Is France Able to Get Back Its Invaluable Crown Jewels – Or Is It Too Late?

Law enforcement in France are desperate to locate extremely valuable jewels stolen from the Paris museum in a audacious daylight robbery, although specialists have warned it might be impossible to save them.

In Paris over the weekend, robbers broke into the top tourist attraction worldwide, stealing eight cherished pieces before escaping on scooters in a bold robbery that lasted approximately under ten minutes.

Dutch art detective Arthur Brand expressed his view he suspects the stolen items are likely "dispersed", after being taken apart into hundreds of parts.

There is a strong chance the artifacts may be disposed of for a mere percentage of their value and illegally transported from French territory, additional specialists have said.

Possible Culprits Behind the Heist

The perpetrators are experienced criminals, Mr Brand believes, shown by the fact they were through the museum of the Louvre in record time.

"As you might expect, for an average individual, one doesn't just get up overnight believing, I should become a burglar, and begin with the Louvre Museum," he noted.

"This won't be the first time they've done this," he continued. "They've carried out things before. They're self-assured and they thought, we might get away with this plan, and proceeded."

In another sign the expertise of the group is treated as important, a specialist police unit with a "high success rate in resolving significant crimes" has been given responsibility with tracking them down.

Law enforcement have said they suspect the theft is linked to an organised crime network.

Sophisticated gangs such as these typically have two main goals, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said. "Either to act working for a financier, or to secure valuable gems to conduct financial crimes."

The detective suggests it would be extremely difficult to sell the items in their original form, and he explained commissioned theft for a private collector is something that mainly exists in Hollywood films.

"Few people wish to acquire a piece this recognizable," he explained. "You can't display it to your friends, it cannot be passed to family, there's no market for it."

Possible £10m Price Tag

The expert thinks the stolen items will be taken apart and broken up, with the gold and silver melted down and the precious stones re-cut into less recognizable pieces that could be nearly impossible to connect to the Louvre robbery.

Jewellery historian a renowned expert, host of the audio program focusing on gemstones and was the prestigious publication's jewelry specialist for many years, stated the perpetrators had "specifically chosen" the most important jewels from the museum's holdings.

The "impressively sized exquisite jewels" will probably be extracted of their mountings and sold, she noted, except for the tiara belonging to the historical figure which contains smaller gems set in it and was "too hot to keep," she explained.

This might account for the reason it was abandoned during the escape, in addition to one other item, and located by officials.

Empress Eugenie's tiara that disappeared, contains extremely rare natural pearls which are incredibly valuable, authorities indicate.

Even though the pieces have been described as being beyond valuation, Ms Woolton believes they could be marketed for a small percentage of their value.

"They're destined to buyers who are prepared to handle these," she stated. "Everyone will be looking for these – the thieves will accept whatever price is offered."

What specific amount would they generate financially if sold on? Concerning the possible worth of the haul, the detective said the separated elements might value "several million."

The gems and removed precious metal might achieve approximately £10 million (€11.52m; thirteen million dollars), stated by Tobias Kormind, senior official of an established company, an internet-based gem dealer.

He stated the thieves must have an experienced professional to remove the gems, and an expert gem cutter to change the larger recognisable stones.

Less noticeable gems that were not easily identifiable would be disposed of right away and while it was hard to determine the exact price of all the stones taken, the bigger stones may amount to around a significant amount each, he said.

"There are a minimum of four of that size, therefore combining all those pieces along with the gold components, one could estimate approaching the estimated figure," he stated.

"The diamond and luxury goods trade is active and plenty of customers operate in less regulated areas that don't ask about origins."

There are hopes that the stolen goods could reappear intact in the future – although such expectations are narrowing over time.

Historical examples exist – the Cartier exhibition at the London museum features a piece of jewelry previously stolen which eventually returned in a public event several decades later.

What is certain is many in France are extremely upset about the museum robbery, expressing a cultural bond to the jewels.

"We don't necessarily like jewellery because it's an issue of privilege, and that doesn't necessarily receive favorable interpretation in France," Alexandre Leger, curatorial leader at French jeweller the prestigious firm, said

Lauren Huang
Lauren Huang

A crypto enthusiast and financial analyst with over a decade of experience in blockchain technology and digital asset investments.