Judy Garland's 5 Marriages: The Untold Stories Behind Her Famous Husbands and Engagement Rings—Including Her Untraditional Black Onyx Sparkler

While Judy Garland is well-known for her iconic roles in The Wizard of Oz, A Star Is Born, and Meet Me in St. Louis, the actress is also famous for her five marriages. The "Over the Rainbow" singer tied the knot for the first time in 1941 and for the last time in 1969—over the course of the 28 years between, she entered into a number of turbulent relationships with members of the entertainment industry, including a composer, a director, a producer, an actor, and a musician. Even though the star may have tied the knot five times, she appears to have only received three engagement rings from her partners. During her final two marriages, she often donned a costume-style piece in lieu of a diamond sparkler.

The first prominent ring the movie star received was from David Rose, who gave her a square-shaped diamond on a thin band. The piece was a traditional choice for the actress. However, her next sparkler—a pearl set on a table of black onyx—was a novel choice for the time and was even designed by the groom himself, Vincente Minnelli. The last prominent jewel received by the singer was a pear-shaped diamond given to her by Sid Luft, her third husband.

Below, we break down everything you need to know about Garland's five marriages, including details on each of her husbands and the engagement rings they gave her. Read on to see them all.

Judy Garland's Marriage to David Rose

Garland first met Rose when he was asked to make arrangements for her music. Once the composer's marriage to Martha Raye ended, Rose and Garland became romantically involved. They ultimately tied the knot in 1941 in Las Vegas. However, the union wasn't without scandal: The orchestra leader was 12 years older than his new wife, and the actress was just 19 when she said "I do." Reports indicate that the actress's mother, as well as her studio, worried that the marriage would ruin her image as a youthful teenager. Shortly after marrying, Rose and Garland's relationship dissolved—and they divorced in 1944.

Judy Garland's Engagement Ring From David Rose

While few details have ever been released about the actress's engagement ring from her first husband, the sparkler appears to feature a square-shaped jewel on a thin band. After tying the knot with Rose in 1941, the movie star also donned a thin wedding band alongside the diamond.

Details on Judy Garland's Marriage to Vincente Minnelli

After her split from Rose, Garland met her second husband while working on the set of Meet Me in St. Louis. The actress held the starring role in the film, and Minnelli served as the project's director. Like her first husband, Minnelli was much older than Garland. However, it appears that the singer preferred the 19-year age gap, as some experts note that she thought he brought out a maturity in her. Her studio supported the union, seeing it as a way to keep the actress from moving on at the end of her contract. The couple ultimately said "I do" in 1945. In 1946, Garland gave birth to their first daughter, Liza. Just three years later, in 1949, after a number of professional and personal conflicts, the duo split. They officially divorced in 1950.

Judy Garland's Engagement Ring From Vincente Minnelli

The engagement ring given by the movie director to the actress was considered an unconventional choice. Minnelli designed the rectangular-shaped piece, which featured a pearl set on a table of black onyx, himself. Garland's wedding band, which was made of black enamel gold and included pink seed pearls, was crafted to complement the sparkler.

Judy Garland's Marriage to Sid Luft

Garland's third marriage was also her longest. For 13 years, she was married to Sid Luft. While the actress and the movie producer first met in the 1930s, they reconnected after Garland's divorce from Minnelli and tied the knot in 1952. Later that same year, the starlet gave birth to the couple's daughter, Lorna. Three years later, they welcomed their son, Joey, into the world. Over the course of their partnership, Luft often served as the actress's manager.

Though they had happy moments, it turns out that the partnership was also full of strife. When the duo ultimately divorced in 1965, the singer said that Luft had physically assaulted her on multiple occasions.

Judy Garland's Engagement Ring From Sid Luft

When he proposed, Luft gave the actress a pear-shaped diamond flanked by two tapered baguettes set on a platinum band. The sparkler mirrored the pieces worn by other famous actresses at the time, including Elizabeth Taylor and Mia Farrow, noted Guy Burton, the director of Hancocks of London.

Judy Garland's Marriage to Mark Herron

While Garland may have first headed to Las Vegas to tie the knot with Rose in 1941, she returned to the city in 1965 to say "I do" to her fourth husband, Mark Herron. The two, who met at the London Palladium in 1964, began dating before the actress's divorce with Luft was finalized. After officially splitting from the movie producer, Garland married the actor at a small wedding chapel in November 1965. However, their partnership didn't last long. The duo separated five months after becoming husband and wife—and they were officially divorced in 1967.

Judy Garland's Engagement Ring From Mark Herron

While it's unknown whether Herron ever gave Garland an engagement ring, the actress was spotted wearing a costume-style piece on her left hand throughout the couple's brief marriage. The accessory was prominently displayed on her finger during an interview the duo gave in 1965.

Judy Garland's Marriage to Mickey Deans

The actress said "I do" to her fifth (and final) husband, Mickey Deans, just three months before she died. The way that the two met—with Deans delivering drugs to Garland—appears to have foreshadowed her tragic death. After dating for a few years, they tied the knot in London in March 1969. Close friends and family members of the actress didn't support the union. Lorna Lufts, one of the movie star's daughters, called Deans "the most unsuitable person to take care of" her mother, according to Town & Country.

It's unclear whether the musician ever gave the actress an engagement ring; over the course of their brief partnership, she was photographed wearing a costume ring on her left hand a number of times.

Where Are Judy Garland's Engagement Rings Today?

Ultimately, we don't know what happened to the late actress's engagement rings following her death. With that being said, when you consider the way most of her marriages ended, it's unlikely that the movie star returned the jewels to her former husbands. According to public record, none of the pieces have been listed at auction. As a result, it's assumed that the actress likely had Rose's square-shaped diamond in her possession when she died. In terms of her second ring, some believe that Minnelli tossed the sparkler out of a cab toward the end of their marriage, rendering it lost. It's thought that the pear-shaped stone given to her by Luft may have passed down to one of the couple's two children.

Upon the actress's death in 1969, her three children inherited her estate. Yet, years of financial mismanagement meant that there was only $40,000 left, equivalent to $364,000 today. In 1978, Luft organized an auction of 500 of Garland's personal items, including cookware and musical arrangements. It does not appear as though any of the movie star's engagement rings were listed as part of the sale.