Sotheby's

A tourbillon reimagined as a solution rather than a spectacle. First introduced in 2019 to mark the 20th anniversary of François-Paul Journe’s signature complication — the watch that launched his brand — the Tourbillon Souverain Vertical rotates the regulating organ by 90 degrees. While a traditional tourbillon offers limited benefit when the watch is laid flat, Journe’s vertical architecture keeps the regulating organ upright in any resting position, allowing it to perform as intended. Cased in pink gold and anchored by a finely executed guilloché dial, this circa 2022 example captures the model at its most expressive and stands among the most technically considered creations in Journe’s oeuvre. Discover the #SothebysNewYork “Fine Watches” >> bit.ly/47Gvns4

Truly one of a kind, this bespoke 32-year-old cask from The Macallan Distillery is now open for bidding as part of our #SothebysHongKong Wine & Spirits Festival. Laid down in 1993 with continued aging potential, the prestigious cask is offered under a sealed auction format with no buyer’s premium. Place your bid >> bit.ly/40JGtZE

A map of the ancient world, artfully rendered in mid-century Geneva. This Patek Philippe Reference 605 HU is the only known example of its kind, placing it among the most significant world time pocket watches ever created by the Swiss maison. Manufactured in 1948 and sold in 1954, it stands as a compelling emblem of the brand’s mid-century ingenuity and savoir-faire. The dial center, exquisitely executed in cloisonné enamel, depicts the “Ancient Continents” — a scene seldom encountered, even among the most seasoned collectors. Heading to #SothebysHongKong’s “Important Watches” live sale on 24 April, the timepiece will make its auction debut after decades in private hands. It is estimated between HKD 10,000,000–20,000,000. Luxury Week is presented by Standard Chartered.

Never before seen by the public, ‘The Jwaneng 28.88’ diamond made its debut last night before heading to the High Jewelry auction at #SothebysHongKong. The flawless diamond comes as a collaboration between Sotheby’s and De Beers as one of the rarest and purest natural diamonds — representing less than 2% of all stones discovered. Unveiled at London’s Maison Assouline, a De Beers 3.03-carat pear-shaped solitaire and a pair of earrings featuring two 2-carat white diamonds will also be offered at live auction on 23 April.

The world’s leading Single Malt Whiskies are on full display in #SothebysNewYork’s Whisky & Whiskey online auction — open for bidding through 27 March. Led by significant bottles from the Dayton Ong collection, including vintages of The Macallan Fine & Rare and Glenfiddich stretching back to the 1930s. Bid now >> bit.ly/4rCAmB5

The Hermès Birkin and Kelly are emblematic of extraordinary craftsmanship and an enduring design legacy. As the #SothebysParis Handbags & Accessories auction opens today, Sotheby’s Sebastiana Fanari takes us behind the scenes at the Paris Salon for an exclusive look at her top three picks. Which one would you choose? Share your favorite in the comments. Explore the full collection >> bit.ly/4lF0UAy

Last year, the top five diamonds sold at Sotheby’s Geneva realized more than 29,830,500 CHF, highlighting the enduring demand for extraordinary signed jewels in one of Europe’s most prestigious luxury markets. From the 10.03-carat Mediterranean Blue to unmounted cushion-shaped white diamonds totaling 169.28 carats, our High Jewelry sales were a true celebration of exceptional gems. Considering consignment? Sell with us >> bit.ly/4uwgWAE

Only two bottles of this whisky exist in the world — and #SothebysHongKong has one of them. Known for its intensity, boldness and structure, Sotheby’s Freeman Ho offers an inside look at The Macallan ‘Distil Your World’ Hong Kong Single Cask Edition. One day to go. Bid now >> bit.ly/3NmclQW All proceeds from the auction will go to the Society for Community Organization. #TheMacallanHK

The 98th Academy Awards red carpet dazzled this year with exceptional jewelry. Worn by some of Hollywood’s biggest names, one-of-a-kind pieces by Taffin by James de Givenchy, Bulgari, Cartier and more stole the show. Sotheby’s Frank Everett shares his favorite looks here — do you agree? Let us know in the comments. #oscars

Just announced: a master painting by Zao Wou-Ki will make its auction debut at #SothebysHongKong in the Modern & Contemporary Evening sale on 29 March. The work is now on view in Taipei through 15 March. ‘Nuage’ is a major work from Zao Wou-Ki’s Oracle Bone Period. Between 1954-1958, the artist became dissatisfied with depicting landscapes and specific narratives. Instead, he reflected on ancient Chinese culture, drawing inspiration from bronze ritual vessels, inscriptions on stone, and calligraphy. The result was a series of self-created primitive characters on canvas, with layouts that were sometimes dense and other times sparse, generating entirely new spatial images. After many years in an important private European collection, ‘Nuage’ will go under the hammer for the first time in The Hong Kong Sales. Find out more at: sothebys.com/en/buy/auction…

Since the first Academy Awards in 1929, a lot has changed. Gone are the days of $5 tickets and a ceremony that lasted just 15 minutes. Today, the red carpet is one of fashion’s biggest moments of the year. In honor of this Sunday’s awards, we’re looking back at five of our favorite Oscars ensembles to pass through #Sothebys doors. Read the full article >> bit.ly/4sJKnxA

