Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Necklace Stolen from Museum in Vienna
The jewels, said to be worth over $4 million, were once owned by Egypt’s Queen Nazli
Police are on the hunt for a pair of brazen, unmasked thieves who smashed a glass display case at Vienna’s Museum of Applied Arts last week before running out with a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond-encrusted necklace estimated to be worth more than $4 million. The necklace, on loan from the maison, was on view as part of the “Glanzstücke” exhibition, which was temporarily closed following the incident.
“Our priority is the safety and well-being of our employees and visitors, and we are grateful that no one was harmed,” the museum said, following the theft. “Thanks to the security teams and law enforcement, the incident was contained. We ask for your understanding that we are currently unable to provide any information regarding the ongoing investigation or further investigative steps.”
The necklace once belonged to Egypt’s Queen Nazli, whose great-granddaughter took to Facebook to express her dismay over the theft. “I have learned, with profound sorrow, of the theft in Vienna of my great-grandmother Queen Nazli’s historic necklace,” wrote Fawzia Farouk. “Beyond its exceptional craftsmanship and beauty, this jewel is an irreplaceable part of our family’s history and of Egypt’s cultural heritage. It is a precious testament to an era of elegance, artistry, and vision, whose significance extends far beyond personal interests. I trust that the relevant authorities and international bodies are taking every necessary measure to ensure its safe recovery. It is my sincere hope that, once recovered, this exceptional piece will continue to be preserved and safeguarded with the dignity it deserves, so that its history and cultural significance may endure for generations to come.”
The targeted exhibition, a collaborative effort between MAK and Van Cleef & Arpels, contains 500 objects and was designed by the Parisian architecture studio Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane to unfold through six thematic areas. The exhibition was reopened Friday, but police have yet to track down the suspects, who are both described as being of slim build with dark hair and dark beards, wearing dark outerwear.
The Vienna State Criminal Police Office has taken over the investigation and is utilizing the Vienna Police Dog Unit. The theft comes just weeks after four Renaissance masterpieces were stolen from a museum in Sicily. The works, attributed to painter Antonello da Messina, were swiped from the Regional Interdisciplinary Museum of Messina (MuMe) as the city gathered for its annual religious festival.