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French authorities are urgently trying to recover extremely valuable gemstones taken from the Paris museum in a daring daytime heist, yet authorities caution it could be impossible to save them.

In Paris over the weekend, thieves entered by force the top tourist attraction worldwide, stealing eight cherished pieces then fleeing on scooters in a audacious theft that was completed in eight minutes.

International art investigator a renowned specialist told the BBC he believes the jewels could be "already dismantled", once separated into hundreds of parts.

Experts suggest the artifacts may be disposed of for a mere percentage of their value and taken out of France, additional specialists have said.

Potential Suspects Behind the Robbery

The group were professionals, as the detective stated, evidenced by the fact they were through the museum of the Louvre so quickly.

"Realistically speaking, as a normal person, one doesn't just get up one day planning, I'm going to become a burglar, let's start with the world-famous museum," he said.

"This likely isn't their initial robbery," he said. "They've committed previous crimes. They feel certain and they calculated, it might work out with this attempt, and went for it."

As further evidence the professionalism of the gang is being taken seriously, an elite police team with a "high success rate in cracking significant crimes" has been tasked with finding them.

Authorities have said they believe the robbery is connected to a sophisticated gang.

Sophisticated gangs of this type generally have two objectives, Paris prosecutor the prosecutor stated. "Either to act working for a client, or to obtain precious stones to perform illegal financial activities."

Mr Brand thinks it seems impossible to market the jewels intact, and he explained stealing-to-order for a specific client is a scenario that typically occurs in movies.

"No one desires to handle an artifact so identifiable," he explained. "It cannot be shown to your friends, it cannot be passed to family, you cannot sell it."

Estimated £10m Price Tag

Mr Brand believes the objects will be dismantled and disassembled, with the gold and silver melted down and the jewels cut up into less recognizable pieces that will be extremely difficult to connect to the Paris heist.

Gemstone expert an authority in the field, creator of the digital series focusing on gemstones and formerly worked as the famous fashion magazine's gemstone expert for many years, stated the robbers had "cherry-picked" the most important jewels from the institution's artifacts.

The "beautiful large exquisite jewels" would likely be extracted from their settings and marketed, she explained, excluding the tiara belonging to the French empress which has smaller stones mounted in it and proved to be "too recognizable to handle," she continued.

This could explain why it was dropped during the escape, together with one other item, and located by officials.

The imperial headpiece which was stolen, has rare authentic pearls which have a very large value, authorities indicate.

Even though the pieces are considered having immeasurable worth, Ms Woolton believes they could be marketed for a minimal part of their true price.

"They'll likely end up to individuals who are prepared to handle these," she said. "Many people will seek for these items – they will take what they can get."

How much exactly would they generate financially if sold on? When asked about the estimated price of the haul, the detective indicated the cut-up parts could be worth "several million."

The jewels and gold stolen might achieve approximately ten million pounds (over eleven million euros; millions in US currency), according to a jewelry specialist, chief executive of 77 Diamonds, an internet-based gem dealer.

He stated the perpetrators will require an experienced professional to extract the stones, and a professional diamond cutter to alter the more noticeable pieces.

Minor components that were harder to trace might be marketed right away and despite challenges to determine the specific worth of each piece removed, the more significant gems might value approximately half a million pounds each, he noted.

"We know there are no fewer than four that large, so adding all those pieces together with the precious metal, it's likely approaching £10m," he stated.

"The diamond and luxury goods trade is active and there are many buyers in less regulated areas that avoid questioning about origins."

Some optimism remains that the artifacts might resurface in original condition eventually – but those hopes are diminishing as the days pass.

There is a precedent – a jewelry display at the cultural institution displays an item of jewellery stolen in 1948 that later resurfaced in an auction much later.

Without doubt are numerous French citizens are deeply shocked by the Louvre heist, demonstrating a cultural bond to the jewels.

"There isn't always value gems since it represents an issue of privilege, and which doesn't always receive favorable interpretation within French culture," a jewelry authority, curatorial leader at Parisian jewelry house the historical business, stated