In the series premiere of Netflix’s Lupin, the protagonist pulls off an elaborate heist by stealing a necklace that once belonged to a Queen of France during an auction at the Louvre. In a stunning life-imitating-art event last weekend, four thieves made off with nearly $102 million worth of French Royal Family jewels from the world’s most famous museum.
The real theft was far less sophisticated than its on-screen counterpart. All it took was a cherry picker, a chainsaw, and yellow safety vests.
A week later, two thieves have been caught but the jewels remain missing. Authorities believe the pieces have been disassembled and sold for parts.
The jewels that vanished
As the initial shock of the brazen manner of the theft and apparent gaffs on the part of the museum settles in, France is left to ponder the loss of eight magnificent pieces of jewelry:
- A diamond and emerald necklace and matching pair of earrings that were a wedding gift from Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife, Marie-Louise of Austria, with over 1,000 diamonds.
- A diamond and sapphire tiara from Queen Marie-Amélie’s parure and a single earring that matched.
- The Bodice Bow brooch that belonged to Empress Eugénie.
- A diamond-encrusted reliquary brooch; and a pearl and diamond tiara given to Empress Eugénie by Napoleon III which bears a resemblance to the necklace in the Lupin episode.
One hopeful moment came when a damaged diamond and emerald studded crown worn by Eugénie was found, apparently dropped and left behind at the crime scene escape route near the Louvre.
“They belong to the French people”
“This is not the museum’s jewelry, or the jewelry of the royal family; they belong to the French people because they represent French history. Most of them were gifts bestowed upon the Empresses and are significant to history. I’m afraid they are already being recut and will disappear forever,” said Guy Bedarida, artistic director and owner of Marina B jewelry, in an email.
Bedarida, who grew up in France, recalls visiting the Galerie d’Apollon as a child, and regularly visits it when passing through Paris on his way between his headquarters in Bangkok and New York. “I go at least every two years; it’s a passion for me because that gallery is the most exciting part of the museum for me; the jewelry and objects inspire me as a designer,” he said.
He remembered that in previous years, the jewelry had been behind a barrier, in the cabinets designed by Charles Gasc in 1861.
“When I was a child, they were still displayed in the old design [which was] fortified and protected more. You couldn’t get too close to it so that you couldn’t see the detail of the jewelry,” he recalled.
One piece that always inspired him was Empress Eugénie’s pearl and diamond crown.
He wonders, though, about the piece that the robbers left behind. “Was it an accident? Or did they leave it behind because it was too big and not easy to hide, making it easier to get caught?”
He is certain that the museum shows more reverence for the paintings and sculptures than for the decorative arts. “These days, you can easily install cameras in your house, and it’s affordable. Why didn’t they have better surveillance?” he posits.
A loss felt for the industry
Place Vendôme jeweler Lorenz Bäumer echoes the sentiment. “The theft of these crown jewels is a tragedy not only for all the designers, but also for all the jewelry lovers in the world. I share some very fond memories of visiting the Louvre on Sundays and finding inspiration in la Galerie d’Apollon. All gone now, but the inspiration remains. We lost beautiful gems, but also their history and the way they were made. I am keeping my hopes high and my fingers crossed that they are found.”
Jeweler Annelise Michelson agrees. “For many of us in the jewelry world, this theft feels personal. These jewels tell the story of centuries of savoir-faire and emotion; they represent the dialogue between beauty, history, and identity that still inspires us today. Even if such treasures can never be replaced, I believe their disappearance reminds us how precious our creative heritage truly is and how essential it is to keep it alive through contemporary creation.”
Roxanne Robinson is a New York-based journalist specializing in fashion and fine jewelry. She lived in Paris from 2017 to 2021 and her work has appeared in Forbes, Fashion Network, The Hollywood Reporter and The Zoe Report among others.
