PARIS (AP) — The dazzling sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds that once symbolized France’s royal splendor may never be seen again after a lightning-fast, four-minute heist at the Louvre Museum stunned the nation and embarrassed the government. Experts say the eight stolen jewels — together worth an estimated $102 million — are likely being dismantled and sold off piece by piece, erasing centuries of history in the process.
The audacious robbery unfolded Sunday morning inside the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery, home to France’s crown jewels dating back to the 16th century. According to investigators, four thieves executed the operation with military precision: two men in bright yellow jackets scaled the museum using a cherry picker, while two others waited on motorbikes for the getaway. In just four minutes — between 9:34 and 9:38 a.m. — they escaped with priceless pieces before vanishing into Paris traffic.
Among the treasures stolen were two crowns, a sapphire-and-diamond headpiece, emerald and diamond earrings, a sapphire necklace, a reliquary brooch, and a diamond-studded bodice bow — jewels once belonging to Empress Eugénie, Queen Marie-Amélie, and Marie-Louise of Austria, Napoleon’s second wife. One crown, adorned with over 2,000 diamonds and 200 pearls, was gifted to Empress Eugénie in 1853. Another piece — a necklace of 1,000 diamonds and dozens of emeralds — was Napoleon’s 1810 wedding gift to Marie-Louise.
The robbers dropped a ninth item — a gold eagle crown with 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds — which was recovered but damaged. The rest of the collection, including the Regent Diamond, the largest white diamond in Europe, remains intact but under tighter security.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that more than 100 investigators are pursuing leads, though hopes of recovery are slim. “If these gems are broken up and sold off, they will vanish from history,” said Tobias Kormind of 77 Diamonds. Experts agree the jewels’ fame makes them unsellable in their current form — but once recut or melted down, they become impossible to trace.
Art recovery specialist Christopher Marinello dismissed the idea of a glamorous “theft-to-order” for a secret collector, calling it a straightforward crime of opportunity. “They picked a window, grabbed what they could, and will strip them for parts,” he said.
The theft has renewed scrutiny of security at the Louvre, which has faced recent controversies — from activists splashing soup on the Mona Lisa to staff strikes over overcrowding. Lawmakers have condemned the incident as a national humiliation. “These are family souvenirs of France that have been taken,” said MP Maxime Michelet, who called the broken crown “a symbol of national decline.”
For now, the fate of France’s lost crown jewels rests on a race between investigators and the thieves. But experts warn that, much like their stolen sparkle, the odds of their recovery are fading fast.
“Nobody will touch these jewels — they’re too famous, too hot,” said Dutch art detective Arthur Brand. “You can’t sell them, you can’t keep them. Once broken apart, they’re gone forever.”