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The whirlwind of the annual Abu Dhabi Art Fair has come to an end this week. However, as everyone knows, Saadiyat Island does not stand still. Home to Abu Dhabi’s beloved Louvre, and soon to be the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim, the island sits in the midst of 400m of sand dunes, surrounded by the emirate’s gentle, lapping waters.
Saadiyat has consistently delivered as a harbinger of brilliant art and culture programs in the emirates, further cementing its mark as a world-class cultural destination by giving home to the upcoming first-ever luxury auction series in the Middle East, hosted in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Sotheby’s.
One hundred and fifty million dollars worth of jewellery, watches, handbags, collector cars, and real estate will take the stage from the 2nd to the 5th of December at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort. Fine art exhibitions will range from Rembrandt drawings to Klimt’s final portrait, and even include the staging and auction of Banksy’s iconic Shredded Girl Without Balloon, alongside works by Dalí and Mondrian.
The show will not stop there. Such a remarkable, first-of-its-kind auction in the Middle East is only a fitting celebration for one of the most cherished and timeless legacies of the fashion world: the iconic Birkin. Among the many legacies left behind by the fashion world’s beloved icon, Jane Birkin, was also her most personal legacy. Designed as a love letter to carefree women around the world, the iconic eponym has stretched and transcended beyond the idea of what a luxury accessory could symbolise. Her legacy has evolved into a living, breathing myth, an enduring cultural emblem, forever touched by her spirit and unmistakable authenticity. In a rare tribute, one of the only five Birkins, Le Birkin Voyageur (Traveler) personally designed for Jane Birkin herself will be on display from the 2nd to the 5th of December at the Saadiyat Resort.
Adding to the crescendo of extraordinary highlights set to grace Saadiyat is over 100 million dollars worth of exquisite diamonds, gemstones, jewellery, and watches available exclusively for private sale, alongside an assortment of talks and masterclasses co-hosted by guests ranging from Diana Picasso and Batia Ofer to prominent art collector His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and Thomas Kaplan.
Further enriching this extraordinary showcase is the Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000, an exceptional feat of engineering and artistry. Conceived for the turn of the millennium, the watch represents seven years of meticulous development and groundbreaking design. It stands as the brand’s third most intricate creation, surpassed only by the legendary Caliber 89 and the Henry Graves Supercomplication, and is valued between $10 and $20 million making it one of the most highly estimated watches ever brought to auction.
Equally striking is The Desert Rose, celebrated as the largest Fancy Vivid Orangy Pink diamond known. Debuting publicly at Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi earlier this year, this 31.86-carat pear-cut gem radiates an extraordinary fusion of sunset-like pink and orange tones and is expected to achieve between $5 and $7 million at the event.
