The crown of French Empress Eugenie, which was deserted by fleeing thieves who staged a brazen theft on the Louvre final 12 months, is almost intact and will probably be absolutely restored, the museum stated Wednesday.
The thieves who robbed the famed Paris museum final October made off with an estimated €88 million ($104 million) in jewels, however dropped the empress’s diamond- and emerald-studded crown as they escaped, leaving it crushed and damaged.
Investigators have but to find the opposite jewels, however recovered the dropped crown.
Watch extraThe looted listing: Louvre jewels added to worldwide database
The Louvre stated in an announcement the piece had been “badly deformed”, however remained “practically intact” and can be restored to its authentic state, “with out the necessity for reconstruction”.
The museum stated the crown was broken when the thieves tried to take away it by means of a slim gap that they had sawed within the glass case the place it was displayed.
The Louvre stated the crown nonetheless had all its items, aside from one of many eight golden eagles that adorned it.
It retains all 56 of its emeralds and all however 10 of its 1,354 diamonds, the museum stated.
It stated an skilled committee led by the museum’s president, Laurence des Automobiles, had been chosen to oversee the restoration, which might be carried out by a professional skilled chosen in a aggressive choice course of.
Authorities have arrested all 4 alleged members of the heist crew, however haven’t discovered the mastermind – or the remaining jewels.
The thieves made off with eight different objects of jewelry, together with a diamond-studded tiara that belonged to Eugenie, spouse of Napoleon III.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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