Alistair Hardaker | Image: Louvre Museum
Restoration opportunity put to market for multi-million euro crown, left behind during 2025 heist.
A crown damaged during a major heist at the Louvre can be fully restored, the museum has announced.
Empress Eugénie’s crown was left behind during the Louvre heist last October, part of a theft which saw an estimated €88m in objects stolen.
The crown, alone thought to be worth tens of millions euros, was among a few items which were damaged but not stolen.
The Louvre said the crown was likely damaged after its removal from a display case through a relatively narrow slot made by an angle grinder. Its removal caused one of the crown’s arches to detach. A second has been lost in the gallery.
It said a subsequent violent impact was the most likely cause of the crown then being crushed and deformed during the seven minute raid.
The crown originally featured eight ‘palmettes’, the arches that form its body, alternately made of diamonds and emeralds, and eight gold eagles. Today, one of the eagles is missing, and all the palmettes are present, although four have detached from the mount, some of them deformed.
Of its 1,354 diamonds, an estimated ten very small diamonds, adorning the base’s rim, are missing. A further nine have detached but have been preserved.
The Louvre said it is hopeful that its complete restoration will be possible without resorting to reconstruction or re-creation.
The museum has opened a competitive bidding process to find an accredited restorer, supported by the establishment of an expert advisory committee. The museum said major French jewelry houses have expressed desire to support the restoration.
