Abu Dhabi—A fancy orangy pink diamond weighing more than 30 carats will make its auction debut this December at a Sotheby’s sale in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The stone, named “The Desert Rose,” is the largest fancy vivid orangy pink diamond ever graded, according to the auction house.
It is estimated to sell for $5 million to $7 million.
Weighing 31.68 carats, the pear-shaped diamond has a “sunset-like” blend of pink and orange, Sotheby’s said.
The auction house introduced the stone at its “Beyond: The World’s Rarest Diamonds” exhibition, which it held in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) this past April.
It was the auction house’s first public exhibition in Abu Dhabi since 2009, signaling Sotheby’s desire to connect with the ultra-rich residents of the Middle East, and the region’s emergence as a global hub for luxury.
More than $100 million of rare colored gems were displayed at the event, which also featured the unveiling of “The Mediterranean Blue,” a rare 10-carat fancy vivid blue diamond that sold for $21.5 million at Sotheby’s Geneva High Jewelry auction in May.
“The Desert Rose” is the leading lot in a single-owner sale of rare jewelry and watches that will be offered as part of Sotheby’s first-ever auctions in the city.
Its inaugural “Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week” is set to take place Dec. 2-5.
The event, hosted in partnership with ADIO, will consist of masterclasses, panel discussions and exhibitions, as well as a series of auctions that will span high jewelry, rare timepieces, collector cars, and exclusive real estate from RM Sotheby’s and Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions.
The jewelry and watch collection, estimated to achieve more than $20 million, also includes other rare diamonds and precious gemstones, as well as an array of vintage and contemporary signed pieces by celebrated jewelers and “highly significant” vintage and modern timepieces, Sotheby’s said.
In addition to the orangy pink diamond, the auction will include a Rolex “Oyster Albino” Daytona, ref. 6263.
This rare Rolex “Oyster Albino” Daytona, ref. 6263, is estimated to fetch up to $1 million at Sotheby’s December jewelry and watch sale in Abu Dhabi.
Produced in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the watch features a monochromatic silver dial and subsidiary registers—a departure from the standard Cosmograph Daytona aesthetic, which typically features contrasting sub-dials.
There are only a handful of known examples of the watch, one of which once belonged to singer and guitarist Eric Clapton, an avid watch collector, before selling at an auction years ago.
Its presale estimate is $500,000 to $1 million.
The Collectors’ Week event will also feature an auction of automobiles just ahead of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, including a 2017 Pagani Zonda 760 Riviera (est. $9.5 million to $10.5 million), a rare 2010 Aston Martin One-77 (est. $1.3 million to $1.6 million), and a unique collaborative offering from McLaren Racing and RM Sotheby’s featuring a trio of future competition cars.
The event will take place at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort on Saadiyat Island, which is home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the not-yet-opened Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Highlights will travel to Sotheby’s international locations to be presented to global collectors prior to the auctions.
Set amid the Formula One Grand Prix, Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit 2025, Abu Dhabi Finance Week, and Bitcoin MENA, Collectors’ Week is expected to attract a global audience of tastemakers, thought leaders, and collectors, Sotheby’s said.
In October 2024, ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, announced that it has made a minority equity investment in Sotheby’s.
The move marked the largest investment in the global art industry since Patrick Drahi acquired the auction house in 2019, Sotheby’s said.
Sotheby’s has since officially incorporated in Abu Dhabi, marking what board member Jean-Luc Berrebi described as a “significant milestone” in the auction house’s expansion into the 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,” he said.
“We look forward to contributing meaningfully to the UAE’s vibrant art ecosystem and expanding our presence across the region.”