At dawn on October 19, 2025, the Louvre Museum in Paris was subjected to a daring raid, after which the thieves fled carrying crown jewels worth an estimated $102 million. However, their haste to flee led to Empress Eugenie’s crown being dropped from their hands, and this ancient masterpiece, studded with diamonds and meticulously crafted, was severely damaged. Today, the crown is preparing for a careful and arduous restoration journey, in preparation for returning it to its place in the “Gallery d’Apollon” inside the museum.
Following the incident, the crown was first placed in the custody of the judicial police as evidence in the course of the investigation, before being delivered the following day to the Department of Decorative Arts at the Louvre. There, the director of the department, Olivier Gabet, and his deputy, Anne Dion, prepared a detailed report on his condition, with great speed and caution. What the initial examination revealed was cause for concern.
The crown of Empress Eugenie in its original condition. (Louvre Museum)
The crown, known for its lightness and flexibility, was clearly distorted. The thieves had used an angle saw to cut through the glass showcase, but the narrow opening made passing the crown an almost impossible task. One of its collars broke off inside the hall, while clear traces indicate that a subsequent violent shock further shattered its structure. Also, four of the eight diamond and emerald palm tree decorations that adorned it came off, and one of the alternating golden eagles disappeared in the process.
However, the picture was not without a glimmer of hope. All sixty-five emeralds remained intact, and only ten diamonds out of 1,354 were missing, all of them small stones at the base of the crown. As for the central ball, made of diamonds and emeralds, it seemed untouched by damage. Thus, the possibility of reshaping the crown and completely restoring it has become achievable.
Four palm motifs are separated from the crown. (Louvre Museum)
The crown dates back to 1855, when Emperor Napoleon III commissioned his official jeweler, Alexandre Gabriel Lemonnier, to make a pair of crowns, one for him and one for his wife. Although Empress Eugenie has never witnessed an official coronation ceremony, her crown remains one of only three crowns of French rulers still preserved in France, and it has been part of the Louvre collection since 1988.
In this context, the Louvre Museum announced the opening of tenders to select a certified restorer to carry out the restoration work, in compliance with the French Heritage Law, the Museums Law, and the Public Procurement Law. The supervision task will be entrusted to an advisory committee of experts, headed by Louvre Director Laurence de Carre.
