Milan, 28 Aug. (LaPresse) – A diamond necklace belonging to Queen Nazli of Egypt, crafted in 1939 by the prestigious Parisian jewellers Van Cleef & Arpels in the Art Deco style, was stolen yesterday afternoon from the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna (known as the MAK), in Austria. According to Sotheby’s database, the necklace was sold at auction in New York ten years ago for $4.3 million (approximately €3.7 million). The necklace is set with over 600 diamonds and was commissioned by the queen, along with a matching tiara, for the wedding of her daughter Fawzia to the Iranian Crown Prince, who later became Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. According to reports in the Austrian media, the thieves posed as ordinary visitors but, at around 2.00 pm, upon reaching the display case containing the necklace, they smashed the glass with a hammer, snatched the necklace and fled. The police are conducting a manhunt: footage from CCTV cameras at the museum and in the surrounding areas, including streets and underground stations, has been reviewed. Several witnesses who were present at the time of the theft – which is believed to have been a commissioned job – have also been interviewed.
Austria: Queen of Egypt’s necklace stolen in Vienna – hunt for the thieves
Milan, 28 Aug. (LaPresse) – A diamond necklace belonging to Queen Nazli of Egypt, crafted in 1939 by the prestigious Parisian jewellers Van Cleef & Arpels in the Art Deco style, was stolen yesterday afternoon from the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna (known as the MAK), in Austria. According to Sotheby’s database, the necklace was sold at auction in New York ten years ago for $4.3 million (approximately €3.7 million). The necklace is set with over 600 diamonds and was commissioned by the queen, along with a matching tiara, for the wedding of her daughter Fawzia to the Iranian Crown Prince, who later became Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. According to reports in the Austrian media, the thieves posed as ordinary visitors but, at around 2.00 pm, upon reaching the display case containing the necklace, they smashed the glass with a hammer, snatched the necklace and fled. The police are conducting a manhunt: footage from CCTV cameras at the museum and in the surrounding areas, including streets and underground stations, has been reviewed. Several witnesses who were present at the time of the theft – which is believed to have been a commissioned job – have also been interviewed.