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Law enforcement in France are desperate to retrieve priceless gemstones robbed from the Louvre Museum in a brazen daylight robbery, but experts caution it may already be too late to save them.

Within the French capital this past Sunday, robbers broke into the world's most-visited museum, taking eight cherished pieces before escaping using scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately under ten minutes.

Expert art detective a renowned specialist told the BBC he feared the stolen items are likely "already dismantled", having been broken up into numerous components.

Experts suggest the stolen jewels may be disposed of for a small part of their true price and taken out of France, several authorities have said.

Who May Be Behind the Robbery

The perpetrators were professionals, Mr Brand believes, evidenced by the speed with which they got in and out of the museum with such efficiency.

"Realistically speaking, for an average individual, you don't wake up in the morning believing, I'm going to become a burglar, and begin with the Louvre," he noted.

"This isn't the first time they've done this," he added. "They have done other burglaries. They feel certain and they believed, it might work out with this attempt, and went for it."

In another sign the skill of the thieves is being taken seriously, a specialist police unit with a "strong track record in resolving major theft cases" has been assigned with locating the perpetrators.

Police officials have indicated they believe the heist is linked to a sophisticated gang.

Organised crime groups such as these typically have two main goals, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau explained. "Either they operate for the benefit of a client, or to secure expensive jewelry to perform financial crimes."

The detective suggests it is highly unlikely to sell the items in their original form, and he explained stealing-to-order for an individual buyer represents a situation that only happens in movies.

"Few people wish to acquire an item so hot," he elaborated. "It cannot be shown publicly, you can't bequeath it to your children, you cannot sell it."

Estimated £10m Worth

The expert thinks the objects will be taken apart and separated, along with gold elements and silver components melted and the jewels cut up into less recognizable pieces that could be virtually impossible to track back to the museum theft.

Gemstone expert an authority in the field, host of the podcast about historical jewelry and was Vogue magazine's jewelry specialist for two decades, explained the thieves had "specifically chosen" the most important treasures from the museum's holdings.

The "magnificent perfect gems" are expected to be removed of their mountings and disposed of, she noted, with the exception of the crown from the historical figure which features less valuable pieces mounted in it and was considered "too hot to keep," she added.

This potentially clarifies why they left it behind during the escape, along with a second artifact, and found by authorities.

The imperial headpiece which was stolen, has rare authentic pearls which command enormous prices, authorities indicate.

Although the artifacts are considered being priceless, Ms Woolton expects them will be disposed of for a fraction of their worth.

"They will go to buyers who are able to take possession," she explained. "Many people will seek for the stolen goods – they will take any amount available."

The precise value might they bring in money when disposed of? Concerning the estimated price of the loot, Mr Brand said the cut-up parts could be worth "multiple millions."

The precious stones and removed precious metal could fetch approximately £10 million (millions in euros; millions in US currency), says a jewelry specialist, chief executive of a prominent jeweler, an online jeweller.

The expert explained the perpetrators must have a trained specialist to extract the stones, and a skilled stone worker to modify the bigger identifiable gems.

Minor components that were harder to trace would be disposed of right away and while it was hard to tell the precise value of each piece removed, the bigger stones may amount to approximately a significant amount each, he said.

"Reports indicate at least four that large, thus totaling all those pieces up plus the gold components, one could estimate approaching the estimated figure," he stated.

"The jewelry and gemstone market is liquid and there are many buyers in less regulated areas that won't inquire regarding sources."

Some optimism remains that the artifacts may be found undamaged in the future – but those hopes are fading over time.

Similar cases have occurred – a jewelry display at the cultural institution includes an artifact taken decades ago before reappearing in an auction several decades later.

Definitely is many in France are deeply shocked by the Louvre heist, demonstrating a personal connection with the artifacts.

"There isn't always like jewellery since it represents an issue of authority, and this isn't typically receive favorable interpretation within French culture," a heritage expert, director of historical collections at established French company Maison Vever, said