A Reportedly “Cursed” $60 Million Royal Diamond Connected to Marie Antoinette Was Left Behind in Shocking Louvre Jewel Heist
The Louvre’s Apollo Gallery dazzled visitors with its royal treasures, but a brazen daytime burglary on a recent Sunday saw eight heirloom pieces snatched from the Paris museum. Disguised as staff, the thieves walked through security and made off with several priceless items, while the incredible centerpiece—the Regent Diamond—remained in its case, seemingly spared by the robbers. The intrigue around the diamond’s supposed curse has only grown in the wake of the theft.
What was taken
The dozen or so seconds of misdirection during the daytime break-in yielded a collection of royal jewelry, including:
- A sapphire-and-diamond tiara, with a matching necklace and earrings from a royal parure
- Empress Eugénie’s pearl tiara
- An emerald necklace and emerald earrings from Marie-Louise’s parure
- A reliquary brooch
- A bow brooch from Empress Eugénie’s bodice
Together, these eight pieces formed a sweeping panorama of French imperial and Napoleonic-era jewelry, each with its own lore and provenance. The loss has stunned curators and historians who regularly study how these items carried the weight of centuries of history.
The unpicked centerpiece and its legend
Steadfastly missing from the thieves’ haul was the Regent Diamond, a colossal 140.6-carat gemstone famed as one of the world’s most storied diamonds. Legends say the stone’s journey began in India, where a slave reportedly hid the gem in a leg wound to secure his freedom. When the ship carrying the man was wrecked at sea, the tale of his fate became part of the diamond’s lore.
Over the years the gem made its way to England, where it was cut and recut into several stones. One fragment entered the crown of Philippe II, a ruler who governed as regent for Louis XV. It then appeared in crowns made for Louis XV and Louis XVI, becoming a symbol of regal power and ceremony.
The diamond also crossed paths with Marie Antoinette; it is said to have adorned her during certain moments, including in playful fashion on a hat. The French Revolution, however, erased much of its royal associations, and the gem seemingly vanished from public view for decades.
After resurfacing in a Paris attic, the Regent Diamond later connected with Napoleon Bonaparte, who allegedly featured it on his sword. The emperor’s fortunes followed a grim arc—exile to Saint Helena, where he died in 1821—further entwining the gem with a legacy of peril and power.
Officials have stressed that the absence of a plausible motive for sparing the Regent Diamond makes the motive behind the theft difficult to parse. Authorities indicated that a full accounting would only emerge as suspects are brought in for questioning, complicating any straightforward explanation about the choice to leave the centerpiece untouched.
Security analysts note that large museums attract sophisticated criminal schemes, and while alarms and guards are tailored to protect fragile, high-value artifacts, the Louvre heist underscores the ongoing cat-and-mouse dynamic between thieves and curators. The event has already prompted a review of accessibility, staffing patterns, and surveillance across the gallery spaces that house irreplaceable items.
A period of reflection for collectors and curators
The loss serves as a reminder that history’s most coveted objects can be both cultural touchstones and tempting targets. For now, the eight missing pieces are being sought, while the Regent Diamond’s enduring myth continues to captivate the public imagination. The Louvre remains a repository of national memory, and its custodians say they will redouble efforts to safeguard items whose stories span centuries.
As officials pursue leads and share details with the public, the case highlights the delicate balance between making priceless heritage accessible to spectators and protecting it from those who would value it only for its monetary worth. The tale of the Regent Diamond—and its dramatic, intermittent appearances across centuries—continues to fuel debates about provenance, protection, and the enduring allure of royalty’s glittering relics.
