Records and famous examples thumb|Rubies at the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. has some of the world's largest and finest ruby gemstones. The Burmese ruby, set in a platinum ring with diamonds, was donated by businessman and philanthropist Peter Buck in memory of his late wife Carmen Lúcia. This gemstone displays a richly saturated red color combined with an exceptional transparency. The finely proportioned cut provides vivid red reflections. The stone was mined from the Mogok region of Burma (now Myanmar) in the 1930s. In 2007, the London jeweler Garrard & Co featured a heart-shaped 40.63-carat ruby on their website. On 13/14 December 2011, Elizabeth Taylor's complete jewelry collection was auctioned by Christie's. Several ruby-set pieces were included in the sale, notably a ring set with an 8.24 ct gem that broke the 'price-per-carat' record for rubies (US$512,925 per carat – i.e., over US$4.2 million in total),The Legendary Jewels, Evening Sale & Jewelry (Sessions II and III) | Press Release | Christie's . Christies.com (14 December 2011). Retrieved on 2012-07-11. and a necklaceElizabeth Taylor's ruby and diamond necklace . News.yahoo.com (7 September 2011). Retrieved on 2012-07-11. that sold for over US$3.7 million. The Liberty Bell Ruby is the largest mined ruby in the world. It was stolen in a heist in 2011. The Sunrise Ruby was the world's most expensive ruby, most expensive colored gemstone, and most expensive gemstone other than a diamond when it sold at auction in Switzerland to an anonymous buyer for US$30 million In May 2015. A synthetic ruby crystal became the gain medium in the world's first optical laser, conceived, designed and constructed by Theodore H. "Ted" Maiman, on 16 May 1960 at Hughes Research Laboratories. The concept of electromagnetic radiation amplification through the mechanism of stimulated emission had already been successfully demonstrated in the laboratory by way of the maser, using other materials such as ammonia and, later, ruby, but the ruby laser was the first device to work at optical (694.3 nm) wavelengths. Maiman's prototype laser is still in working order.
Records and famous examples thumb|Rubies at the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. has some of the world's largest and finest ruby gemstones. The Burmese ruby, set in a platinum ring with diamonds, was donated by businessman and philanthropist Peter Buck in memory of his late wife Carmen Lúcia. This gemstone displays a richly saturated red color combined with an exceptional transparency. The finely proportioned cut provides vivid red reflections. The stone was mined from the Mogok region of Burma (now Myanmar) in the 1930s. In 2007, the London jeweler Garrard & Co featured a heart-shaped 40.63-carat ruby on their website. On 13/14 December 2011, Elizabeth Taylor's complete jewelry collection was auctioned by Christie's. Several ruby-set pieces were included in the sale, notably a ring set with an 8.24 ct gem that broke th,e 'price-per-carat' record for rubies (US$512,925 per carat – i.e., over US$4.2 million in total),The Legendary Jewels, Evening Sale & Jewelry (Sessions II and III) | Press Release | Christie's . Christies.com (14 December 2011). Retrieved on 2012-07-11. and a necklaceElizabeth Taylor's ruby and diamond necklace . News.yahoo.com (7 September 2011). Retrieved on 2012-07-11. that sold for over US$3.7 million. The Liberty Bell Ruby is the largest mined ruby in the world. It was stolen in a heist in 2011. The Sunrise Ruby was the world's most expensive ruby, most expensive colored gemstone, and most expensive gemstone other than a diamond when it sold at auction in Switzerland to an anonymous buyer for US$30 million In May 2015. A synthetic ruby crystal became the gain medium in the world's first optical laser, conceived, designed and constructed by Theodore H. "Ted" Maiman, on 16 May 1960 at Hughes Research Laboratories. The concept of electromagnetic radiation amplification through the mechanism of stimulated emission had already been successfully demonstrated in the laboratory by way of the maser, using other materials such as ammonia and, later, ruby, but the ruby laser was the first device to work at optical (694.3 nm) wavelengths. Maiman's prototype laser is s,till in working order.