Madame de… must settle her debts, so she sells the earrings that her husband General de… gave her to a jeweller, and then claims she has lost them. When the General learns of her deceit from the jeweller, he buys the earrings back and gives them to a mistress, who immediately sells them. Baron Donati acquires the baubles before falling in love with Madame de… and gives her the very same earrings as a token of his love. The blighted jewels bring only misfortune in their wake.