INTERPOL FLAGS QUEEN NAZLI’S 673-DIAMOND NECKLACE AFTER VIENNA MUSEUM HEIST

The International Criminal Police Organisation, INTERPOL, has added a historic diamond necklace once owned by Queen Nazli of Egypt to its global database of stolen works of art following its theft from a museum in Vienna, Austria.

The necklace was taken from an exhibition at Vienna’s Museum of Applied Arts, where it was being displayed as part of a collection featuring works by French luxury jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels. Austrian authorities subsequently listed the jewellery on INTERPOL’s Stolen Works of Art database to assist international efforts to locate and recover it.

INTERPOL said the necklace is decorated with 673 diamonds and once belonged to Queen Nazli of Egypt. The organisation's stolen-art database is used by law enforcement agencies around the world to circulate information about missing cultural and artistic objects.

The theft occurred after two unidentified men entered the Museum of Applied Arts during opening hours and smashed the glass display case containing the necklace before escaping with the valuable piece.

Austrian police have launched an investigation into the incident and released images of the suspected thieves. Search operations have also been intensified, including the use of a tracking dog by the Vienna Police Dog Unit.

The necklace is a particularly significant piece of Egyptian royal history. It was created by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1939 for the Egyptian royal family and was worn by Queen Nazli during the wedding celebrations of her daughter, Princess Fawzia, to Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran, who later became the Shah of Iran.

Made from platinum and decorated with hundreds of diamonds weighing more than 200 carats in total, the necklace is regarded as a highly valuable piece of jewellery with both historical and monetary significance.

The stolen item had been included in an exhibition at the Vienna museum highlighting the work of Van Cleef & Arpels. Its disappearance has now transformed the historic jewellery piece from a museum exhibit into the subject of an international recovery operation.

The Vienna State Criminal Police Office is leading the investigation under the direction of the Vienna Public Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities are appealing to anyone with information about the suspects or the whereabouts of the necklace to come forward.

The addition of the jewellery to INTERPOL’s international database means that law enforcement agencies in member countries can more easily identify the necklace if it is discovered or offered for sale.

The move is also intended to make it more difficult for those responsible for the theft to move or dispose of the necklace through international channels.

The case has attracted international attention because of the necklace’s royal history, exceptional diamond content and connection to one of Egypt’s most prominent royal figures.

Authorities are continuing efforts to identify the suspects and recover the necklace, while INTERPOL's global alert is expected to assist investigators in tracking the stolen piece across borders.