An imperial jewel with a delicate history is now the focus of top-tier conservation efforts... The Louvre Museum announced, in a statement on February 4, 2026, the commencement of restoration work on the crown of Empress Eugénie’s headdress. This iconic piece from the 19th century is part of the national collection and is usually displayed in the Apollo Gallery. Originally commissioned by Napoleon III for the 1855 Universal Exposition, the jewel was stolen during the October 2025 burglary but was recovered the same day, albeit with deformations to its mount caused by the extraction process and the fall. According to the museum, the object’s overall condition permits a thorough restoration, with no additions or reconstructions required.
As a reminder, on October 19, 2025, the display case housing the crown was targeted during the aforementioned burglary. The crown was forcibly removed through an opening cut with a power saw, unable to withstand the vandalism. Found shortly afterward on the ground, it showed clear deformation of its structure, damaged during the thieves’ escape. The crown was then sealed by the criminal police before being handed over, the very next day, to the Department of Art Objects for examination.
An initial condition report conducted on October 20, 2025, by Olivier Gabet, director of the Department of Decorative Arts, and Anne Dion, deputy director, provided a detailed assessment. Several decorative elements were found to be detached, one gold eagle was missing, and some palmettes appeared deformed. Fortunately, the summit globe, composed of diamonds and emeralds, remained intact and securely attached to its framework.
The crown retains all of its 56 emeralds, and out of the 1,354 original diamonds, only a few tiny stones are missing or have been found detached. This nearly complete physical integrity allows for a restoration focused on reshaping the frame and reattaching the existing stones, without the need for reconstruction. Such a minimally invasive intervention is a rare case for a jewel of this kind.
The dining services will be managed by an approved caterer, selected through a competitive process, and supported by an advisory committee of experts led by Laurence des Cars, President and Director of the Louvre Museum. This committee brings together specialists in jewelry, decorative arts of the Second Empire, mineralogy, and historic metals, with members from institutions such as the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the National Museum of Natural History, and the C2RMF. Additionally, five historic French jewelry maisons – Mellerio, Chaumet, Cartier, Boucheron, and Van Cleef & Arpels – have been involved in a consultative capacity to inform the planning process.
Commissioned from jeweler Alexandre Gabriel Lemonnier, with contributions from sculptor Gilbert and jeweler Pierre Maheu, the crown was showcased at the 1855 Universal Exposition, where it was described as "lighter and more charming" than the Emperor’s. After the fall of the Second Empire, it was returned to Empress Eugénie in 1875, saving it from being destroyed along with parts of the Crown Jewels at the end of the 19th century. Donated in 1920, the crown was finally acquired by the Louvre in 1988.
The Imperial Crown of Empress Eugénie at the Louvre Museum: Its History and Unique Features
It has dominated the news headlines in recent months: the crown of Empress Eugénie was stolen from the Louvre Museum in October 2025. Discover the story behind this priceless piece of French heritage. [Read more]
Today, it remains one of the very few royal crowns still preserved in France, alongside the crown of Louis XV and the so-called Charlemagne crown. These treasures stand as genuine testaments to the political and artistic history of the 19th century. With this restoration, the crown is set to begin a new chapter in its storied history. The question now is when and under what circumstances it will be displayed to the public once again, as concerns over the safeguarding of historic jewelry are more pressing than ever.
The Imperial Crown of Empress Eugénie at the Louvre Museum: Its History and Unique Features
