In the same way that there is a list of gemstones linked to months of the year, there is also a list of gemstones that are linked to wedding anniversaries. The list is based on a number of traditions around weddings in various countries as well as simple lists started in the 19th century. Not all the earlier lists were devoted to gemstones, but included gifts like wood and paper. In 1922, the then American National Retail Jewelers Association (now Jewelers of America) began to discuss a gemstone only anniversary list. In 1937, it produced a list which matched a gemstone with an anniversary up to the 25th anniversary and then for every fifth anniversary after that.
I am not planning to go through every one of the gemstones but I will do some of them over the next couple of posts.
The first wedding anniversary gemstone is gold and I think this buckle ring is a very appropriate present. Buckle rings have been popular since the Victorian period Queen Victoria is said to have popularised the use of the buckle and garter in jewellery. She was the head of the Order of the Garter. Male members of the Order wore a garter, amongst other regalia, around their legs but Queen Victoria began to wear her Order as a form of armlet. This led to bracelets in the form of a garter with a buckle being designed. In turn, rings in the form of a belt and buckle were produced. The Order of the Garter was supposed to symbolise the qualities of loyalty, fidelity, and protection and so led to the creating of very symbolic jewellery. Very romantic.
Garnets are the gemstones to give for the second wedding anniversary. Not just a gorgeous red, they come in pinks, green and orange. Some have linked the red garnet with fire and the heart but there are a lot of different explanations about what garnets symbolise. They are beautiful stones, however, and make attractive jewellery like the ring above.
The gemstone for the third anniversary is the pearl, one of the most beautiful natural gemstones . I love the way seed pearls were used in jewellery, like this pretty antique ring. The seed pearls are formed into two interlocking rings, symbolic of two becoming one, and representing eternal love.
The gemstone for the fourth anniversary is blue topaz. Topaz occurs in a range of colours but historically was known for being a lovely gold-orange colour. In fact, prior to the 18th century, all yellow and gold gemstones were called topaz. The name ‘topaz’ was taken from the island of Topazos in the Red Sea (later called Zabargad, and now St James) where many yellow and green stones were mined.
The discovery of Brazil in the early 1500s led to exportation of its gemstones back to Portugal and topaz were a treasured find. They came in colours such as yellow, orange, red-orange, pale blue and pink. Whilst the yellow and orange colours were most popular during the 17th century, the rarer pink sapphire were preferred at the end of the century and into the 19th century.
In the 20th century, most topaz used in jewellery are blue. The blues that are so common now and which many people think of when they think of a topaz – ‘London Blue’, ‘Swiss Blue’ and ‘Sky Blue’ – have all been derived from irradiation. They are usually clear, with few inclusions but they are still a pretty stone as seen in the earrings above.
navette jewellery 