Diamond Necklace Possibly Linked to Marie Antoinette Sells at Auction for $4.8M

Mar. 15, 2025

The 300-carat necklace is believed to have been at the center of the ‘Affair of the Diamond Necklace,’ experts say.Photo:Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty

Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty

An extremely rare diamond necklace with possible historical links toMarie Antoinettehas been sold at auction for nearly $5 million.

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Experts noted that the piece of jewelry would have “been created for royalty or a high-ranking aristocrat at one of the glittering courts of the ancient régime – most likely the French or English court” because of its design — three rows of diamonds with a tassel at each end — although its exact history isn’t known, per the auction house.

According to thePalace of Versailles, the “Affair of the Diamond Necklace” began when French jewelers created an extravagant nearly 2,800-carat necklace that was so expensive it could not be sold. After jewelers broke it up into smaller pieces (although it was still considered extremely costly), a noblewoman named Jeanne de la Motte pretended to be a friend of Marie Antoinette to buy it, promising to pay the jewelers at a later date.

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The queen was implicated in the scandal after the jewelers were tricked into believing she would pay for the necklace, and her public perception sunk even lower, although she was later proven innocent. The affair is cited as one incident that contributed to her execution in 1793.

source: people.com