Can France Recover Its Priceless Historic Jewels – Or Has It Become Too Late?
Police in France are urgently trying to retrieve extremely valuable treasures taken from the Paris museum in a brazen daytime heist, although specialists are concerned it might be impossible to get them back.
Within the French capital over the weekend, robbers entered by force the top tourist attraction worldwide, stealing eight valued items then fleeing via motor scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately under ten minutes.
Expert art detective an expert in the field told the BBC he believes the artifacts could be "already dismantled", after being taken apart into many fragments.
Experts suggest the stolen jewels will be sold for a mere percentage of their value and smuggled out of French territory, several authorities have said.
Who May Be Behind the Robbery
The group acted professionally, Mr Brand believes, as demonstrated by the fact they were through the museum of the building in record time.
"Realistically speaking, for regular people, people don't suddenly decide one day thinking, I will become a burglar, and begin with the Louvre," he noted.
"This won't be the first time they've done this," he said. "They have done other burglaries. They are confident and they believed, we might get away with this, and went for it."
Additionally demonstrating the professionalism of the group is considered significant, an elite police team with a "high success rate in solving significant crimes" has been given responsibility with finding them.
Law enforcement have indicated they think the heist is connected to an organised crime network.
Organised crime groups such as these generally have two main goals, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said. "Either to act working for a sponsor, or to secure valuable gems to conduct illegal financial activities."
Mr Brand thinks it is extremely difficult to dispose of the artifacts intact, and he noted commissioned theft for a specific client is a scenario that mainly exists in fictional stories.
"Few people wish to acquire a piece this recognizable," he stated. "It cannot be shown publicly, it cannot be passed to family, it cannot be sold."
Possible £10m Worth
The detective suggests the objects will be dismantled and separated, along with gold elements and precious metals liquefied and the gems cut up into smaller stones that could be nearly impossible to trace back to the Louvre robbery.
Jewellery historian a renowned expert, who presents the podcast If Jewels Could Talk and was the famous fashion magazine's jewelry specialist for two decades, stated the perpetrators had "carefully selected" the most valuable jewels from the Louvre's collection.
The "magnificent perfect gems" would likely be removed of their mountings and marketed, she noted, excluding the crown from Empress Eugénie which contains smaller gems set in it and proved to be "too hot to possess," she continued.
This could explain the reason it was abandoned as they got away, together with one other item, and found by authorities.
The royal crown that disappeared, contains extremely rare natural pearls which are incredibly valuable, specialists confirm.
Even though the pieces are considered having immeasurable worth, the historian expects them to be sold for a fraction of their worth.
"They'll likely end up to someone who are prepared to acquire such items," she explained. "Many people will seek for the stolen goods – they will take any amount available."
How much exactly might they bring financially if sold on? Concerning the estimated price of the haul, Mr Brand stated the dismantled components might value "multiple millions."
The jewels and taken gold might achieve up to £10 million (millions in euros; thirteen million dollars), says an industry expert, managing director of an established company, an internet-based gem dealer.
He stated the perpetrators will require a skilled expert to remove the gems, and a professional diamond cutter to modify the more noticeable pieces.
Less noticeable gems that couldn't be easily recognized might be marketed immediately and despite challenges to estimate the exact price of all the stones stolen, the more significant gems could be worth approximately £500,000 for individual pieces, he said.
"Reports indicate a minimum of four that large, so adding all of those along with the gold, you are probably reaching £10m," he concluded.
"The gemstone and precious stone industry has buyers and numerous purchasers exist in less regulated areas that don't ask regarding sources."
Some optimism remains that the stolen goods might resurface in original condition one day – although such expectations are narrowing over time.
Historical examples exist – the Cartier exhibition at the cultural institution includes an artifact stolen in 1948 before reappearing in an auction several decades later.
Definitely includes the French public are extremely upset regarding the theft, having felt a cultural bond with the artifacts.
"We don't necessarily appreciate jewelry as it symbolizes an issue of authority, and that doesn't necessarily receive favorable interpretation within French culture," a jewelry authority, director of historical collections at established French company Maison Vever, said