Diamond necklace with 673 stones stolen from Vienna museum in daylight
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Two men stole a diamond necklace with 673 stones from Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) on Wednesday afternoon. The suspects smashed a display case and fled, prompting a police investigation. The necklace, once owned by Egypt's Queen Nazli, sold for nearly $4.3 million at Sotheby's in 2015.
Key Facts
- The stolen necklace contains 673 diamonds weighing more than 200 carats and was made for the Egyptian royal family.
- Queen Nazli of Egypt wore the necklace at the 1939 wedding of her daughter Princess Fawzia to Iran's Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
- The necklace sold for nearly $4.3 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York in 2015.
- The exhibition at MAK features about 500 decorative art and jewelry objects, including more than 300 pieces by Van Cleef & Arpels.
- Austria's Federal Criminal Police Office has assigned a unit specializing in crimes against cultural heritage to the investigation.
The Theft
Two men entered the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna around 2 p.m. local time on Wednesday, presenting themselves as ordinary visitors. They approached a display case, smashed the protective glass with a hammer, and took the necklace inside. The suspects then left the museum and fled, despite being clearly captured on security cameras. Other visitors were in the exhibition hall at the time, so the theft occurred in front of several witnesses.
The Necklace
The stolen piece is made of platinum and set with 673 diamonds totaling more than 200 carats. It was commissioned by the Egyptian royal family and is linked to one of the most notable events in the history of the Egyptian monarchy. Queen Nazli wore the necklace in 1939 at the wedding of her daughter, Princess Fawzia, to Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran, who later became Shah. In 2015, the necklace was offered at auction in New York and sold for nearly $4.3 million, according to Sotheby's.
Investigation and Exhibition
Austria's Federal Criminal Police Office has assigned a unit specializing in crimes against cultural heritage to the case. Numerous emergency services personnel were deployed in central Vienna after the theft. The exhibition at MAK features about 500 decorative art and jewelry objects, including more than 300 works by French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels and over 200 exhibits from the museum's own collection. The museum closed the exhibition to visitors after the robbery, and management declined to comment citing the integrity of the investigation.
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Diamond necklace with 673 stones stolen from Vienna museum in daylight
