In 1772, Louis XV of France planned to make a diamond necklace for Madame du Barry, with whom he was infatuated. It was being planned to be made by the Parisian Jewelers for an estimated cost of 2 million Livres. However in the mean time, Louis XV died and du Barry was banished from the court by Lois XVI; and now there was no one to buy the necklace.The Parisians thought that the new Queen would buy the necklace however, she denied it.
Rumor has it that it was because initially the necklace was made for someone else.A con artist named Jeanne de Saint-Rémy de Valois came into the picture now; she devised a plan to use the necklace to gain wealth. She was married to an officer of the gendarmes, the soi-disant comte de la Motte, and later in March 1974 she became the mistress of Cardinal de Rohan who was regarded with displeasure by the Queen because of having spread rumors about the Queen’s behavior with her formidable mother who was the Australian Empress.
The Cardinal was on a constant attempt to regain the favor of the Queen, so that he could become the King’s minister. Meanwhile, Jeanne tried to persuade the Cardinal by telling him that she had been received by the queen and is now enjoying her Royal Favors. However the truth was that she entered the court by means of her lover named Rétaux de Villette. Jeanne assured the Cardinal that she was talking in favor of him to the Queen.