Louvre releases new pictures of royal crown damaged during brazen heist

Despite suffering significant deformation, the museum confirmed the crown remains largely intact and can be fully restored without requiring reconstruction or recreation.

"It will simply involve reshaping its framework," the Louvre stated in its report.

The damage occurred when the gang attempted to wrench the crown through a narrow opening they had cut into its display case using an angle grinder, placing considerable strain on its flexible mount.

The museum's assessment revealed that one of the eight golden eagles adorning the crown has been lost, while four of the eight diamond-and-emerald palmettes have become detached from the mount, with some left misshapen.

The central orb, encrusted with diamonds and emeralds, has sunk into the crumpled frame but remains undamaged.

Of the crown's 1,354 diamonds, approximately ten small stones from the base perimeter are now missing, though nine additional diamonds that came loose have been recovered and preserved.

Remarkably, all 56 emeralds remain in place.

One of the crown's hoops detached during the theft was subsequently lost within the gallery itself.

The Louvre's report attributed the crushing to a violent impact, likely when the crown struck the ground after falling from the fleeing thieves.

The crown holds a distinguished place in French history, having been commissioned by Napoleon III from Alexandre Gabriel Lemonnier, the emperor's official jeweller.

It was unveiled at the 1855 Paris Universal Exposition, created specifically for Empress Eugénie de Montijo.

Despite its grandeur, the headpiece was never actually worn at a coronation, as the empress was never formally crowned.

The piece forms part of a rare collection of French crown jewels that survived both the looting during the Revolution from 1789 and a subsequent state auction driven by republican sentiment nearly a century later.

It entered the Louvre's permanent collection in 1988.

Alongside the crowns of Louis XV and the so-called crown of Charlemagne, it represents one of only three sovereign crowns preserved in France.

An expert committee chaired by Louvre director Laurence des Cars will oversee the restoration process.

The museum announced it would soon invite restorers to submit competitive bids for the repair work, with estimated costs beginning at around €40,000.

Several prestigious jewellery houses have already volunteered their expertise, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Mellerio, Chaumet, and Boucheron.

The stolen haul included a tiara belonging to Empress Eugénie, pieces worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, and jewellery from Empress Marie-Louise.

None of these treasures have been recovered.