– In Collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office –
Furthering its Commitment to the Fastest Growing Region for Culture, Art & Luxury
Inaugural “Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week” of Exhibitions and Sales to Take Place 2 – 5 December 2025
Katia Nounou Boueiz, Head of Sotheby’s UAE & Deputy Chairman, Middle East: “By any measure, Abu Dhabi has become a leading global destination for culture and luxury. In that spirit, we are excited to join forces with ADIO to present a vision of the future for collecting and luxury experiences. Our December showcase on Saadiyat Island, during one of the busiest weeks in the Abu Dhabi calendar, will be unmissable for collectors across the region and internationally.”
Noora Al Foulathi, Head of Abu Dhabi Retail: “Abu Dhabi is where heritage transcends time and connoisseurship is a way of life. With the exclusive global debut of Collectors’ Week in the capital, we unveil more than rare and exceptional pieces – we reaffirm the city’s cultural depth, shaped by the quiet power of true luxury.”
ABU DHABI, August 2025— Marking the next step in Abu Dhabi’s rise as one of the world’s fastest-growing regions for culture, art, and luxe, Sotheby's, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), has announced an exclusive programme of auctions, masterclasses, panel discussions, and exhibitions to take place in Abu Dhabi.
This December, Sotheby’s will host an inaugural series of auctions, bringing extraordinary treasures to the doorsteps of collectors in Abu Dhabi. The schedule of events and experiences will begin in September. The first auction will take place in October during ‘The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ’, culminating in “Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week” from 2 – 5 December: a series of auctions that will span high jewellery, rare timepieces, world-leading collector cars, and exclusive real estate from RM Sotheby’s and Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions.
A museum-quality exhibition of international fine art will accompany these auctions.
The week’s offerings will be set against the stunning backdrop of The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, culminating in an auction on Abu Dhabi’s shores. Saadiyat Island is home to a constellation of museums and cultural institutions, including the world-renowned Louvre Abu Dhabi, the soon-to-be-opened Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Zayed National Museum.
Taking place during one of the busiest and most dynamic weeks in the region – including Formula One Grand Prix, Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit 2025, Abu Dhabi Finance Week, and Bitcoin MENA – Sotheby’s Collectors’ Week is set to attract a truly global audience of tastemakers, thought leaders, and collectors.
Prior to the opening in Abu Dhabi, sale highlights will travel to Sotheby’s international locations to be presented to global collectors in advance of the auctions.
See below for a preview of the offering, along with further information on exhibition timings and the full contents of the auctions, which will be announced in due course.
A FIRST LOOK AT THE OFFERING
Josh Pullan, Global Head of Sotheby’s Luxury Division: “At Sotheby’s, we have taken incredible strides to cement our position as a global powerhouse for luxury. This unprecedented auction week – and all of the events that will lead up to it – is poised to showcase the very best of what Sotheby’s has to offer. We are thrilled to announce that the week will be anchored by a single-owner collection featuring top-quality jewelry and watches, alongside unparalleled automobiles. With the Middle East – and the UAE in particular – as one of the most dynamic drivers of the luxury industry, we could have chosen no better home to do this than Abu Dhabi.”
As excitement builds ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi later this year, RM Sotheby’s marks the occasion with a landmark collaboration with McLaren Racing, offering a trio of future competition cars representing the iconic team’s racing portfolio. Recently announced by McLaren Racing CEO, Zak Brown, during Monterey Car Week, the ‘Triple Crown’ project offers the opportunity to purchase three competition chassis from upcoming seasons before they are fully unveiled or raced, including a 2026 McLaren Formula 1 Team car, a 2027 McLaren United AS racer from the World Endurance Championship, and a 2026 Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team Indianapolis 500 race-driven INDYCAR from the US-based NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
The cars will go under the hammer on 5 December during the final Formula 1 race of the season, offering fast-tracking buyers the unique chance to place themselves at the heart of McLaren Racing’s on-track endeavours. These three special lots are only made more enticing by the comprehensive range of exclusive experiences, ranging from tours of McLaren’s sites and VIP tickets to preferential access to McLaren road and race car purchase options.
