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French authorities are desperate to locate irreplaceable gemstones stolen from the Paris museum in a daring broad daylight theft, yet authorities have warned it could be past the point of recovery to recover them.

Within the French capital this past Sunday, robbers entered by force the world's most-visited museum, making off with eight cherished pieces and getting away on scooters in a audacious theft that took about eight minutes.

Dutch art detective a renowned specialist told the BBC he suspects the stolen items could be "long gone", once separated into numerous components.

It is highly likely the pieces could be sold off for a small part of their true price and illegally transported from French territory, several authorities have said.

Possible Culprits Behind the Robbery

The group acted professionally, as the detective stated, as demonstrated by the fact they were in and out of the museum with such efficiency.

"As you might expect, for an average individual, people don't suddenly decide in the morning believing, I will become a burglar, choosing as first target the Louvre Museum," he noted.

"This likely isn't the first time they've done this," he added. "They have done things before. They're self-assured and they thought, we might get away with this, and proceeded."

Additionally demonstrating the skill of the thieves is being taken seriously, a dedicated task force with a "high success rate in resolving high-profile robberies" has been given responsibility with tracking them down.

Police officials have indicated they suspect the robbery is connected to a criminal organization.

Organised crime groups like these usually pursue two main goals, legal official Laure Beccuau explained. "Either to act working for a client, or to acquire expensive jewelry to conduct money laundering operations."

Mr Brand thinks it would be impossible to sell the items as complete pieces, and he noted commissioned theft for a specific client is something that typically occurs in Hollywood films.

"Few people wish to acquire an item so hot," he stated. "It cannot be shown publicly, it cannot be passed to family, it cannot be sold."

Estimated £10m Price Tag

The detective suggests the stolen items will be dismantled and disassembled, including the gold and precious metals liquefied and the jewels divided into less recognizable pieces that would be nearly impossible to track back to the Paris heist.

Jewellery historian a renowned expert, creator of the audio program about historical jewelry and was the prestigious publication's gemstone expert for 20 years, told the BBC the perpetrators had "carefully selected" the most significant jewels from the Louvre's collection.

The "beautiful large perfect gems" would likely be removed from their settings and marketed, she noted, except for the tiara belonging to the historical figure which has smaller stones set in it and was considered "too hot to handle," she explained.

This potentially clarifies why it was dropped during the escape, along with a second artifact, and located by officials.

The imperial headpiece which was stolen, contains extremely rare authentic pearls which are incredibly valuable, experts say.

While the items are considered being beyond valuation, the expert believes they to be sold for a minimal part of their true price.

"They're destined to individuals who is willing to acquire such items," she stated. "Everyone will be looking for the stolen goods – they'll settle for what they can get."

How much exactly might they bring in money if sold on? When asked about the possible worth of the stolen goods, the detective stated the separated elements might value "many millions."

The precious stones and taken gold may bring up to a significant sum (millions in euros; millions in US currency), according to an industry expert, managing director of an established company, a digital jewelry retailer.

He told the BBC the gang will require a trained specialist to separate the jewels, and a skilled stone worker to alter the larger recognisable stones.

Smaller stones that couldn't be easily recognized would be disposed of quickly and although difficult to estimate the precise value of all the stones removed, the larger ones may amount to around half a million pounds per stone, he said.

"There are at least four comparable in size, therefore combining all those pieces along with the gold, you are probably reaching ten million," he said.

"The jewelry and gemstone market is liquid and there are many buyers on the fringes that don't ask regarding sources."

Hope persists that the stolen goods may be found undamaged eventually – yet this possibility are diminishing with each passing day.

Similar cases have occurred – a jewelry display at the V&A Museum includes an artifact previously stolen before reappearing in an auction much later.

Definitely are numerous French citizens are deeply shocked about the museum robbery, having felt a cultural bond with the artifacts.

"There isn't always like jewellery as it symbolizes a question of power, and that doesn't necessarily have a good connotation in France," a jewelry authority, director of historical collections at French jeweller Maison Vever, said