Sotheby’s Gives Desert Rose $7M Price Tag in Abu Dhabi Auction

December 3, 2025

Suzanne Watkin

Sotheby’s will offer the rare Desert Rose diamond at an upcoming auction in Abu Dhabi, where it’s expected to rake in $7 million.

The unmounted pear-shaped, 31.68-carat, VVS1-clarity stone is the largest fancy-vivid-orangy-pink diamond in the world, Sotheby’s said Tuesday. The Desert Rose is one of the headline pieces at the December 5 Precision & Brilliance: Prestigious Jewels & Watches from an Important Private Collection sale, part of the auction house’s inaugural Collectors’ Week event in the Emirati capital.

Among the more than 40 lots on offer are a Tiffany & Co. sapphire and diamond ring with a high estimate of $550,000, a Boucheron emerald ring with a top presale estimate of $500,000, and an emerald and diamond Cartier ring with a price tag of $250,000 to $350,000.

Collectors’ Week — a collaboration between Sotheby’s and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office — features auctions, exhibitions, private sales, and a special program of talks and master classes with guest speakers. The five auctions taking place on December 5 will include more than $1 billion worth of luxury goods, including jewelry, handbags, cars and real estate.

“Our aim is not only to present world-class treasures at auction, but also to build lasting connections with collectors in the region through talks, master classes and a museum-quality exhibition of artworks from around the world,” said Josh Pullan, global head of the Sotheby’s luxury division. “Abu Dhabi’s rapidly expanding cultural landscape — driven by a young and growing collector base and supported by ambitious long-term development plans — is fostering a vibrant art and luxury community. This momentum aligns perfectly with [our] vision, and we’re thrilled to begin our next chapter of expansion with Abu Dhabi at its heart.”

Sotheby’s debuted an exhibition in Abu Dhabi in April — its first event there since 2009 — featuring rare diamonds worth more than $100 million in total.

Other items making their auction debut at Collectors’ Week include a complete set of four Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 double-dialed clock watches — one each in yellow gold, white gold, pink gold, and platinum — carrying a high estimate of $20 million. Another top piece is a Rolex Daytona Albino wristwatch from circa 1971, which has a $1 million upper estimate.

Image: The Desert Rose diamond. (Sotheby’s)