Sotheby’s staked a claim to the ultra-affluent Saudi Arabian market earlier this month with a debut sale in the Kingdom featuring 10 interesting UK Swiss made replica watches alongside 53 contemporary art lots and a selection of jewelry.
On the 1:1 perfect fake watches front, the results were mixed.
Best online copy Rolex Oyster Perpetual ‘Celebration Bubbles’ watches, Reference 124300 beat its pre-sale estimate of $10,000 to $15,000 to hammer at $24,000.
The highest price paid in the sale was for 2007 cheap super clone Cartier Crash watches in yellow gold, which sold for $228,000, just below its top estimate of $260,000.
A factory-sealed AAA wholesale replica Patek Philippe Reference 5070P-001 platinum chronograph from 2008 achieved a mid-estimate $162,000 bid.
High quality replica Rolex watches proved popular. A Paul Newman Musketeer, c.1970, went for a mid-estimate price of $240,000.
Unsold lots included a c.1984 high end fake Rolex Day Date ‘Arabic Calendar’ watches, Reference 18038 in yellow gold set with diamonds that displays its day and date in Arabic.
The auction followed Sotheby’s official incorporation in Saudi Arabia at the end of 2024, and will be complemented by the opening of an office in Riyadh’s iconic landmark Al Faisaliah Tower.
