The Star Caliber 2000 in four precious metals fetched more than $11.9 million at Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi auction
Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s achieved a “white glove” result at its December 5 auction in Abu Dhabi, with all 42 lots from a private collection of important jewels and timepieces finding buyers. The sale totaled more than $25.4 million, surpassing its $20 million estimate.
The top lot was a complete four-watch set of Patek Philippe’s Star Caliber 2000 pocket watches—considered among the most technically advanced ever made, according to Sotheby’s. The set sold for more than $11.9 million, becoming the second most valuable watch ever auctioned by Sotheby’s and marking the first time a complete Star Caliber 2000 set has been offered publicly.
Created to celebrate the new millennium, the Star Caliber 2000 features 21 complications, 1,118 components and six patented innovations, including mechanisms for the chime, running equation of time, sunrise and sunset display, and rapid calendar correction. Its Westminster Chimes replicate the sound of London’s Big Ben, striking two identical tones in immediate succession—an achievement unmatched by any other timepiece, the auction house noted.
The four watches are each crafted in a different precious metal: yellow, rose and white gold, and platinum. The Star Caliber 2000 was limited to 20 pieces produced in five sets, each containing four watches. Four sets were made in four metals, while a fifth consisted entirely of platinum.
The 31.86-carat “Desert Rose” fancy vivid orangy-pink diamond fetched a record 8.8 million
Sotheby’s
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The sale’s other headline piece was “The Desert Rose,” a 31.86-carat fancy vivid orangy-pink diamond—the largest of its kind ever graded. Making its auction debut, the pear-shaped VVS1 gem fetched more than $8.8 million, setting a new auction record for an orangy-pink diamond and surpassing its $7 million high estimate.
Rolex Oyster “Albino” Daytona sold for $952,500
Sotheby’s
The third-highest lot was a Rolex Oyster “Albino” Daytona, reference 6263, produced in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Known for its rare monochromatic silver dial and subdials—unusual for a model typically defined by contrasting tones—it sold for $952,500, within expectations.
The top three lots came from a single-owner collection of vintage and contemporary signed jewels, diamonds, colored gems, and both vintage and modern watches amassed over decades. The sale was titled: “Precision & Brilliance: Prestigious Jewels & Watches from an Important Private Collection.”
Signed jewels in classic designs featuring important colored gems also dominated the top 10 results, including:
Tiffany & Co., sapphire and diamond ring sold for $596,900
Sotheby’s
A Tiffany & Co. ring featuring a 5.61-carat cushion-shaped unheated Kashmir sapphire in an openwork fleur-de-lys mounting accented with round diamonds. It sold for $596,900, above estimate.
Boucheron emerald and diamond ring sold for $508,000
Sotheby’s
A Boucheron ring centering a 7.88-carat emerald-cut Colombian emerald with no clarity enhancement, surrounded by pear- and marquise-shaped diamonds. It sold for $508,000, just above its high estimate.
Cartier emerald and diamond ring sold for $495,300
Sotheby’s
A Cartier platinum ring centered with a 4-carat step-cut Colombian emerald with no clarity enhancement, flanked by two pear-shaped diamonds. It fetched $495,300, well above its high estimate.
The auction was part of “Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week,” a series of sales, masterclasses, panel discussions and exhibitions held December 2–5 at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort. The events marked Sotheby’s first auctions in the UAE capital, with high jewelry, rare watches, collector cars, real estate and other luxury items offered primarily on December 5.
Across the auctions in Abu Dhabi, Sotheby’s achieved $133.4 million, with participation from collectors in 35 countries. Nearly 25% of bidders were from the UAE, and more than 5,000 visitors attended the exhibitions and discussions.
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