Overview

• The Interior Ministry issued an official inventory naming eight missing pieces, including items from the sapphire parure of Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, the emerald set of Empress Marie-Louise, a so‑called reliquary brooch, and two jewels linked to Empress Eugénie.
• The diadem associated with Empress Eugénie was recovered outside the museum in damaged condition, while the other listed items remain missing under active investigation.
• Authorities characterized the loss as of “inestimable” value, underscoring the cultural and historical significance of the works beyond their gemstones.
• The jewels had been displayed in secured cases in the Apollo Gallery since 1889 on the Louvre’s second floor overlooking the Seine.
• Jewelry expert Stefano Papi noted that many French Crown and Napoleonic pieces passed through 19th‑century auctions and later reacquisitions, a history that can hinder tracing and restitution efforts.