Latest news with #SothebysAuction
.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
The Independent
02-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Meteorite from Mars could be yours for $2 million
The largest Martian meteorite ever found on Earth, named NWA 16788, is scheduled for auction at Sotheby's New York on July 16. Discovered in the Sahara Desert in 2023, this 54-pound space rock is 70 percent larger than any other Martian meteorite foun d and is estimated to sell for $2 million to $4 million. Sotheby's describes NWA 16788 a s a "once-in-a-generation find" that offers valuable insights into the geology and composition of Mars. If sold within its estimated range, the meteorite is expected to break previous auction records for similar items. The auctioning of scientifically and historically significant items like meteorites and dinosaur fossils continues to be a controversial practice.
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I'm a fashion expert – these are the Hermès Birkin-level bags without the waitlist (and the major price tag)
I'm really keen to see how much the original Hermès Birkin bag, owned by its namesake, the late actress and singer Jane Birkin, will fetch when it goes up for auction at Sotheby's on 10 July. And who the lucky new owner will be. Hopefully it's not Kim Kardashian, who has already snapped up Princess Diana 's Attallah Cross necklace, which the royal wore at a charity ball in 1987, as well as Jackie Kennedy's famous gold Cartier Tank watch. The wealthy star bid for these pieces of fashion history at separate auctions in 2023 and 2017. The now-famous well-worn black leather Birkin bag was commissioned in 1984 exclusively for and in collaboration with Jane by Hermès' then CEO Jean-Louis Dumas. The story goes that they met on a flight and she told him she needed a bag that would accommodate her hectic everyday life, so he offered to make one for her.
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Rare blue diamond fetches US$21.5M at auction in Geneva
The Mediterranean Blue diamond is on display during its worldwide debut in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Geneva, Switzerland -- An exceptionally-rare blue diamond went under the hammer in Geneva late Tuesday, selling for US$21.5 million, Sotheby's auction house said. 'The Mediterranean Blue', a fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 10.3 carats with an estimated value of $20 million, attracted an intense bidding battle. Bidding began at nine million Swiss francs ($10.8 million), with a fierce back and forth before the diamond was ultimately sold to a private U.S. collector, whose name was not given, for 17.9 million francs ($21.5 million), Sotheby's said. The Mediterranean Blue, which is a brand-new blue diamond recently mined from the legendary Cullinan mines of South Africa, generated huge excitement within the diamond industry ever since it was first announced in March, the auction house said. Ahead of its final showing in Geneva on Tuesday, it was unveiled as part of a Sotheby's debut exhibition in Abu Dhabi last month, where it was showcased alongside seven other 'extraordinary' diamonds and gemstones collectively worth over $100 million. 'At the top of the rarity pyramid are blue diamonds,' Quig Bruning, head of jewels for Sotheby's in North America, Europe and the Middle East, said at the Abu Dhabi show. After serving as auctioneer at Tuesday's event, he hailed the gem as 'undoubtedly the defining stone of the season,' saying in a statement that it 'ranks among the top blue diamonds we have sold.' Tobias Kormind, head of Europe's largest online diamond jeweller 77 Diamonds, was less upbeat, describing the sale as 'less dazzling than anticipated'. 'The diamond did exceed its $20 million estimate, suggesting there was meaningful interest,' he acknowledged. 'But broader uncertainty, including the ongoing US-China trade tensions, may have dampened bidder confidence and muted what could have been a more frenzied atmosphere.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
08-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
‘Mediterranean Blue Diamond' Could Fetch $20 Million at Auction
A 10-carat blue diamond which could fetch $20 million when it goes under the hammer later this month was presented by auction house Sotheby's in Geneva on Thursday. The cushion-shaped piece, known as the "Mediterranean Blue Diamond," was mined in South Africa and displayed a rare color that qualified as fancy vivid blue, Sotheby's said. "The market for coloured diamonds continues to go from strength to strength," said Jessica Wyndham of Sotheby's, added that she expected a price in the region of $20 million. In 2016, another vivid blue diamond sold for 56.8 million Swiss francs ($68.7 million) at a Christie's auction in Geneva. Sotheby's high jewellery collection, which includes other coloured gemstones, was presented to journalists in Geneva ahead of a live auction scheduled for May 13 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
BreakingNews.ie
07-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Sotheby's postpones auction of jewels linked to Buddha after backlash in India
Sotheby's has postponed an auction of jewels associated with Buddha's remains after the Indian government opposed the sale and demanded it be halted. The gems were found buried together in reliquaries with the corporeal relics of the historical Buddha and discovered in northern India in 1898, the auction house said. They dated back to around 240-200 BC, it added. Advertisement But India's ministry of culture said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that it had issued a legal notice to Sotheby's Hong Kong to demand the immediate halt of the sale, accusing the auction of violating 'Indian laws, international norms and UN conventions'. The gems were excavated by British man William Peppe (Sotheby's via AP) In its letter to Sotheby's Hong Kong dated Monday, posted on Facebook, it said the auction involved sacred Buddhist relics that constituted the inalienable religious and cultural heritage of India and the global Buddhist community. It demanded the repatriation of the relics to the Indian government and a public apology from the auction house and Chris Peppe. Mr Peppe is a great-grandson of British man William Peppe, who excavated the relics. The Indian government warned in the letter that failure to comply would result in legal actions and public advocacy campaigns highlighting the auction house's role 'in perpetuating colonial injustice and becoming a party to unethical sale of religious relics'. Advertisement India's ministry of culture demanded the repatriation of the relics to the Indian government (Sotheby's via AP) Sotheby's announced the postponement in a statement on Wednesday, acknowledging the matters raised by the Indian government and saying it was done with the agreement of the consignors. 'This will allow for discussions between the parties, and we look forward to sharing any updates as appropriate,' it said. Some of Sotheby's webpages about the auction were no longer available on Wednesday. The Indian ministry of culture said on Facebook on Wednesday that it was 'pleased to inform' that the auction had been postponed after its intervention. Advertisement
