Million-Euro Diamond Necklace Stolen from Vienna Museum Exhibition

A spectacular theft has occurred at Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), where a diamond necklace valued at millions of euros was stolen during a special exhibition. The museum confirmed the incident, stating that the theft took place while the jewelry exhibition was open to the public. Fortunately, no visitors or staff were injured during the brazen act.

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The MAK museum confirmed that the theft occurred during the jewelry exhibition.

The stolen item is described as a magnificent royal necklace adorned with 673 diamonds, collectively weighing over 200 carats. Its provenance adds to its allure, as it once belonged to Queen Nazli of Egypt. She was known to have worn the piece in 1939 at the wedding of her daughter, Fawzia, to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who would later become the Shah of Iran.

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The necklace, featuring 673 diamonds with a total weight of over 200 carats, likely belonged to Queen Nazli.

According to auction house Sotheby's records, the necklace fetched nearly $4.3 million (3.7 million euros) at a New York auction in 2015. The museum's current exhibition, titled 'Glanzstücke,' features over 300 objects from the renowned 'Van Cleef & Arpels' collection, highlighting exquisite jewelry pieces.

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The necklace was sold at auction in New York in 2015 for almost 4.3 million dollars (3.7 million euros).

Police have released an image of the necklace, appealing for information. Preliminary reports indicate that two unidentified men entered the museum during visiting hours, smashed the display case containing the necklace, and made their escape with the valuable artifact. The MAK has stated that no further details will be provided while the investigation is ongoing. The necklace was displayed behind glass, as seen in a photograph of the exhibition on the museum's website.

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Two as yet unidentified men smashed the display case during visiting hours and stole the exhibit.