by Redazione 21/10/2026

Theft at the Reggia di Venaria: 26 18th-century watches—made of gold and enamel and manufactured in England and France—were stolen from the Duke of Savoy’s Audience Chamber. The estimated value is 150,000 euros. The alarms were activated, and the security cameras recorded the break-in.

Twenty-six 18th-century pocket watches, crafted in gold and enamel by English and French manufacturers, were stolen from the Reggia di Venaria Reale, just outside Turin. The total value of the collection is estimated at 150,000 euros. The items were located in the Duke of Savoy’s Audience Chamber, along the tour route of the Piano Nobile, and were part of a donation made in 2012 by the heirs of collector Giorgio Accornero.

The theft occurred during the night between Sunday and Monday and was captured on surveillance cameras. According to initial reports, three hooded individuals broke into the palace by forcing open a door to the bar and managed to escape in just over a minute. The alarm went off, but the perpetrators had time to flee before the security guard arrived.

This is the first theft at the Reggia since it reopened to the public in 2007. The Ivrea Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the incident, with the Carabinieri from the local command and the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit working to reconstruct the details of the break-in, identify the perpetrators, and locate the stolen items.

The clocks were kept in a shatterproof display case in the Duke of Savoy’s Audience Chamber, one of the rooms on the Reggia’s Piano Nobile, located immediately after the Galleria Grande designed by Filippo Juvarra. The room, featuring stucco work, gilded decorations, and frescoes, was part of the tour route where the collection was on display.

The 18th-century watch collection at Venaria Reale (26 pieces). Photo: Reggia di Venaria Reale — The 18th-century clock collection at Venaria Reale (26 pieces). Photo: Reggia di Venaria Reale

The value of these objects is not merely financial: the clocks belong to a historic collection that became part of the Reggia’s heritage through a private donation. In 2012, the heirs of Giorgio Accornero had in fact bequeathed to the Savoy residence a collection comprising the clocks and 24 antique snuffboxes. The snuffboxes were not among the items stolen.

The stolen items are insured; however, the loss to the heritage on public display remains: 26 historical and artisanal artifacts, crafted in gold and enamel and traceable to 18th-century English and French production.

One of the issues to be clarified concerns how the perpetrators managed to enter the Royal Palace and steal the watches despite the security measures in place: the Consortium of the Royal Residences of the House of Savoy has stated that, at the time of the theft, all systems were active and functioning. The alarm system underwent regular maintenance and inspections, while the armed security service was provided by Allsystems. The footage recorded by the security cameras is now being reviewed by investigators. The speed of the operation and the perpetrators’ familiarity with the premises have led investigators, according to press reports, to hypothesize that this was a heist carried out by professionals or by individuals who knew the building well.

Among the lines of inquiry is the possibility of a theft carried out on commission. The possibility that the perpetrators conducted a reconnaissance mission prior to the break-in has been considered, but this remains a hypothesis yet to be verified. The Consortium of the Royal Residences of the House of Savoy has assured law enforcement of its full cooperation.

Theft at the Reggia di Venaria: 26 18th-century watches stolen

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