Christie’s 2025: Luxury Sales of Art and Rare Collectibles

Published in Unique Estates Life Spring Issue 2025

The global market for fine art and luxury goods closed the past year with steady growth despite what Christie’s CEO Guillaume Cerutti described as a “challenging environment.” Private sales and auction results increased in the second half of the year, with Christie’s ending 2024 with €5.3 billion in global sales. In 2025, Christie’s continues to strengthen its leading position in the industry, strategically expanding its presence in high-growth markets such as the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. A rich program of auctions and private sales sets the stage for another strong year, highlighting art, jewelry, wine, and entertainment masterpieces.

Among the star sales of 2024, René Magritte’s L’empire des lumières sold for €112 million in New York, becoming the most expensive work of the year. Other notable sales include Vincent van Gogh’s Les canots amarrés for €29.8 million in Hong Kong, Titian’s Rest on the Flight into Egypt for €20 million in London, and Claude Monet’s iconic Nymphéas for €27.8 million, also in Hong Kong.

Significant private collections were also presented at auction, including those of music legend Sir Elton John, iconic interior designer and philanthropist Mica Ertegün, and influential art dealers Mary and Allan Hobart.

The spotlight was not limited to art. The 10.2-carat flawless pink diamond Eden Rose sold for €12.3 million at the Magnificent Jewels auction in New York, exceeding its pre-sale estimate of €11 million. In Geneva, the Aga Khan Emerald, named after Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, realized €8.15 million – a record for an emerald sold at auction. “The market for iconic vintage jewelry and colored gemstones has never been stronger,” commented Max Fosset, Head of European Jewelry at Christie’s.

Auctions of collectible items with historical or scientific value also attracted stable interest. In December, Important Watches brought €10.1 million, led by the sale of the ultra-thin Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari No. 37/150 for €1.3 million. In an unprecedented sale, Christie’s sold three dinosaur skeletons – a Stegosaurus and two Allosaurus – for a total of €14.3 million.

The luxury segment continues to attract a new generation of buyers. In 2024, 30% of the auction house’s clients were Millennials or Gen Z. In Asia, Christie’s recorded its strongest second half since 2021, driven by young collectors, who made up 44% of auction participants.

With a clear vision for the future, Christie’s continues its expansion in Asia. In September, the company opened its new Asia-Pacific headquarters at The Henderson – an iconic building in Hong Kong designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, attracting over 27,000 visitors in its first months. Shortly after, Christie’s became the first international auction house to obtain a commercial license in Saudi Arabia, a market showing strong growth in luxury goods.

The acquisition of Gooding & Company, the leading global classic car auction, marked another key moment in Christie’s strategy, reinforcing its ambition to lead in the collectible car niche and expand its influence in the global luxury market.