Anniversary Gifts by Year for Him: Every Milestone Covered

Every wedding anniversary has a theme, from paper in the first year to diamond in the sixtieth. The idea is simple: the materials get stronger and more precious as the years go on, just like the marriage. It's a lovely tradition, but the theme is only half the answer. The other half is him. A gift for your 3rd anniversary and a gift for your 30th are for two very different men, even if he's the same man.

Paper for the first year, silver for the twenty-fifth: the card covers one, the chain the other.

Below you'll find the traditional and modern gift for every key year, how to match the gift to where he is in life, the milestone years in detail, and what to do when the theme doesn't suit him. If you already know you want jewellery, our anniversary gifts for men bring the best of it together.

Jump to:

• Anniversary Gifts by Year: The Full List
• Choose for Him, Not Just the Year
• 1st Anniversary: Paper
• 2nd to 15th: The Early Years
• 25th Anniversary: Silver
• 30th Anniversary: Pearl
• 35th and 40th: Coral and Ruby
• 50th Anniversary: Gold
• 45th, 55th and 60th: Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond
• When the Theme Doesn't Fit: The Anniversary Gift Set
• FAQs

Anniversary Gifts by Year: The Full List

The traditional list is the older of the two. The modern list came later with more practical ideas. Lists vary a little depending on the source and the country, so we've shown the most common alternative in brackets. Where a theme has an honest CRAFTD match, it's in the last column. From the 25th onwards, our picks lean towards timeless pieces: signets, bands, cuffs and cufflinks.

The years in between, like the 11th to 14th, have themes too, but they're rarely marked with a gift. Most couples celebrate the first ten years, then every fifth year after that.

Choose for Him, Not Just the Year

Follow the theme too literally and you can end up with the right material on the wrong man. A couple marking their 30th is often in their fifties or sixties, and a statement necklace that works at 30 may not be what he reaches for at 60. So use the theme as the starting point, then pick the piece that fits where he is now.

• The first ten years: most men are still building their style, so this is the time for chains, bracelets, pendants and the pieces he's been eyeing up.
• The 15th and 20th: lean classic. A signet ring, a sterling silver band or a slim chain will outlast any trend.
• The 25th and beyond: think pieces he'll wear every day without thinking about it. Signet rings, band rings, cuffs and cufflinks suit a man in his fifties, sixties and beyond, and they carry the theme in a stone or a metal rather than a statement.

The simplest test: would he wear it to a family dinner? If the answer is yes, you've found the right piece.

1st Anniversary: Paper

Paper stands for a fresh start: a blank page you're about to fill together. It's also the easiest theme to get wrong, because on its own a paper gift can feel thin for a year that big.

The answer is to let the paper carry the words and give him something to wear alongside it. Our Anniversary Gift Set pairs one of our most popular pieces with a To My Boyfriend or To My Husband message card in its own envelope, all inside a luxury gift box. Choose from pendants like the Compass or the Crucifix, chains like the Cuban or the Rope, or a bracelet.

The first anniversary is paper. Ours comes with a piece he can wear.

Not sure which piece to choose? The Compass is a safe first pick: it's a symbol of direction, and it reads as meaningful without being too serious. For more on reading his style, see our guide to gifts for husbands and boyfriends.

2nd to 15th: The Early Years

The early themes are everyday materials, chosen because a young marriage is still being built. A few of them turn into great jewellery gifts. Others don't, and there's no point forcing them.

2nd: Cotton

Cotton stands for comfort and closeness. If he's more of a cap man than a jewellery man, our caps are handcrafted from premium cotton twill, so the theme holds up without a novelty gift.

3rd: Leather

Leather is tough and gets better with age, which is the whole point by year three. A leather bracelet is one of the easiest gifts to get right: it suits almost any style, and it's something he'll wear rather than keep. The Black Leather Wrap Bracelet gives a layered look in one piece, with a silver clover clasp. For something slimmer, the Black Leather Bracelet is built for everyday wear.

Leather for the third year: the braided wrap bracelet.

5th, 9th and 10th: Go Modern

Wood (5th), pottery (9th) and tin (10th) are hard to wear. The modern list is kinder here. The 5th is silverware, so a 2mm sterling silver Cuban chain is a fair swap. The 9th is leather again. The 10th is diamond jewellery, and while we don't make diamond pieces, our ICED collection gives him that look with brilliant-cut stones.

15th: Crystal

Crystal stands for clarity: fifteen years in, you know each other inside out. It's also around here that a signet starts to make more sense than a statement chain. The Onyx Round Gem Signet Ring frames the North Star in deep onyx with a single hand-set crystal at its core, a symbol of guidance for the man who's kept you both on course. If he's more of a chain man, the ICED Tennis Chain is a row of hand-set brilliant-cut stones.

25th Anniversary: Silver

The silver anniversary is the first of the big milestones, and it's the year to buy the real thing. Sterling silver is a precious metal that ages well, building a lived-in character the longer he wears it. That's a fitting thing to give after twenty-five years.

Silver for the twenty-fifth: hallmarked 925 sterling silver.

Keep it clean and classic. A 3mm Cuban chain in sterling silver is handcrafted in 925 silver and sits neatly under a shirt collar. For a man who doesn't wear chains, the 7mm Rounded Ring is handcrafted and hallmarked in sterling silver, and if he's more of a suit man, our Rope Cuff Links are a finishing touch he'll wear to every wedding, christening and dinner for years to come. Browse the full sterling silver collection, or read what 925 means on jewellery before you buy.

30th Anniversary: Pearl

A pearl takes years to form, layer by layer, which is why it marks thirty years together. It's also where the literal gift and the right gift start to part ways. A pearl necklace is a strong look on a younger man, but by the 30th most men want the theme in a quieter form.

