Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week is set to launch in the emirate this December, Sotherby's has announced today.
A collaboration between Sotheby’s and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, the initiative is aimed at the region’s collectors and an international clientele.
Notably, this marks the first Sotheby’s sale in the capital. Josh Pullan, global head of Sotheby’s luxury division, explains why the timing matters. “First, Abu Dhabi is experiencing huge momentum as a cultural and luxury hub, with the Louvre already established and the Saadiyat Island cultural district set to open major museums in 2025 and 2026. It feels like the right moment to be here, at the heart of this growth. The second is from a business perspective – we’re seeing rising engagement from Middle Eastern collectors in our global auctions, making this a natural meeting point of opportunity for both the region and Sotheby’s.”
Having staged the first RM Sotheby’s property sale in Dubai in 2025, which Pullan describes as “remarkable success", the company believes the groundwork has been laid for the next step. He cites the Beyond: The World’s Rarest Diamond exhibition, held in April on Saadiyat Island, which featured more than $100 million worth of diamonds in a single room. Among them was the Mediterranean Blue diamond, later sold in Geneva for $21.5 million. The event, Pullan says, was “extremely well received” and a “strong signal of the appetite here".
With a showroom in Dubai since 2017, the 281-year-old auction house is now set to deepen its commitment to the UAE capital. The inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week will be held at The St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, with a curated programme of events culminating in a flagship auction.
