Over $133 Million Night in Abu Dhabi: Sotheby’s Rewrites Luxury History in the Middle East

For the first time ever in the region — and under the distinguished patronage of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office together with the iconic St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort — Abu Dhabi hosted an auction that is already being called a turning point in the global world of luxury and fine art.

From 2 to 5 December, the capital of the UAE became the epicenter of collectors, investors and cultural visionaries, as Sotheby’s brought together over $1 billion worth of fine art and luxury items across auctions, private sales and museum-quality exhibitions. The inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week culminated in a series of live auctions on 5 December that realised a combined $133.4 million in sales — the first luxury auction series of its kind in the Middle East and the most ambitious ever staged in the region.

This wasn’t simply an auction.
It was a statement — a cultural declaration of Abu Dhabi’s rise as the new Capital of Collectibles.

Across five consecutive auctions, collectors witnessed record bids, global competition and moments that will be remembered for years to come. Below are the headline highlights of the night — exactly as they were recorded in Sotheby’s books:

Jane Birkin’s “Le Voyageur” Birkin Bag

A one-of-a-kind black Hermès Birkin, marked inside with Jane Birkin’s handwritten silver-ink notes — a deeply personal artifact of her life and travels and one of only a handful of bags ever made specifically for the icon herself.

Sold for: $2.9 million
Now the second most valuable handbag ever sold at auction, surpassed only by Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin prototype.

The Desert Rose — the Largest Fancy Vivid Orangy Pink Diamond in the World

The Desert Rose, the largest Fancy Vivid Orangy Pink diamond in the world, ignited one of the most intense bidding battles of the night. Weighing 31.86 carats, it radiates a sunset-like blend of pink and orange.

Sold for: $8.8 million
After nearly 20 minutes of bidding between five collectors, achieving a new auction record for an Orangy Pink diamond (estimate $5–7 million).

Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 — Complete Four-Piece Set

A marvel of modern watchmaking, the first complete set of Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 ever offered publicly — four pieces representing one of the most technically sophisticated and aesthetically accomplished timepieces ever produced.

Sold for: $11.9 million
Becoming the second most valuable watch ever sold at Sotheby’s and marking a historic milestone in haute horology. Developed to mark the dawn of the new millennium, the Star Caliber 2000 is the third most complicated Patek Philippe watch in the world, surpassed only by the Caliber 89 and the Henry Graves Supercomplication.

Waterfront Estate in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions opened the evening with a breathtaking waterfront estate in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera — a Mediterranean sanctuary overlooking the sea.

Sold for: $20.1 million

1994 McLaren F1

Following a heated bidding battle between four bidders in the room and on the phones, the 1994 McLaren F1 more than lived up to its billing as one of the world’s most sought-after hypercars.

Sold for: $25.3 million
A new auction record for a McLaren F1 road car and one of the defining moments of the evening.

2026 McLaren MCL40A — Formula 1 Team Car

Three bidders vied for the chance to become, in effect, an honorary member of the McLaren Formula 1 Team as the 2026 McLaren MCL40A crossed the block. Offered ahead of the upcoming Formula One season, the winning buyer secured their choice of an Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris chassis, along with the thrill of watching it compete for honours next year.

Sold for: $11.5 million

Tadej Pogačar’s Colnago Y1Rs Raw Carbon Bicycle

Leading the dedicated offering of four high-performance Colnago bicycles, Tadej Pogačar’s Colnago Y1Rs Raw Carbon — ridden on the iconic Mont Ventoux stage of the 2025 Tour de France — became an instant icon of cycling collectables.

Sold for: $190,500
Fourteen bidders competed, driving the price to more than nine times its high estimate ($15,000–20,000) and setting a new auction record for a bicycle.

Throughout the evening, the atmosphere on Saadiyat Beach was electric. The 180-seat auction area, built as a custom beachfront stage, was filled to capacity, with additional guests standing along the perimeter to witness the historic night unfold. Jewels were modelled live on stage, cars drove onto the platform with engines humming under the night sky, and every major lot drew applause as the hammer fell.

The sales marked the culmination of Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week, presented in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office — a four-day programme of exhibitions, masterclasses and panel discussions, including Icons: Abu Dhabi, one of the most important fine art exhibitions ever staged outside a museum in the Middle East.

The numbers told their own story:

-  $133.4 million combined total for the evening auctions

-  Collectors from 35 countries, with nearly 25% of participants from the UAE

-  White-glove results for the sales of jewellery, watches, handbags and high-performance bicycles

-  Nearly one third of participants under the age of 40

This night became a historic chapter for both Sotheby’s and the region. It confirmed Abu Dhabi’s role as a world-class cultural and luxury destination — a place where rarity, authenticity and the truly remarkable naturally come together.

This auction did more than close multi-million-dollar sales — it opened the door to a future where Abu Dhabi stands alongside the world’s cultural capitals.

Sotheby’s began a new chapter of its global expansion, and it began right here — in a city shaping the next era of luxury, art and investment.

Courtesy: Sotheby’s

Text: Iryna Matsepliuk