The French crown jewels are a dazzling highlight of the Louvre's Apollo Gallery, but on Sunday, October 19, thieves stole eight historic pieces from the Parisian museum in broad daylight. A number of invaluable tiaras, necklaces and other jewels were taken from the Louvre by criminals dressed like museum workers—but one massive diamond worth an estimated $60 million was left behind, and it's said to be cursed.
Eight items were stolen in total from the world-renowned collection, per Le Parisien, including a sapphire and diamond tiara, necklace and earrings from Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense's parure. Empress Eugénie's pearl tiara, an emerald necklace and earrings from the parure of Marie-Louise, a reliquary brooch and a bow brooch from Empress Eugénie's bodice were also taken.
But at an incredible 140.6 carats, the Regent Diamond—one of the most famous diamonds in the world—sat untouched in its case. The stone has long believed to possess a curse since it was discovered by a slave in India in 1701. According to legend, the enslaved man was killed by the sea captain who promised he'd help him escape out of the country with the diamond, which he was hiding in a leg wound.
The diamond eventually made its way to England and was cut down into several smaller stones, one of which was sold to Philippe II, who was named regent of Louis XV (hence the Regent Diamond name). The diamond went on to be set in crowns for the coronations of Louis XV and Louis XVI, according to the Israeli Diamond Industry.
Marie Antoinette also wore the Regent Diamond in one of her hats, but when the French Revolution struck, Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were executed—and the gemstone disappeared. After being discovered in a Paris attic, the diamond eventually made its way to Napoleon Bonaparte, who used it on his sword. Like the French royals, the emperor's fate was an unhappy one, and he died in 1821 after being exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena.
"I don't have an explanation," Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said when asked why the Regent Diamond was untouched (via Reuters). "It'll only be when they're in custody and face investigators that we'll know what type of order they had and why they didn't target that window."
