Sotheby's First Ever Auction in Saudi Arabia
January 21, 25
(IDEX Online) - Sotheby's is offering a Richard Mille watch (estimate $1m to $1.5m) and a pair of Graff diamond earrings (estimate $700,000 to $800,000) at its first ever sale in Saudi Arabia.
The London-based auction house, founded in 1744, debuts next month with a cross-sector sale of rare cars, handbags and iconic sports memorabilia, modern masterpieces and artworks by Saudi Arabian artists, as well as watches and jewelry.
Its Origins auctions takes place in the historic town of Diriyah on 8 February, and features jewelry and watches by Cartier, Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, Richard Mille, Rolex and Audemars Piguet.
Among the highlights are a unique protype watch made of ultra-lightweight titanium by Richard Mille for the world champion sprinter Yohan Blake, and Graff diamond earrings with two pear-shaped D-color diamonds - 9.39-carats and 8.46-carats (estimate $700,000 to $800,000).
There's also an Art Deco Cartier sapphire and diamond bracelet (estimate: $275,000 to $325,000) and a sapphire and diamond ring (estimate: $300,000 to $400,000), featuring a 19.79 carat emerald-cut Burmese sapphire.
Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls 1998 NBA Playoffs game-worn jersey (estimate: $800,000 to $1.2m).
The Saudi Arabia sale will be the first in which Sotheby's accepts cryptocurrency payment for all lots.
In 2021 it became the first major auction house to accept cryptocurrencies as payment for physical artworks, but not for all lots.
Pix courtesy Sotheby's show the Richard Mille watch and Graff earrings.