Liberty Bell Ruby facts for kids
The Liberty Bell Ruby is a very special sculpture. It was made from the biggest ruby ever found! This huge ruby was discovered in East Africa in the 1950s. The sculpture weighs four pounds and is shaped like a tiny version of the famous Liberty Bell. It also has 50 diamonds on it. This amazing artwork is worth about $2 million.
About the Liberty Bell Ruby
The Liberty Bell Ruby is not just a pretty stone. It's a sculpture that weighs about four pounds. That's like holding two big bags of sugar! It's also incredibly valuable, worth around $2 million. The ruby itself is huge, weighing 8,500 carats. A carat is a unit used to measure the weight of gemstones.
How It Was Made
This unique ruby sculpture was created in 1976. It was made for a jewelry company called Kazanjian Brothers, located in Beverly Hills, California. A talented artist named Alfonso de Vivanco sculpted it. He made it to celebrate the United States Bicentennial. This was a big celebration of 200 years since the United States became an independent country.
The idea behind the Liberty Bell Ruby was similar to other special gifts. The Kazanjian Brothers' charity group had previously given sapphire sculptures of presidents to the White House. This happened when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president. The ruby sculpture was made in the same spirit of giving and celebrating American history.
The Liberty Bell Ruby Theft
Sadly, the Liberty Bell Ruby was stolen. It was being kept at a jewelry store in Delaware for a foundation. On November 1, 2011, thieves broke in and took it.
After the theft, a reward of $10,000 was offered. This money was for anyone who could give information to help find the people responsible. On February 20, 2014, four men were identified in connection with the theft. However, the police have said that they do not expect the Liberty Bell Ruby to be found and returned.
