WNAM MONITORING: Dubai has become a top destination for collectors of arts, supercars, watches and other luxury items. Hence, many auction houses now choose to sell their rarest items in Dubai to get the best rates. The inaugural auction of rarest cars and watches by RM Sotheby’s in Dubai surpassed $17 million (Dh62 million).
Among watches, the highlight selling item was the Rolex Daytona UAE, which sold for an astounding $300,000 (Dh1.1 million). Made around 1978, the watch features the UAE coat of arms and the Arabic signature of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who was at the time the Minister of Defence.
Besides the luxury watch, the auction witnessed three supercars going under the hammer for more than Dh10 million each.
The top seller was one of just three in existence, the 2016 Koenigsegg Agera RSR, bought for $3.38 million (Dh12.4 million). Powered by a 5.0 V-8 that produces 1,160 horsepower, the supercar had covered only 993 kilometres.
The second highest seller was the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss, achieving $3.211 million (Dh11.784 million), another world-record auction price for the model. Rounding off the top three sellers in Dubai was the 2023 Aston Martin Valkyrie Coupé. The most powerful Aston Martin ever produced was grabbed for $3.07 million (Dh11.266 million).
Among the other rarest supercars, the 2017 Lamborghini Centenario LP770-4 Coupé went for $2.142 million (Dh7.86 million), and the 2022 Ferrari 812 Competizione, one of just 999 in existence, was grabbed for $1.467 million (Dh5.383 million), exceeded its pre-sale high-estimate.
