How many years is the Ruby Wedding Anniversary? 40. Wow. And what is the gift for the 40^th wedding anniversary? Rubies – of course.

One of my favourite commissions just before Christmas last year was a ring for a Ruby Wedding. My customer brought me her wedding ring to be repaired a couple of years ago, which coincidentally has rubies in as well and must have kept me in mind to make this special piece – thank you!

Its rare that I ever actually make jewellery for a ruby wedding anniversary, generally because you have to have been married for 40 years – I am so happy for those of you who clearly found and are still lucky enough to be with ‘the one’ and make it 40 years to celebrate.

So, my couple came in to talk rubies and diamonds (my favourite) but not really understanding what their budget could get them, so I spoke to my gemstone dealers and found them a few different options.

We knew it was to be an eternity ring, alternating rubies and diamonds inspired by the style of her wedding ring (in a mirco bead setting.) The question was – how big shall we go? We didn’t want a ring that took over her whole finger as she already wears two rings but after 40 years, we needed a showstopper. It’s important to consider what the ring will look like on the finger, don’t go big just for the sake of it!

I designed a couple of options for them using 3D design so I could show them a realistic representation of what the ring would look like once made and we could gauge the correct size for the gems. In the end we settled for 2.5mm stones which totalled about a carat of Diamond and Ruby!

Set in 18ct Yellow Gold, here is the stunning eternity ring my lovely customer got for 40 years of marriage. When she collected the ring from me a week or so before her wedding anniversary, we had happy tears! I love happy tears, her husband even emailed me after to say how rare it was so obviously, I was thrilled.

It’s moments like this that make my job so magical, seeing the vulnerable moments of pure joy and love and being able to share them with you, whether you are getting married, about to propose or you have been together for 40 years – these are the best bits.