A Fateful Necklace from French History

Who would have thought that a fraud committed in France during 1784-85 could forever change the course of the country's fate?

 It all started in 1772, when the French King Louis XV decided to gift his favorite, Madame du Barry, an extravagant present. He hired the best jewelers of Paris, Paul Bassange and Charles Boehmer to design a necklace that would outshine all the jewelry in the world.

It took several years for Bassange and Boehmer to collect the necessary materials, and they even went bankrupt due to the debts they incurred to buy the gems. Despite the challenges, they created a magnificent necklace made of 647 flawless diamonds, weighing 2800 carats.

The king's wish was fulfilled - the jewel overshadowed not only France but the entire world.

 Years passed like this until in 1784, Jeanne de la Motte, a swindler at the royal court, came up with a cunning plan. First, she tricked the cardinal into thinking she was a confidant of the queen. Once the cardinal's trust was obtained, de la Motte convinced jewelers that the queen intended to buy an expensive necklace without anyone knowing. As a result, the woman got the necklace and sold it in pieces on the black market.

 This story would have ended here – the king would have purchased the necklace and gifted it to his intended recipient. But fate had a twist in store: King Louis XV passed away a year before the necklace was completed! The jewelers, left bankrupt, searched for a new buyer for a long time. Initially, the necklace was offered to the heir to the throne, Louis XVI, with the hope that it would appeal to queen Marie Antoinette, renowned for her lavish lifestyle. Surprisingly, the queen declined the offer. The jewelers then attempted to sell it in other countries, but due to the exorbitant price (2 million livres), the necklace remained out of reach even for the wealthiest nobles.

 Although the court found the queen innocent, the scandal further tarnished her already damaged reputation. It was the last straw for the population who were eager to overthrow the monarchy. One can only speculate, but without the involvement of the fraudulent de la Motte, perhaps the French Revolution - one of the most significant political events in modern history - may not have happened.