The Liberty Bell Ruby is a sculpture crafted from the world's largest mined

ruby A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapp ...

, discovered in

East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the histori ...

in the 1950s. It weighs four pounds, is eight and a half thousand carats, and is sculpted into a miniature form of the

Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American independence, located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (now renamed Independen ...

. It has 50

diamond Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...

s set in it and is valued at $2 million. The ruby was created in 1976 for

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...

-based Kazanjian Brothers jewelry company by sculptor Alfonso de Vivanco for the

United States Bicentennial The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States of America as an independent republic. It was a central event ...

. It was made in the same spirit as sapphire busts of presidents that the jeweler's charitable foundation presented to the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C., NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. preside ...

when

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

was president.

Theft

It was being held on behalf of a foundation at a jewelry store in

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...

when it was stolen in a heist on November 1, 2011. A $10,000 reward was offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction for those responsible. On February 20, 2014, four men were arrested and indicted for the heist. Police have little hope that the Liberty Bell Ruby will be recovered.

References

2011 crimes in the United States 2011 in Delaware History of Delaware Individual rubies Robberies in the United States Stolen works of art Stone sculptures in Delaware {{US-sculpture-stub

Theft

See also

References