Sotheby’s has launched a stunning diamond exhibition in Abu Dhabi, showcasing a collection valued at $100 million. This marks the auction house’s first public display in the emirate in over 15 years. The exhibition is hosted in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation on Saadiyat Island.

The exhibition features several rare diamonds, including the notable ‘Mediterranean Blue,’ which is a 10.03-carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond expected to reach $20 million at an auction in Geneva next month. Katia Nounou Boueiz, Sotheby’s Deputy Chairman for the Middle East, described the exhibition as one of the best and most incredible showcases of diamonds of this caliber ever presented globally.

Quig Bruning, Senior Vice President and Head of Jewelry for the Americas, Europe, and Middle East, highlighted the collection’s uniqueness by stating that if all blue diamonds over 10 carats were gathered, they could likely fit in a pocket. He also pointed out the significance of the ‘Mediterranean Blue,’ noting that there were no vivid blue diamonds over 10 carats on the market last year.

Additional remarkable pieces in the exhibition include ‘The Red Diamond,’ a 5.05-carat Fancy Brown-Red Diamond, which is the second largest red diamond known; ‘The Desert Rose,’ the world’s largest vivid orangey pink diamond at 31.68 carats; ‘The Golden Canary Necklace,’ featuring the largest internally flawless diamond at 303.10 carats; and ‘The Ultimate Emerald Cut,’ a flawless diamond ring weighing 100.20 carats.

The decision to unveil this collection in Abu Dhabi reflects the region’s increasing importance in luxury markets. Bruning explained that the Gulf was chosen for the global unveiling due to Sotheby’s deep-rooted relationships with clients and collectors in the area, confirming its role as a dynamic driver of the luxury industry worldwide.

The exhibition is open to the public until April 10, with daily hours from 10 AM to 8 PM, and admission is free.