In Pics | What items were stolen from Paris’ Louvre in robbery?

A robbery took place in France’s most iconic Louvre Museum in Paris in broad daylight on Sunday (Oct 19), following which the world-renowned museum said that it was closing for the day “for exceptional reasons”. Four thieves wielding power tools raided the Louvre in just seven minutes and fled with some of the country’s priceless crown jewels.

According to the culture ministry, “Two high-security display cases were targeted, and eight objects of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen.” These included articles from the Galerie d'Apollon, which houses the French crown jewels.

Following the incident, French authorities found a 19th-century crown near the museum. The crown belonged to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III. It features golden eagles and is covered in 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds.

Among the items stolen is an emerald-and-diamond necklace of Empress Marie Louise. According to the museum website, the piece was “offered by Napoleon to Marie-Louise on the occasion of their marriage,” along with a tiara, a pair of earrings and a comb. It is composed of 32 emeralds including 10 pear-shaped, 1,138 diamonds including 874 brilliant and 264 rose.

Emerald earrings that once belonged to Marie Louise were also stolen on Sunday. The earrings, along with the necklace that was also stolen, were preserved in their original condition and joined the collections of the Louvre Museum in 2004.

The Diadem of Empress Eugenie is a famous pearl and diamond tiara created in 1853 as a wedding gift from Emperor Napoleon III to his wife, Empress Eugenie.

The items lost in the robbery also included a necklace and an earring from the sapphire jewellery of Queen Marie Amelie and Queen Hortense. Modified over time, the set worn successively by Queen Hortense, Queen Marie-Amélie, and Isabelle of Orléans. It remained in the Orléans family until 1985.

The tiara from the sapphire jewellery of Queen Marie Amelie and Queen Hortense was also stolen. It has twenty-four sapphires, ten of which were very small, and one thousand eighty-three diamonds.

A brooch in bow design with two loops and folded sides and completed with two braids of unequal lengths was also stolen from the museum collection. It was worn by Empress Eugenie and has 2438 diamonds and 196 roses.

The brooch called reliquary brooch executed by Alfred Bapst for Empress Eugénie in 1855. It is made with a total of 94 diamonds and is among the stolen items.