A Look At Lucille Ball's Two Stunning Engagement Rings From Desi Arnaz
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Old Hollywood stars lived in the lap of luxury, dressing to the nines for cameras and award shows. And it's not surprising that they'd pull out all the stops when it came to selecting an engagement ring and getting married. In fact, silver screen legend Lucille Ball was at the receiving end of not one, but three engagement rings from Desi Arnaz. Although the second and third rings could be considered among the most iconic Old Hollywood engagement rings, the first ring Ball received was less than glamorous.
Despite deciding to elope just six months after they met, Arnaz committed the grievous sin of forgetting to buy her a ring. "Desi's business manager ran into Woolworth's and bought me a brass one," the "I Love Lucy" star bluntly wrote in her 1996 autobiography, "Love, Lucy". Arnaz made up for this error by buying her a cushion-cut diamond ring, though Ball revealed she still kept the brass ring as a memento. And the ring certainly held great emotional weight, especially considering Ball and Arnaz were never the same after the end of their marriage.
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Lucille Ball's iconic aquamarine ring has a fascinating story behind it
But getting Lucille Ball an updated diamond ring wasn't enough for Desi Arnaz. To further show his love for Ball, Arnaz went out and purchased a whopping 40-carat aquamarine engagement ring. And it seemed that the choice of gemstone was no accident, as aquamarine is Arnaz's birthstone. Unfortunately, Ball wasn't able to keep this stunning piece in her jewelry box for long, as she became the target of a burglary in 1950.
While staying in the Ambassador East Hotel, Ball's entire jewelry collection that she brought with her was stolen while she was away, which included her aquamarine ring. The theft totaled $6,000, which would be an estimated $83,000 in 2026. The ring was lost forever, and there are theories as to what has happened to it, though nothing has ever been confirmed. But despite this unfortunate event, Ball never lost her love for large statement pieces, as she's been photographed wearing them throughout the rest of her life.