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Police in France are urgently trying to recover priceless gemstones taken from the Louvre Museum in a daring daylight robbery, but experts have warned it could be impossible to save them.

In Paris this past Sunday, robbers entered by force the world's most-visited museum, stealing eight valued items and getting away using scooters in a daring heist that lasted approximately eight minutes.

International art investigator Arthur Brand expressed his view he suspects the jewels are likely "long gone", after being taken apart into hundreds of parts.

Experts suggest the artifacts could be sold off for a mere percentage of their value and illegally transported from France, additional specialists noted.

Possible Culprits Behind the Heist

The thieves are experienced criminals, as the detective stated, as demonstrated by the fact they were inside and outside of the building in record time.

"As you might expect, for regular people, you don't wake up overnight thinking, I should become a criminal, and begin with the Louvre Museum," he said.

"This likely isn't the first time they've done this," he continued. "They've carried out things before. They're self-assured and they thought, we might get away with this plan, and went for it."

In another sign the expertise of the thieves is being taken seriously, a specialist police unit with a "high success rate in resolving major theft cases" has been assigned with locating the perpetrators.

Police officials have said they suspect the theft relates to an organised crime network.

Organised crime groups such as these usually pursue two primary purposes, French prosecutor Laure Beccuau said. "Either they operate on behalf of a client, or to obtain expensive jewelry to carry out money laundering operations."

The expert believes it is extremely difficult to market the jewels in their original form, and he said targeted robbery for an individual buyer is a scenario that typically occurs in Hollywood films.

"No one desires to acquire an item so identifiable," he stated. "It cannot be shown publicly, it cannot be passed to your children, you cannot sell it."

Estimated £10m Value

The detective suggests the objects will be dismantled and separated, with the gold and silver components melted and the jewels divided into less recognizable pieces that would be extremely difficult to connect to the Louvre robbery.

Gemstone expert Carol Woolton, who presents the audio program about historical jewelry and formerly worked as the prestigious publication's jewelry specialist for many years, told the BBC the robbers had "specifically chosen" the most important jewels from the museum's holdings.

The "beautiful large perfect gems" are expected to be extracted from their settings and marketed, she explained, except for the headpiece of the historical figure which features less valuable pieces set in it and was "too hot to possess," she added.

This potentially clarifies why they left it behind as they got away, together with a second artifact, and found by authorities.

Empress Eugenie's tiara that was taken, features exceptionally uncommon authentic pearls which have a very large value, experts say.

Although the artifacts have been described as being beyond valuation, the expert believes they could be marketed for a small percentage of their value.

"They'll likely end up to individuals who are prepared to take possession," she explained. "Everyone will be looking for these items – they'll settle for whatever price is offered."

How much exactly would they generate as payment upon being marketed? Concerning the possible worth of the haul, the detective said the separated elements could be worth "many millions."

The jewels and gold stolen might achieve approximately ten million pounds (over eleven million euros; thirteen million dollars), says an industry expert, managing director of a prominent jeweler, an online jeweller.

He stated the perpetrators must have a trained specialist to remove the gems, and a skilled stone worker to change the more noticeable pieces.

Less noticeable gems that couldn't be easily recognized could be sold right away and although difficult to determine the exact price of each piece taken, the bigger stones could be worth approximately a significant amount each, he explained.

"We know there are at least four comparable in size, thus totaling each of them together with the gold, it's likely coming close to the estimated figure," he concluded.

"The diamond and gemstone market is liquid and there are many buyers in less regulated areas that don't ask regarding sources."

There are hopes that the items might resurface intact one day – yet this possibility are narrowing with each passing day.

Historical examples exist – the Cartier exhibition at the cultural institution includes an artifact taken decades ago before reappearing in a sale much later.

Without doubt are numerous French citizens feel profoundly disturbed regarding the theft, having felt an emotional attachment with the artifacts.

"We don't necessarily like jewellery as it symbolizes a matter concerning privilege, and which doesn't always receive favorable interpretation within French culture," a jewelry authority, director of historical collections at established French company Maison Vever, explained