Twentieth Anniversary Stone: Emerald
The twentieth anniversary stone is emerald — the green beryl prized for colour above all. It is reasonably hard at 7.5–8, but it is brittle and usually included, so the setting and everyday care matter more than with sapphire or ruby.
Key takeaways
- The 20th anniversary stone is emerald on both the traditional and modern lists, according to the International Gem Society.
- Emerald is the deep-green member of the beryl family and the May birthstone, so a 20-year gift can double for a May-born partner.
- It measures about 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, but that number is misleading: emerald is brittle and heavily included, so it needs more care than its hardness suggests.
- Almost all emeralds are oiled to fill surface-reaching fractures and improve clarity, which is a normal, accepted treatment that changes how you clean and store the stone.
- We set emerald into gold and platinum by hand in our Coquitlam workshop, using protective settings that guard the stone's vulnerable corners.
- See how emerald caps the first two decades on our anniversary stones guide.
What is the 20th anniversary stone?
The 20th anniversary stone is emerald. Twenty is a milestone year, two full decades, and happily the traditional and modern lists agree on it, which you can confirm on the International Gem Society anniversary list. Emerald is a serious, grown-up stone, and it suits the weight of the occasion. It is also a stone with real quirks, so it is worth understanding what you are buying before you commit, because emerald asks more of you than most gems on the list.
About emerald
Emerald is the green variety of beryl, coloured by traces of chromium and vanadium, and the same mineral family as aquamarine. What people fall for is the colour: a rich, slightly bluish green that few other stones can match. What surprises people is the condition of the stone. Unlike its clear cousin aquamarine, emerald is almost always heavily included, meaning it has internal fractures and mineral flecks that jewellers politely call the stone's garden, from the French jardin. These inclusions are so normal that a flawless emerald is treated with suspicion rather than delight. Colour, not clarity, drives the value: a strong, even green matters far more than a clean interior.
On paper emerald is fairly hard, around 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, which sounds tough. In practice the number lies. All those internal fractures make emerald brittle, so it can chip or crack from a sharp knock even though it resists scratching. Treat the hardness rating as the smaller half of the story. You can compare it against sturdier options on our gemstone guide.
Why emerald for year twenty
The anniversary lists assigned emerald to the twentieth year without an ancient rule behind it, so any symbolism is a story rather than a fact. Still, emerald has carried meaning for a very long time. Across many cultures the green stone stood for renewal, growth, and steady loyalty, the colour of living things that come back season after season. That reads well for twenty years of marriage: something that has kept growing rather than merely lasting. Emerald was also a favourite of royalty and has a long, well-documented history in the treasuries of Egypt, India, and South America, which gives a twentieth-anniversary emerald a genuine sense of occasion without any need to embellish.
Choosing an emerald piece
Because emerald is brittle, the setting matters more here than with almost any other anniversary stone. My honest guidance is to protect the corners. This is exactly why the classic emerald cut exists: those clipped corners are not just a look, they remove the fragile points that would otherwise chip. A bezel setting, which wraps metal fully around the stone, is the safest mount for a ring, and I would gently steer you away from an emerald in a high, exposed prong setting on a hand that takes a beating. For many couples the smartest twentieth-anniversary choice is a pendant or earrings rather than a ring, because a stone that hangs free is a stone that never gets knocked. If your heart is set on a ring, keep it as an occasion piece, not a daily band. We build all of this by hand in Coquitlam and will always match the setting to the stone's fragility. This is also a lovely year to rework existing gold or an inherited stone into something new, which we handle through our heirloom redesign work.
Caring for emerald
Emerald needs the most care of any stone in the first twenty years, so this part is not optional. Almost every emerald on the market is oiled: a natural or resin oil is worked into the surface-reaching fractures to fill them and improve clarity. It is a normal, accepted treatment, but it changes the rules. Never put an emerald in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner, because the vibration and heat can drive the oil out and leave the fractures looking white and obvious. Never soak it in solvents or harsh detergents for the same reason. Clean it only with lukewarm water, a drop of mild soap, and a soft brush, then dry it gently. Avoid sudden temperature changes and take an emerald ring off before any rough work. Because the oil can dry out over years, an emerald may need re-oiling by a jeweller once in a while to keep it looking its best. Handled with that care, an emerald bought for a twentieth anniversary will still hold its deep green decades later.
Turn your twentieth anniversary stone into a piece you’ll wear
Bring the year, the stone and a rough budget. Our on-site goldsmith in Coquitlam will design it with you — reset a stone you already own, or build something new around the right gem.
Prefer to talk? Call our studio at (604) 653-6449.Frequently asked questions
What is the 20th wedding anniversary stone?
It is emerald. The twentieth year is a milestone where the traditional and modern anniversary lists agree, so emerald is the stone either way.
Is emerald related to aquamarine?
Yes. Both are varieties of the mineral beryl. Emerald is the green form, coloured by chromium and vanadium, while aquamarine is the clearer blue form.
Is emerald the same as the May birthstone?
Yes. Emerald is the birthstone for May, so a 20th anniversary gift can also celebrate a partner born that month.
How hard is emerald and can I wear it every day?
Emerald measures about 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, but it is brittle because of its internal fractures. It resists scratching but can chip from a knock, so a protective setting is important and daily ring wear should be cautious.
Why are most emeralds oiled?
Nearly all emeralds have surface-reaching fractures, so a natural or resin oil is worked into them to fill the cracks and improve clarity. It is a normal, accepted treatment, but it means you must avoid heat and harsh cleaning.
What does the 'garden' or 'jardin' in an emerald mean?
It refers to the internal inclusions and fractures inside the stone, which jewellers nickname the garden. They are so common in emerald that a flawless one is treated with suspicion rather than as a prize.
What is the safest setting for an emerald ring?
A bezel setting, which wraps metal fully around the stone, or an emerald cut with its clipped protective corners. Avoid high, exposed prongs on a ring that takes daily knocks.
How should I clean an emerald?
Only with lukewarm water, mild soap, and a soft brush, then dry gently. Never use an ultrasonic or steam cleaner and avoid solvents, as heat and vibration can drive out the oil and expose the fractures.
Can Vanhess make or redesign an emerald piece?
Yes. We set emerald by hand in gold and platinum in our Coquitlam workshop using protective settings, and we can also rework inherited gold or an existing emerald through our heirloom redesign service.