choice. Book a complimentary consultation to get started and bring your own diamond creation to life in collaboration with our skilled jewellers.

If you’re still looking to embark on your marriage journey, discover our collection of diamonds and one-of-a-kind engagement rings to meet your perfect match. 

 

Handcrafted timeless jewellery gifts

Whether you’re searching for anniversary gifts or just looking for the next great addition to your own jewellery box, our collections are filled with modern jewellery essentials, designed to last a lifetime. As part of our commitment to sustainability, we handcraft our jewellery with recycled materials and a zero-waste approach in the heart of London. As just one part of our ever-evolving journey to reduce our impact on the environment, learn more about all of our efforts to improve our practices here.

Visit us in our central London stores to browse our collections and watch our jewellers bring our creations to life at the jewellers bench.