Also taking centre stage at Collectors’ Week will be a 2017 Pagani Zonda 760 Riviera (estimate: $9.5 – 10.5 million). Created by the Pagani factory and based on a Zonda F, this remarkable example was reimagined in one-off Riviera specification in 2017. With 750 hp and many unique upgrades, this cutting-edge creation is presented in pearl white with blue accents and exposed carbon fibre.
A further highlight is a rare 2010 Aston Martin One-77 (estimate: $1.3 – 1.6 million) – one of only 77 examples constructed. A model that rarely comes to market, this special car, presented in Pearl White, is capable of 220 mph and was created by Aston Martin to compete with the world’s most advanced hypercars of the era.
At the heart of Collectors’ Week lies a landmark single-owner sale, showcasing an exquisite jewellery and watch collection. This collection has been meticulously assembled over the course of decades by one collector, uniting rare diamonds and precious gemstones with an exceptional array of vintage and contemporary signed pieces by celebrated jewelers, alongside highly significant vintage and modern timepieces. Estimated to be worth in excess of $20 million, it represents one of the most prestigious collections to have graced the market in decades.
Leading the jewelry is The Desert Rose, the largest Fancy Vivid Orangy Pink Diamond ever graded. Weighing an extraordinary 31.86 carats, this pear-shaped diamond radiates a unique, sunset-like blend of pink and orange. It is a gemstone of both aesthetic and gemological significance. Introduced to the world by Sotheby’s in the landmark ‘Beyond: The World’s Rarest Diamonds’ exhibition in Abu Dhabi this past April, the Desert Rose is set to make its auction debut with an estimate of $5 – 7 million.
Among the standout timepieces is an exceptionally rare and highly coveted Rolex “Oyster Albino” Daytona, reference 6263. Produced in the late 1960s and early 1970s, this legendary variant breaks from the standard Cosmograph Daytona aesthetic, which typically features contrasting sub-dials. Instead, the Albino is defined by its strikingly monochromatic silver dial and subsidiary registers. With only a handful of known examples, this extraordinary reference 6263 carries an estimate of $500,000 to $1 million.
More about Collectors Week: Sothebys.com/ADCollectorsWeek
SOTHEBY’S IN THE UAE
In October 2024, ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, announced a minority equity investment in Sotheby’s. This marked the largest investment in the global art industry since the acquisition of the auction house by Patrick Drahi in 2019. The investment has opened the doors to establishing an even more robust presence in the region, with Sotheby’s officially incorporated in Abu Dhabi, sitting alongside a network of offices around the world, including Dubai and Riyadh.
This inaugural auction series is part of a significant plan to expand Sotheby’s footprint further. Most recently, this April, Sotheby’s collaborated with ADIO to present a spectacular array of diamonds at the Bassam Freiha Foundation in Abu Dhabi. Over $100 million of rare, coloured gems were on view to the public in an unprecedented moment.
Collectors’ Week follows Sotheby’s official incorporation in Abu Dhabi earlier this summer and marks the next step in Sotheby’s continued and long-term commitment to the region.
Jean-Luc Berrebi, Sotheby’s board member focused on expanding collaboration with the UAE, commented: “Sotheby’s incorporation in Abu Dhabi marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to the UAE and the wider Middle East. This strategic move reflects our deep confidence in the region’s dynamic cultural landscape and our growing partnerships with its visionary leaders, collectors, and institutions. We look forward to contributing meaningfully to the UAE’s vibrant art ecosystem and expanding our presence across the region."
ABU DHABI INVESTMENT OFFICE
As the government vehicle responsible for accelerating Abu Dhabi’s economic growth, ADIO’s retail development initiatives ensure that liveability and community well-being are at the centre of economic diversification efforts. ADIO is committed to building a robust luxury retail landscape, defined by innovative consumer experiences, exclusive product offerings, and a thriving collector’s market.
