Dr. Jeffery Post, curator of gems and minerals for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, has been working hard for this day. While the museum has had in its permanent collection large fine quality diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and numerous other gemstones, a large gem-quality ruby has been absent. But the work is over. Dr. Post, and the national gem collection, have now received one of the world's largest and finest gem quality rubies - a spectacular 23.1-carat Mogok Burmese ruby, set in a platinum ring, accented by two trilliant cut diamonds. The ruby and diamond ring was donated by businessman Peter Buck in memory of his wife Carmen Lúcia.
Buck, former nuclear scientists and co-owner of the Subway sandwich restaurant chain, on Saturday, Oct. 16, officially donated the Carmen Lúcia Ruby to the museum's National Gem Collection, part of the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals. According to Post, the ruby will be on exhibit indefinitely.
"We are proud to bring this remarkable gemstone to the American people through the generosity of Peter Buck." said Cristián Samper, director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. "It is one of the most signigicant additions to the National Gem Collection since the Hope Diamond came to the museum in 1958."
"The Carmen Lúcia Ruby is a breathtakingly beautiful gemstone and a magnificent gift to the American people. It is the largest and finest faceted ruby on public display and will quickly become one of the icons of our National Gem Collection," said Dr. Post.
Retail jeweler, Frank Cappiello, Cappiello Jewelers in Danbury, Conn., helped Dr. Post secure the ruby for the collection. Cappiello told JCK Magazine that he found out about the ruby through Dr. Post when they first met, about three years ago. Dr. Post explained how the museum acquires gems for the collection, and told Cappiello that he knew of a very fine ruby that would be a nice addition to the collection. "Jeff said that if I knew of anyone who might be interested [in buying the ruby and donating it to the collection]...well, it just stuck in my head," said Cappiello.
Dr. Buck, ranked #165 on the Forbes Magazine's most wealthiest list, is worth $1.5 Billion. And Mrs. Buck was a regular visitor of Cappiello's. "She was in every other day," said Cappiello. "She was always in the nail salon next door." And she'd bring all her sisters with her. Five or six of them - Cappiello couldn't remember them all.
On one occasion, Mrs. Buck noticed photos of the ruby on Cappiello's desk. But Carmen Lúcia Buck had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and was receiving radiation treatments at the time she saw those photos. Cappiello knew that this was not the time to sell jewelry, but the time to simply be a friend. "It was one of the lowest points of her life," said Cappiello. "She saw the pictures of the ruby. Then we let it go. It wasn't the right time for that."
It was only after Mrs. Buck passed away that Cappiello remembered Dr. Post's quest. Afterall, it wasn't unlike Mrs. Buck to be generous with her good fortune. She was always giving gifts to her family and friends. Cappiello recalls that she had built a few hospitals in her home of Minas Gerais, Brazil. And when the appropriate time arose, Cappiello suggested to Dr. Buck that the ruby, the one his wife had admired, would make a terrific gift to the American people - if he would consider it.
"My wife, Carmen Lúcia, was an extraordinary woman," said Dr. Buck. "I made this gift as a tribute to her life. She was proud of her U.S. citizenship and dedicated her life to helping others. I hope many people will enjoy the Carmen Lúcia ruby."
Cappiello also helped Dr. Buck come up with the name for the ruby. "I just feel very fortunate to be a part of it," he said.
At 23.1 carats, the Carmen Lúcia Ruby is the largest faceted ruby in the museum's National Gem Collection and one of the finest Burmese rubies known to exist in the world. While sapphire, emerald and diamond gems weighing hundreds of carats exist, high quality Burmese rubies larger than 20 carats are exceedingly rare. According to Dr. Post, the stone was mined from Mogok in the 1930s.
The National Gem Collection is recognized as the most important collection of priceless gemstones on public view in any museum in the world. More than 375,000 individual specimens include such famous pieces as the Hope Diamond and the Star of Asia Sapphire, plus research mineral collection used by scientists around the world - 100% of which has been donated to the museum.
Click the image to see a large view of The Carmen Lúcia Ruby.