Crystal is the traditional 15th wedding anniversary gift, which is a lovely idea until you go looking for one and find a shop full of crystal owls. Fifteen years of marriage, and the suggestion is an ornament of an animal you have no particular feelings about.
We engrave crystal for a living, so we see what people actually order for an anniversary and what they wish they had ordered instead. Here is the honest version.
Which anniversary is crystal?
The 15th, in the traditional list. Sapphire is the 45th. Glass turns up at various years in the modern list, which is where most of the confusion comes from — and in practice it does not matter much, because optical crystal is glass with better clarity. If someone tells you the 15th is glass rather than crystal, you are both right.
The problem with most crystal anniversary gifts
A crystal ornament is a crystal ornament. It could have been bought for anyone, for any occasion, and after a fortnight on the shelf it stops being looked at.
What changes that is the photograph. A crystal with your own picture engraved inside it is not something anyone else can own, and it does not stop being interesting, because the thing being looked at is the two of you rather than the object. That is the whole difference, and it is why nearly every anniversary order we take is a photo crystal rather than a plain one.
Which photo to use
This is the decision that matters most, and people usually get it wrong by aiming too wide.
The wedding photo is the obvious one and it is the right one more often than not — particularly at 15 years, when it has usually not been printed since the day. But look at how much of the frame the faces fill. A photographer's wide shot of the whole wedding party looks wonderful on a wall and disappointing in a small crystal, because each face ends up too small to hold detail.
Other photos that work well:
- The two of you on a holiday, taken close up rather than at arm's length in front of a view.
- A picture from before the wedding — the one where you both look about twelve.
- The first house, the first dog, the day you got the keys.
Old prints are fine. Lay the photo flat, take a picture of it on your phone in daylight with no flash bouncing off it, and send that. A good proportion of the 40th and 50th anniversary crystals we make began as an album photo photographed on somebody's kitchen table.
Which shape suits which photo
Once you have the photo, the shape more or less picks itself.
- Heart — a close-up of two faces. It narrows towards the bottom, so a photo taken from the chest up sits in it best. Wrong choice for a group shot.
- Rectangle or tall rectangle — anything wide, anything with more than two people, and full-length photos. The safe choice if you are unsure.
- Prestige Iceberg — when it is going somewhere it will actually be looked at. The angled top catches light down the whole face of it.
- Cube — a desk. One face, close up.
- Keyrings and necklaces — carried rather than displayed. One face only at this size.
There is more detail in our shape and size guide if you want to compare them properly.
Crystal anniversary gifts for him
The most common thing we hear is that he will not want an ornament. Fair enough. The two that get ordered for men are the cube and the leather keyring, and for the same reason — neither of them reads as a decoration. A cube sits on a desk taking up less room than a mug. A keyring comes out of a pocket a dozen times a day, which is more looking than most shelves ever get.
What to watch out for
Three things, learned the hard way by other people.
Check the engraved wording before it is made. Names and dates are the things that go wrong, and once a laser has been through the glass there is no correcting it. This is exactly what the free preview is for — tick the preview box when you order, we will email it within 24 hours, and nothing is engraved until you are happy with it. Read it properly rather than glancing at it.
Do not leave it to the last two days. Free UK delivery is 2–3 working days and 24-hour delivery is available as a paid option at checkout. If you have asked for a preview, that has to be approved before we engrave. A week is comfortable; two days is a scramble.
Buy the size the photo needs, not the size that sounds impressive. A single close-up in a small crystal often looks better on a bedside table than a large one dominating the room. More faces in the photo is the only real reason to go bigger.
What it costs
Keyrings and necklaces start at £39.99, cubes from £40, rectangles from £59.99 and hearts from £69.99. Every price includes converting your photo to 3D, engraved text, background removal and free UK delivery. There is nothing added at checkout unless you choose 24-hour delivery.
Questions we get asked
Which wedding anniversary is crystal?
The 15th wedding anniversary is the crystal anniversary in the traditional UK list. The 15th is crystal and the 45th is sapphire; glass appears at some years in the modern list, which is why the two are often confused.
What is a good crystal wedding anniversary gift?
Something crystal that is specific to the two people rather than generic. A photograph engraved inside optical crystal meets the tradition and carries a picture only they have, which a bought crystal ornament cannot.
What photo should I use for a crystal anniversary gift?
A photo where the faces fill a good part of the frame. Close-up beats distant every time. A photo of a printed photo works, so an old album picture photographed on a phone in decent light is perfectly usable.
What are good crystal anniversary gifts for him?
A cube or a leather keyring. Neither reads as an ornament, which is the usual objection. A cube sits on a desk and takes almost no room, and a keyring is carried rather than displayed.
How far ahead should I order a crystal anniversary gift?
A week is comfortable. Free UK delivery takes 2–3 working days and 24-hour delivery is available as a paid option. If you tick the preview box when you order, your free preview is emailed within 24 hours and needs approving before we engrave, so leaving a couple of days for that makes the whole thing easier.
Is crystal or glass the 15th anniversary gift?
Crystal, in the traditional list. Optical crystal is glass with a higher refractive index and greater clarity, so a crystal gift is also a glass gift in the everyday sense of the word.
Have a look
The full range is in crystal wedding anniversary gifts, and if you want to talk it through before ordering, send us the photo and we will tell you honestly what we can do with it.
Sarah & Shaun
