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Law enforcement in France are urgently trying to retrieve priceless gemstones robbed from the Louvre in a brazen broad daylight theft, but experts caution it might be impossible to save them.

Within the French capital this past Sunday, thieves gained access to the world's most-visited museum, making off with eight precious artifacts and getting away via motor scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately under ten minutes.

Dutch art detective Arthur Brand stated publicly he suspects the jewels could be "already dismantled", having been broken up into numerous components.

There is a strong chance the stolen jewels will be sold for a mere percentage of their value and smuggled out of France, other experts indicated.

Possible Culprits Behind the Theft

The group acted professionally, as the detective stated, evidenced by the speed with which they got in and out of the building so quickly.

"As you might expect, for regular people, people don't suddenly decide one day believing, I will become a burglar, choosing as first target the world-famous museum," he explained.

"This won't be the first time they've done this," he continued. "They have done previous crimes. They're self-assured and they believed, we could succeed with this, and proceeded."

As further evidence the skill of the gang is being taken seriously, a specialist police unit with a "proven effectiveness in resolving significant crimes" has been assigned with finding them.

Authorities have said they believe the robbery relates to an organised crime network.

Organised crime groups such as these usually pursue two objectives, French prosecutor Laure Beccuau said. "Either they operate on behalf of a client, or to obtain expensive jewelry to perform illegal financial activities."

Mr Brand thinks it would be impossible to market the jewels intact, and he noted stealing-to-order for a specific client is a scenario that only happens in fictional stories.

"Few people wish to touch an artifact so identifiable," he stated. "It cannot be shown to acquaintances, you can't bequeath it to heirs, it cannot be sold."

Potential £10m Value

Mr Brand believes the objects will be dismantled and separated, with the gold and silver components melted and the precious stones cut up into smaller components that could be nearly impossible to connect to the Paris heist.

Gemstone expert an authority in the field, host of the podcast focusing on gemstones and previously served as the prestigious publication's jewellery editor for 20 years, told the BBC the thieves had "specifically chosen" the most significant treasures from the institution's artifacts.

The "magnificent exquisite jewels" will probably be dug out of their mountings and disposed of, she noted, except for the tiara belonging to the historical figure which features less valuable pieces mounted in it and was "too recognizable to possess," she added.

This could explain why it was dropped during the escape, in addition to one other item, and recovered by police.

Empress Eugenie's tiara that was taken, contains extremely rare natural pearls which are incredibly valuable, specialists confirm.

Even though the pieces are regarded as being priceless, Ms Woolton believes they to be sold for a small percentage of their value.

"They'll likely end up to someone who is willing to handle these," she said. "Everyone will be looking for the stolen goods – the thieves will accept what they can get."

The precise value would they generate in money upon being marketed? Regarding the estimated price of the stolen goods, the expert stated the dismantled components could be worth "many millions."

The gems and removed precious metal may bring approximately £10 million (over eleven million euros; $13.4m), says a jewelry specialist, chief executive of 77 Diamonds, a digital jewelry retailer.

The expert explained the gang will require an experienced professional to separate the jewels, and a professional diamond cutter to modify the more noticeable pieces.

Minor components that were harder to trace might be marketed quickly and although difficult to estimate the exact price of all the stones removed, the bigger stones might value approximately half a million pounds per stone, he noted.

"We know there are at least four that large, so adding all of those along with the precious metal, one could estimate approaching ten million," he stated.

"The diamond and luxury goods trade is active and plenty of customers operate in less regulated areas that avoid questioning about origins."

Hope persists that the artifacts might resurface in original condition eventually – although such expectations are narrowing with each passing day.

There is a precedent – the Cartier exhibition at the cultural institution displays an artifact stolen in 1948 which eventually returned in an auction many years after.

What is certain are numerous French citizens feel profoundly disturbed regarding the theft, expressing a personal connection with the artifacts.

"We don't necessarily appreciate jewelry because it's a question of privilege, and which doesn't always carry positive associations among French people," Alexandre Leger, director of historical collections at French jeweller the prestigious firm, explained