Name of play or novel 70's or 80's

[reddfox]

Trying to remember the name of a play I saw on TV maybe in the 70's or 80's and which is likely to have been adapted from a novel.  

It was a period drama about a woman who borrowed a diamond necklace, which she lost.  The woman and her husband borowed money to replace it, and returned the replacement without telling the owner about it.  The couple then had to work for their entire lives to repay the loan. Many years later they found out that the original necklace they had lost was only paste and that it's owner had discarded it many years earlier, not knowing that it was a replica and that it was real diamonds.  This meant that the couple had spent their entire lives working for nothing.

Does anyone recall this play, or if it is adapted from a novel, the title?  This question has bugged me for years, I would love to have the answer.

[Litchick]

Hi reddfox, just so you don't think you're going insane ha ha, I know EXACTLY what you're speaking of but also unfortunately do not know the title....I want to say Gift of the Magi but that was a bit different.  Could it simply be "The Diamond Necklace?"  I believe it was in Paris, right?

[cherrybomb]

Hello reddfox Like Litchick I also know exactly what story you are speaking of but I can't remember the title either. I want to say a short story by Roald Dahl but I may be getting two similar stories mixed up as I also keep thinking that a pawn broker's ticket was involved somewhere.  It's bugging me now !

[shaneystar]

It was from the book by Guy de Maupassant which was called The Necklace.

http://www.ffbooks.co.uk/n5/n26862.htm

[XxHeatherxX]

Thanks! I've been wondering that too!!!!