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Law enforcement in France are urgently trying to recover extremely valuable gemstones robbed from the Paris museum in a audacious broad daylight theft, although specialists are concerned it might be impossible to save them.

Within the French capital on Sunday, thieves entered by force the most popular museum globally, making off with eight valued items and getting away on scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately eight minutes.

Expert art detective a renowned specialist expressed his view he believes the stolen items could be "long gone", once separated into many fragments.

Experts suggest the stolen jewels could be sold off for a fraction of their worth and taken out of French territory, several authorities indicated.

Who May Be Behind the Robbery

The thieves were professionals, Mr Brand believes, evidenced by the fact they were inside and outside of the Louvre in record time.

"You know, for regular people, one doesn't just get up in the morning believing, I will become a criminal, let's start with the world-famous museum," he noted.

"This likely isn't the first time they've done this," he added. "They have done things before. They are confident and they calculated, it might work out with this attempt, and took the chance."

In another sign the skill of the gang is being taken seriously, an elite police team with a "high success rate in cracking significant crimes" has been tasked with locating the perpetrators.

Police officials have stated they think the heist is linked to an organised crime network.

Criminal organizations of this type typically have two primary purposes, Paris prosecutor a senior official explained. "Either they operate for the benefit of a client, or to acquire expensive jewelry to perform money laundering operations."

Mr Brand thinks it would be highly unlikely to sell the items intact, and he explained commissioned theft for a specific client is something that mainly exists in Hollywood films.

"Few people wish to acquire an item this recognizable," he explained. "It cannot be shown publicly, you can't bequeath it to your children, there's no market for it."

Possible £10m Worth

Mr Brand believes the objects will be taken apart and separated, with the gold and silver components melted and the gems divided into less recognizable pieces that could be extremely difficult to connect to the Louvre robbery.

Gemstone expert an authority in the field, host of the podcast focusing on gemstones and formerly worked as the prestigious publication's gemstone expert for two decades, told the BBC the perpetrators had "specifically chosen" the most important jewels from the Louvre's collection.

The "beautiful large perfect gems" would likely be removed from their settings and sold, she said, with the exception of the tiara belonging to the historical figure which has smaller stones mounted in it and proved to be "too hot to keep," she continued.

This potentially clarifies the reason it was abandoned while fleeing, in addition to another piece, and located by officials.

The imperial headpiece which was stolen, has rare organic pearls which have a very large value, experts say.

Even though the pieces have been described as being priceless, the historian expects them to be sold for a small percentage of their value.

"They're destined to someone who are able to handle these," she said. "Authorities worldwide will search for these – the thieves will accept what they can get."

What specific amount could they fetch financially if sold on? Regarding the potential value of the stolen goods, the detective stated the cut-up parts could be worth "several million."

The precious stones and gold stolen may bring up to a significant sum (over eleven million euros; thirteen million dollars), stated by a jewelry specialist, chief executive of 77 Diamonds, a digital jewelry retailer.

He told the BBC the thieves would need a trained specialist to remove the gems, and a skilled stone worker to alter the more noticeable pieces.

Less noticeable gems that couldn't be easily recognized might be marketed quickly and although difficult to tell the exact price of every gem removed, the bigger stones may amount to approximately £500,000 for individual pieces, he noted.

"There are no fewer than four that large, therefore combining all of those up plus the precious metal, you are probably coming close to the estimated figure," he stated.

"The diamond and gemstone market has buyers and numerous purchasers exist in less regulated areas that don't ask too many questions."

There are hopes that the items may be found intact in the future – but those hopes are narrowing as the days pass.

There is a precedent – the Cartier exhibition at the London museum includes an item of jewellery stolen in 1948 before reappearing in a sale much later.

What is certain is many in France are deeply shocked by the Louvre heist, expressing a cultural bond with the artifacts.

"There isn't always like jewellery as it symbolizes a question of power, and that doesn't necessarily carry positive associations within French culture," a jewelry authority, head of heritage at established French company the prestigious firm, said