What if Swiss museums were burglarized – top 6 objects to steal

Switzerland, a land of culture and neutrality, is home to exceptional museums whose collections rival those of the world's greatest institutions. Master paintings, historic jewelry, rare watches, and priceless sculptures: some of the treasures on display are worth a fortune. Here's an overview of the most precious works housed in Swiss museums.

After the Louvre heist and unique and priceless pieces of jewelry disappearing, this can frighten the curators of Swiss museums.

Yann Marguet on the burglary of the Siècle in Paris

Top 6 valuable objects from Swiss museums

🖼️ 1. “Portrait of Jeanne Samary” – Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Museum: Bührle Foundation, Zurich

This luminous portrait of the French Impressionist painter is among the masterpieces of the Bührle Foundation, one of the most prestigious private collections in Europe.

💰 Estimated value: 60 to 80 million Swiss francs.

🕊️ 2. “The Boy in the Red Vest” – Paul Cézanne

Museum: Bührle Foundation, Zurich

Stolen in 2008 and recovered in 2012, this iconic post-impressionist painting is considered one of the absolute gems of modern art.

💰 Estimated value: approximately 120 million Swiss francs.

💎 3. Queen Hortense's Jewels

Museum: Geneva Museum of Art and History (MAH)

These jewels, which belonged to the mother of Napoleon III, constitute a historical and artistic collection of rare beauty.

💰 Estimated value: 15 to 20 million Swiss francs.

⏱️ 4. 18th century Jaquet-Droz watches and automatons

Museum: Patek Philippe Museum, Geneva

Pierre Jaquet-Droz's automatons – notably "The Musician" and "The Writer" – are considered masterpieces of engineering and decorative art.

💰 Estimated value: between 10 and 25 million Swiss francs each.

🐎 5. The sculptures of Alberto Giacometti

Museum: Kunsthaus Zurich

The Kunsthaus houses several major works by the Swiss artist, including versions of "Walking Man," which sold for more than USD 100 million at public auction.

💰 Estimated value: 90 to 110 million Swiss francs.

🕰️ 6. Astronomical clocks and medieval goldsmith pieces

Museum: Swiss National Museum, Zurich

The National Museum houses an exceptional collection of sacred art objects and antique timepieces, testifying to Swiss know-how through the centuries.

💰 Estimated value: 5 to 10 million Swiss francs for the rarest pieces.

🇨🇭 A heritage of unsuspected richness

These carefully protected treasures are a reminder that Switzerland is more than just its Alpine landscapes and banks: it is also a center of global culture. Swiss museums combine passion, rigor, and history to preserve gems that tell the story of our humanity.