Unknown individuals who forcibly entered the Louvre on Sunday targeted the Galerie d’Apollon, home to some of the museum’s most valuable exhibits, dating back to the era of Napoleon and worth millions of dollars.
The thieves reportedly planned their operation carefully, choosing a particularly valuable section of the Louvre: the first-floor Galerie d’Apollon, where they focused on two display cases.
Nine Stolen Pieces of Jewelry
In total, the thieves stole nine pieces of jewelry from the collection of Napoleon and Empress Eugénie. So far, reported items include a necklace, a brooch, earrings, and a diadem. Two crowns were also mentioned, including the one belonging to Empress Eugénie, which was found damaged after the crime. Another stolen item remains unidentified, according to albinfo.ch.
French Crown Jewels at the Louvre
Aside from the room’s grand furnishings, the remaining pieces of the French crown jewels are the gallery’s main attractions. In 1887, the Third French Republic sold many crown jewels to prevent the threat of a royal coup, keeping only those of historical importance. That year, 23 remaining pieces were exhibited in Galerie d’Apollon, displayed in glass cases alongside other valuable Louvre collections. Additional display cases were added in 1985 and 2020.
Among the most significant pieces are the crowns made for Louis XV and Napoleon, the Hydrangea diamond, a 20-carat orange-pink diamond purchased by Louis XIV, and the 140-carat Regent diamond, widely regarded as one of the purest diamonds ever created. The Sancy diamond, a 55-carat pale yellow diamond once part of the British Crown Jewels, is also exhibited there.
This theft highlights the immense historical and monetary value of the Louvre’s collections and the audacity of the perpetrators who targeted such irreplaceable treasures.
