WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., has received a rare 23.1-carat ruby from Peter Buck, a nuclear scientist who co-founded the Subway sandwich chain.
The ruby, mined in Burma in the 1930s and called Carmen Lucia, was donated by Beck in memory of his late wife, the Washington Post reported.
The brilliant red gem is set in platinum with two triangular colorless diamonds. It is one of the largest faceted Burmese rubies known to exist, said Jeffrey Post, curator of the National Gem and Mineral Collection.
He said it is Smithsonian policy not to discuss the monetary value or sale price of its gems, but the museum's chief geologist said it is the most important gift given to the Smithsonian in 20 years.
The ruby will be displayed Saturday, along with the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond, the 275-carat Napoleon I Diamond Necklace, Marie-Antoinette's diamond earrings, the 423-carat Logan sapphire, and more than 600 other gem and jewelry samples in the galleries.
Buck, 73, is worth $1.5 billion and ranks No. 165 on Forbes's last count of America's richest.