With the Wine & Spirits Festival in full swing, Sotheby’s Nick Pegna takes us behind the scenes at our Hong Kong pop-up shop — highlighting three of his standout bottle picks. Which one would you choose? Let us know in the comments. Discover The Magnificent Cellars of Willy Michiels | Part II ahead of tomorrow’s live sale >> bit.ly/4bjPdu7 #SothebysHongKong

‘Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown),’ one of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s most complex and significant works, is on view at #SothebysNewYork. The painting is part of a special exhibition at our 945 Madison Avenue location through 15 March, before traveling to our Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and London galleries. ‘Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)’ presents a vast dictionary of Basquiat’s iconic signs, symbols and text. The painting embodies Basquiat’s urgency of the present with an acute awareness of the weight of art history behind and before him. See the work at Sotheby’s Hong Kong from 20–29 March, Los Angeles from 8–10 April, and London from 19–21 April. It’ll head back to our new headquarters at the Breuer building in May for The New York Sales, presented by @celineofficial. Learn more at: sothebys.com/en/articles/je…

Introducing Whisky & Whiskey, one of the largest spirits auctions ever at #SothebysNewYork. 🥃 A landmark collection of the finest global whiskeys, it showcases nearly 900 distinct bottles spanning Scotland, America and Japan. Highlights include The Dayton Ong Collection, with releases from The Macallan Fine & Rare series and The Glenfiddich 64 Year Old 1937 — the oldest vintage release from the Speyside distillery. Rare Scotch from the likes of Longmorn, Mortlach and Springbank also appears, as part of a significant collection of Fine Scotch Whisky from an American Connoisseur. Bid now >> bit.ly/3P6NKzZ

The Macallan in Lalique crystal marks a historic moment — a whisky brand collaborating at the highest level of luxury craftsmanship. Now, the first bottle ever created comes to auction during the annual Wine & Spirits Festival. Sotheby’s Jonny Fowle takes us behind the scenes at our #SothebysHongKong Maison for an intimate viewing. Bid now >> bit.ly/4bj6kfI

The finest selection of works by Victor Brauner ever offered at auction will come to #SothebysParis this June as part of The Fred Feinsilber Collection. Feinsilber had an intimate connection with Brauner, who passed away 60 years ago today. The 12 works at heart of this collection reflect a deep affinity between two people both born on Romanian soil. The collection brings together more than 300 works, including Picasso, Kandinsky, Dubuffet, Chaissac, and Musič, alongside works by Alberto and Diego Giacometti. A public exhibition will be on view at our Paris gallery 30 May – 2 June, with the live auction on 3 June.

A slam dunk for #ScottiePippen. 🏀 Yesterday, the Basketball Hall of Famer’s historic memorabilia collection achieved white-glove status, selling for a total of $6.2 million. Auction records were set for a Larry Bird game-worn and signed 1992 Olympics “Dream Team” jersey, which realized $896,000, and for Scottie Pippen’s game-worn and signed Chicago Bulls jersey from the 1997 NBA Finals “Flu Game,” which sold for $486,400. Discover more from this landmark sale >> bit.ly/4s3VSQe

Planning the year week by week is second nature across much of Europe — and in 2019, Patek Philippe turned that habit into a mechanical complication. With the introduction of the Calatrava reference 5212A, the house unveiled its first weekly calendar. A central hand tracks the current week along a peripheral scale numbered 1 through 53, working alongside apertures for the day, month and pointer date. Equally distinctive is the typography. The numerals and text replicate a handwritten script, giving the dial an informal charm rarely seen within the otherwise restrained Calatrava collection. Housed in a 40mm stainless steel case and powered by the self-winding caliber 26-330 S C J SE, it remains one of Patek Philippe’s most inventive contemporary complications. Only two days left to bid on our ‘Fine Watches’ sale. Place yours now >> bit.ly/46ETOWv Sotheby’s Hong Kong Fine Watches Sale 5 – 12 March 11:00 HKT

If you’re a collector of Patek Philippe, you’ll know why this model matters. Few complications are as closely associated with Patek Philippe as the perpetual calendar chronograph — a lineage that runs from the house’s legendary Ref. 1518 and Ref. 2499 to the modern Ref. 5270. Introduced in 2011, the Patek Philippe Ref. 5270 marked the debut of the manufacturer’s in-house caliber CH 29-535 PS Q. This first-series Ref. 5270G in white gold captures the beginning of that transition. Notably absent of the tachymeter scale seen on later versions, its dial prioritizes balance and clarity across its many indications; day and month apertures at 12 o’clock, as well as a moonphase and date display at 6, with leap-year and day/night indicators subtly integrated. Bid now >> bit.ly/4aMfBxQ Sotheby’s Hong Kong Fine Watches Sale 5 – 12 March 11:00 HKT

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s monumental ‘Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)’ is heading to #SothebysNewYork. It’ll star in The Contemporary Evening Auction this May. Belonging to a suite of 12 towering canvases that Basquiat painted in 1983, ‘Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)’ stands among the most significant and complex works works of ever created by the artist. It represents a moment in Basquiat’s career when his visual language reached an extraordinary level of clarity, ambition and scale. ‘Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)’ is installed at our new headquarters at the Breuer and available for viewing tomorrow through 15 March, before traveling to Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and London. It’ll then return to Madison Avenue as a highlight of The New York Sales, presented by @celineofficial. Learn more about this seminal work and the upcoming exhibition at: sothebys.com/en/articles/je…