Diamond Anniversary: An Etiquette, Shopping, and Style Guide

The word diamond derives from the Greek adamas, which means indestructible. Symbolically, diamonds embody a lifetime commitment and an everlasting relationship, which makes them the ideal gift to commemorate milestones, especially wedding anniversaries.

While past etiquette mandates that diamonds are reserved for the 60th anniversary and for the 10th anniversary, the truth is, lab-grown diamonds are fit for any milestones.

60th Wedding Anniversary: The Diamond Anniversary

The diamond anniversary marks 60 years of marriage. The tradition of celebrating a 60th anniversary was popularized following Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Before this event, the diamond was associated with the 75th anniversary.

Given the significance of the 60th wedding anniversary, a diamond is an ideal way to commemorate a lifetime spent together. But the diamond anniversary is certainly not the only occasion where diamonds are a welcoming gift.

10th Wedding Anniversary: Modern Gift Diamond Jewelry

The 10th wedding anniversary is also known as tin or aluminum, a metal that is resistant to rust, which symbolizes durability in the marriage. But unless you’re into ultra-modernist home decor, there are not many aluminum presents available. The solution is diamond jewelry in solid gold: both materials are resistant to rust and corrosion, and are as durable as your marriage.

For this anniversary, to fit the theme of durability, we suggest diamond jewelry that works for everyday looks, easily taking the recipient from the boardroom to the bedroom, enabling a seamless transition from daytime to nighttime looks. Diamond studs, huggie earrings, a thin bracelet are all valid options.

Any Wedding Anniversary

You don’t need a particular milestone to gift diamonds if diamonds are what you and/or your significant other favors. Plus, not all diamond jewelry is made alike, and there’s something for every occasion at every price point. Regardless of how many years you’re celebrating together, you can find anniversary jewelry for a gift.

Pavé-set bands or huggies are certainly different from a pendant necklace where the main diamond measures more than one carat. A bezel diamond necklace with lab-grown diamonds is more suitable for everyday life than a tennis necklace.

How Do I Choose the Perfect Piece of Diamond Jewelry?

When it comes to choosing what jewelry to buy, VRAI’s Senior Director of Sales and CX Grace Taylor weighs in. “If you have your ears pierced, having a diamond necklace and a pair of diamond studs is the jewelry equivalent of having a little black dress that you can pull out for any occasion,” she says.

“Reasons you might want to opt for a necklace over earrings would include: you don't have pierced ears! If you're planning to wear your hair down, a necklace might pack more of a visual punch with your outfit says Taylor”

Conversely, if you have an intricate neckline that you don't want to distract from, earrings are preferable. “You are traveling and you want something that will go with a variety of different looks featuring different necklines. You're planning a look with your hair up,” she explains.

Can Diamond Bands Work as Anniversary Presents?

Diamond bands are a traditional anniversary present as they naturally build off of your wedding set. Diamond bands come in all shapes and sizes. A delicate infinity band is more easily stackable than an Eternity band with a carat total weight of 4+ carats. Five stone bands are one of the most versatile options, as they work both as bands and as a standalone right-hand ring or as a ring meant for another finger.

In certain cultures, diamond bands are also gifted in celebration of the birth of a child, because these rings symbolize the cycle of life. Their shape easily allows you to seamlessly add them to your ring stack.

Other than that, both Grace Kelly and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy actually had diamond bands for engagement rings: alternating diamonds and rubies for the former, diamonds and sapphires for the latter. They’re a timeless, yet non traditional option for engagement rings.

Can Diamond Jewelry Work as an Anniversary Present?

Diamond jewelry absolutely works as an anniversary present. It also allows you to build a full set in time: you can start with a necklace, then add matching earrings, and then add a bracelet. If that is the case, they don’t have to be part of the same collection, but they have to have some degree of stylistic consistency. Choose the same metal or the same diamond shape, for example.

Do Engagement Ring Upgrades Work as Anniversary Presents?

VRAI's engagement ring upgrade program can celebrate any major milestone, such as an anniversary, the birth of a child, or any other the couple wants to acknowledge. If other things were prioritized during the engagement and the early phase of the marriage, such as the down payment on a house, an engagement ring upgrade serves as a gorgeous gift for a couple to commemorate their special day.

“Sometimes people are looking to upgrade because their taste and style has changed in the years since they first got engaged,” says Taylor. “If you want to keep an element of your original ring, it can be fun to opt for the same center stone shape, but in a totally new setting and larger size.”

Some people want to just start over from zero, though, and go for a completely new shape and style. “If you want a completely new ring but you still want to give a nod to your original, you can engrave it with something cute (like the date you got engaged or your wedding day!) that harkens back to your original piece,” she says.

Why Diamonds Make Great Anniversary Gifts ANY Year

Diamonds can make great anniversary gifts any year because they help build a jewelry collection that is meant to last through generations, and it also carries the symbolic meaning of an indestructible bond.

Diamond prices are no longer as high as they used to be. Options such as VRAI created diamonds, which are lab-grown diamonds grown in a foundry that uses 100% renewable energy, share the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as mined diamonds, but they’re free of the human and environmental toll and of the price markup of the mined-diamond industry. Expect lab-grown diamonds (and lab-grown diamond jewelry) to cost at least 60% less than its mined counterpart.

Diamonds for All Genders

Diamonds are not just for women. During the reign of Louis XIV, for example, they were the king’s favored gemstones. He incorporated them in everyday outfits, and was also credited for “inventing” (actually, popularizing) fine jewelry. Jewelry is hardly coded feminine or masculine, and designs featuring VRAI created diamonds comprise settings and finishes that fit all gender expression or personal fashion-related preferences.