Pearl for the thirtieth: mother of pearl, set into a classic signet.

The White Rectangle Stone Signet Ring sets white mother of pearl into a classic silver signet, hand-set in a Cabochon inlay. It has the soft shine of pearl in a ring he'll wear every day, and it also comes in gold. If he already wears pearls, our pearl collection has necklaces and bracelets, and our guide on how to tell if pearls are real is worth a read.

35th and 40th: Coral and Ruby

Coral stands for lasting beauty, and ruby's deep red stands for a passion that has lasted. Both are red, and on a man in his sixties both work best as a quiet touch of colour rather than a statement.

Coral for the thirty-fifth, ruby red for the fortieth: red coral set in an 18K gold signet.

Our Red Rectangle Stone Signet Ring sets a sleek red coral stone into an 18K gold signet, and it's the ring we'd choose for either year. It also comes in silver. For a band he can wear alongside his wedding ring, the Red Stone Band Ring is set with ten individually cut red coral stones. Coral is a literal fit for the 35th, and for the 40th it carries the deep red of ruby.

50th Anniversary: Gold

Gold doesn't tarnish or fade, which is why it marks fifty years. It's the biggest milestone most couples celebrate, and the gift should feel like an heirloom: something he'll wear every day and, one day, hand down.

Gold for the fiftieth: a signet he'll wear every day, and one day hand down.

A gold signet is the classic choice. The Round Signet Ring has a round, polished face and a smooth 18K gold shank: understated, with real presence. For a band he can wear alongside his wedding ring, the 7mm Rounded Ring in 18ct gold vermeil is hallmarked, with 18K gold over a sterling silver base. For a man who wears a suit, the Rope Cuff Links in gold do the job just as well, and the Classic Cuff in gold sits neatly under a shirt cuff. Our guides to 18K gold vs gold vermeil and what gold represents go into more detail.

45th, 55th and 60th: Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond

By the later milestones, one quiet piece with the right colour says more than anything bold.

45th: Sapphire

Sapphire's blue stands for loyalty and trust. The Swallow Signet Ring sets a swallow in flight against rich blue enamel, on an 18K gold signet. It's the sapphire colour in a ring he can wear every day.

Sapphire blue for the forty-fifth: blue enamel on an 18K gold signet.

55th: Emerald

Emerald's green stands for growth and renewal. The Malachite Round Gem Signet Ring frames an 18K gold North Star in deep green malachite, with a single hand-set crystal at its core.

Emerald green for the fifty-fifth: malachite and 18K gold.

60th: Diamond

We don't make diamond pieces, and we'd rather say so. For a diamond anniversary, we'd choose a signet he'll wear every day, like the Round Signet Ring, and let a message card say what sixty years means.

For these later years, our picks carry the colour in enamel, malachite and gold rather than the precious stone itself, so the ring does the colour and the card does the meaning. You'll find more in our signet ring collection.

When the Theme Doesn't Fit: The Anniversary Gift Set

Some years, the traditional theme just won't suit him. Nobody needs a bronze ornament for their 8th. When that happens, don't force it. Choose a piece he'll wear and let the words do the work.

When the theme doesn't fit, let the card carry it.

That's what our Anniversary Gift Set is for. It comes in silver or 18K gold, and includes:

• A piece of your choice: a Crucifix, Jesus and Mary, Compass or Achilles pendant, a Cuban, Wheat or Rope chain, a Cuban bracelet or the Onyx Clover Stone Bracelet.
• A message card: To My Boyfriend or To My Husband, in its own envelope.
• A luxury gift box and a lifetime guarantee.

Need help with sizing? Our guide on how to gift men's jewellery shows how to get his ring size right without asking him.

FAQs

What are the anniversary gifts by year?

The traditional list runs paper (1st), cotton (2nd), leather (3rd), fruit and flowers (4th), wood (5th), iron or sugar (6th), wool or copper (7th), bronze or pottery (8th), pottery or willow (9th) and tin or aluminium (10th), then crystal (15th), china (20th), silver (25th), pearl (30th), coral (35th), ruby (40th), sapphire (45th), gold (50th), emerald (55th) and diamond (60th). Lists vary a little by country and source.

What is the difference between traditional and modern anniversary gifts?

The traditional list is the older one, built around materials that get stronger or more precious with each year. The modern list was added later with more practical ideas, like clocks for the 1st and watches for the 15th. From the 25th onwards the two lists mostly agree.

What is a good anniversary gift for an older husband?

Something classic he'll wear every day: a signet ring, a band ring, a cuff or a pair of cufflinks. Let the anniversary theme guide the colour or the metal, like gold for the 50th, rather than choosing a statement piece.

What is a good 1st anniversary gift for him?

Paper is the theme, so a message card is the most personal way to honour it. The Anniversary Gift Set pairs a piece he'll wear every day with a To My Boyfriend or To My Husband card in its own envelope.

What should I get my husband for our 25th anniversary?

Silver is the theme, and it's the year to buy the real thing. A sterling silver chain, a hallmarked sterling silver band or a pair of silver cufflinks all mark the milestone without asking him to change his style.

What should I get my husband for our 50th anniversary?

Gold. A gold signet ring is the classic choice: understated, worn every day, and the kind of piece that gets handed down. Add a message card to say what fifty years means.

Is there a CRAFTD gift for every anniversary year?

Not every year. Some themes, like wood or tin, don't translate into jewellery, and we'd rather say so. For those years, the Anniversary Gift Set's message card lets the words carry the theme while the piece is simply one he'll wear.

Where to Go From Here

Find his year in the table, then pick the piece that fits the man he is now, and add a message card if the theme needs the words. Shop all our anniversary gifts for men, or browse our men's gift guide for every other occasion.