Sotheby's has launched a new summer auction in Abu Dhabi, further strengthening its presence in the Middle East. The online sale, titled 'Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Edit: Materiality,' runs from June 24 to July 10 and is expected to achieve between $6.6 million and $9.7 million. Featuring just over 30 carefully selected lots, the auction explores the role of rare and precious materials in creating some of the world’s most sought-after luxury objects.
Auction Highlights and Categories
The sale spans Sotheby’s key luxury categories, including jewelry, watches, handbags, automobiles, and high-performance bicycles. According to the auction house, the collection highlights how materials such as gold, titanium, carbon fiber, and precious gemstones connect diverse luxury sectors through craftsmanship and innovation.
Among the highlights is a group of five jewelry creations by Hemmerle, being offered for sale for the first time. The Munich-based maison is renowned for its experimental use of materials including iron, aluminum, wood, copper, and bronze, alongside its distinctive approach to contemporary high jewelry. The jewelry selection also includes white and colored diamond pieces, a 200-carat Paraiba tourmaline from Mozambique, and necklaces by Bulgari and Van Cleef and Arpels featuring emeralds, rock crystal, and peridot beads.
Watch and Automotive Offerings
The watch offering comprises 13 rare timepieces crafted from materials including gold, platinum, titanium, tantalum, and hardstone coral. Featured lots include a Rafael Nadal Richard Mille RM35-03 skeletonized wristwatch, alongside watches from Patek Philippe, Rolex, F.P. Journe, Urwerk, and Audemars Piguet.
Other standout pieces include a limited-edition Hermes Midas Sellier Kelly 25 handbag in black box leather with 18-carat yellow gold hardware, a Bugatti Factor ONE bicycle made from carbon fiber, titanium, and steel, and automobiles by Bugatti and Mercedes-Benz. A Ferrari 126C4 child’s car is also included in the sale.
Strategic Expansion in the Middle East
The launch follows the record-breaking Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week, held in December, which helped to position the UAE capital as a growing hub for luxury collectors and investors. Josh Pullan, global head of Sotheby’s luxury division, said: 'It was important for us to build on the remarkable momentum of our recent initiatives in Abu Dhabi at the earliest opportunity, and ‘Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Edit: Materiality’ represents the ideal next step — perfectly timed to conclude a season of successful luxury sales across our key strategic locations worldwide.'
Pullan added: 'It also reflects our continued focus on the Middle East and our confidence in the region’s rise as a key stakeholder at the forefront of the international luxury conversation, and as a center of gravity in our global expansion across luxury markets and collectors’ communities.'
