A 300-carat necklace, whose diamonds have been linked to a scandal involving the last French queen Marie Antoinette, sold Wednesday for nearly $5 million at a Sotheby's auction in Geneva.

How the Affair of the Diamond Necklace changed history—and why 18th-century jewelry remains an eternal holy grail.

A necklace thought to contain diamonds from an earlier necklace which embroiled Marie Antoinette in scandal has found success at auction.

Experts say some of the stones in the piece are a match with the original diamonds central to a royal scandal.

The may contain diamonds involved in a scandal surrounding Marie-Antoinette, that would eventually trigger the French Revolution.

The necklace containing around 300 carats of diamonds was bought by an unidentified woman who put in her bid over the phone, Sotheby's said.

A mysterious diamond-laden necklace with possible links to a scandal that contributed to the downfall of Marie Antoinette, sold for $4.8 million at an auction in Geneva Wednesday.

A diamond necklace, potentially linked to Marie Antoinette, sold for $4.8 million at a Sotheby's auction on Wednesday in Switzerland. The necklace, dating back to the 18th century, features approximately 300 carats of diamonds.