The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington has obtained a rare 23.1 carat Burmese ruby, thanks to the co-founder of an international chain of sandwich shops.
Peter Buck, a founder of the Subway sandwich chain, provided funds to the museum to purchase the ruby as a tribute to his late wife, Carmen Lucia Buck. The ruby, named Carmen Lucia, will go on public display Saturday.
Smithsonian curator Jeffrey Post said the ruby is one of the most beautiful of its kind because of its size and overall clarity. It was first discovered in a Burmese mine in the 1930s. The museum would not disclose the price of the gem, which is set in platinum along with two colorless triangular diamonds.
Information for this report is provided by AP.