{"id":345608,"date":"2025-12-11T12:46:36","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T17:46:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.sothebysrealty.com\/?p=345608"},"modified":"2026-02-05T15:59:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T20:59:24","slug":"collecting-focus-holiday-gifting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-holiday-gifting\/","title":{"rendered":"Collecting Focus: Holiday Gifting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Find an expertly curated edit of one-off collectables with Sotheby\u2019s Buy Now option, from watches and jewels to rare children\u2019s books, writes Katie Armstrong<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"holiday<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A holiday bauble celebrating Sotheby\u2019s new headquarters at the Breuer Building, New York. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The holiday season is here, and with it, the joys and challenges of gift-buying. Choosing a thoughtful gift can come with a good deal of pressure, and finding a high-quality, considered option for the lover of finer things can feel overwhelming. Buy Now<\/a>\u2014Sotheby\u2019s online curated collection\u2014is the antidote to these holiday stresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From handbags<\/a> and jewelry<\/a> to contemporary art<\/a> and rare books<\/a>, the platform has plenty to browse and, like any other sale, each selection is handpicked by Sotheby\u2019s specialists. The difference: all items are offered at a fixed price, available immediately, taking away the uncertainty of the auction process. Perfect for those last-minute purchases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"silver<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 2004 F.P. Journe Chronom\u00e8tre \u00e0 R\u00e9sonance, available to purchase through Sotheby\u2019s Buy Now. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watches<\/a> can be a classic choice of gift for all ages and demographics. \u201cThere are great pieces that appeal to a variety of collectors,\u201d says Maximilian Traber, assistant vice president, associate specialist and head of fine watches auctions at Sotheby\u2019s New York.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome people collect only Rolex or Patek Philippe and some only buy high-quality, complicated movements from independent brands. That\u2019s what\u2019s so fun about the size of the sales and our Buy Now offerings. We sell all sorts of watches to all sorts of collectors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"facade<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 2025 festive facade of Sotheby\u2019s London on New Bond Street, Mayfair. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prices of these timepieces range widely, from an elegant Cartier<\/a> available at US$5,500 to an F. P. Journe Chronom\u00e8tre \u00e0 R\u00e9sonance<\/a> at just over half a million dollars. Despite the wealth of options and price points, choosing can still be a tricky decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cPeople wear a watch every day so it\u2019s inextricably linked to them, and there\u2019s something quite sentimental about that,\u201d says Traber. \u201cThey are often gifts for momentous occasions. Watches really travel with you in that sense and become an important part of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"early<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A rare early edition of \u201cThe Tale of Peter Rabbit\u201d by Beatrix Potter. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watches are drawing an increasingly younger buyer base, he adds. \u201cI think around a third of our collectors are millennials,\u201d Traber says. \u201cWatches run the age range, and over the past several years women have really come into the market as collectors too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if timepieces aren\u2019t your gift of choice, Buy Now has no shortage of other options. A 1905 edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit<\/a> by Beatrix Potter could be the perfect addition to a young relative\u2019s bookshelf, especially coming in at under US$1,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or for the music lover in your life, a rare set of The Beatles\u2019 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover photograph negatives<\/a> is also available for immediate purchase. Buy Now also hosts a range of stunning high jewelry, perfect for the sparkly season. This platinum, gold, Burmese ruby and diamond necklace<\/a> is sure to turn heads at a holiday party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"platinum<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A stunning platinum and gold necklace, with oval shaped Burmese rubies and accented by round brilliant cut diamonds. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When all is said and done, the care and thought behind a gift is what ultimately matters this season, regardless of budget. Watches are the perfect case in point. \u201cI know people who wear a Casio every day and people who wear perpetual calendars,\u201d says Traber, \u201cand both make them happy. That\u2019s what\u2019s special.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Collecting Focus series features expert advice on <\/em>jewelry<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>watches<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>wine<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>rare whisky<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>historic books<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>music memorabilia<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>fashion history<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>natural history<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>modern prints<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Footer<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Find an expertly curated edit of one-off collectables with Sotheby\u2019s Buy Now option, from watches and jewels to rare children\u2019s books, writes Katie Armstrong A holiday bauble celebrating Sotheby\u2019s new headquarters at the Breuer Building, New York. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s The holiday season is here, and with it, the joys and challenges of gift-buying. Choosing a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":232770377,"featured_media":345614,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1393],"tags":[1541,1472,1505],"class_list":["post-345608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-and-culture","tag-london","tag-new-york","tag-united-kingdom"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Sothebys-Platinum-Gold-Ruby-Necklace.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pf4gbL-1rUk","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":387,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/significant-sales-2024-highlights\/","url_meta":{"origin":345608,"position":0},"title":"Significant Sales: 2024 Highlights","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"January 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"From a US$74.25M sale in Palm Beach Florida, to a \u00a315.5M sale in London, England, here are ten of the top sales represented by the Sotheby\u2019s International Realty global network in 2024. Palm Beach, Florida Todd Peter, Frances Peter | Sotheby's International Realty \u2013 Palm Beach Brokerage, US$74.25M View Properties\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Market Insights"","block_context":{"text":"Market Insights","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/market-insights\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":395,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-americana\/","url_meta":{"origin":345608,"position":1},"title":"Collecting Focus: Americana","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"January 20, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"U.S. folk art and furniture bring history, craft and comfort to the home interior. A Sotheby\u2019s auction highlights rare finds, writes Melissa Feldman Celebrated designer Ken Fulk guest-curates the pre-sale installation of \u201cVisions of America\u201d at Sotheby\u2019s New York. Photo: Pascal Perich, courtesy of Sotheby\u2019s After introducing the inaugural \u201cVisions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Art and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/art-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":411,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/sothebys-international-realty-expands-in-tennessee\/","url_meta":{"origin":345608,"position":2},"title":"Sotheby’s International Realty Expands in Tennessee","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"February 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Sotheby's International Realty has announced that Realty Center of\u00a0Chattanooga\u00a0in\u00a0Tennessee\u00a0has joined the network and its two offices will now operate as Horizon Sotheby's International Realty. This addition signifies the brand's continued growth in\u00a0Tennessee\u00a0with six offices in the state. Horizon Sotheby's International Realty, headquartered in\u00a0Chattanooga, will serve communities spanning from\u00a0Athens, Tennessee, to\u00a0Dalton,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brand News"","block_context":{"text":"Brand News","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/brand-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Chatanooga.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":430,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/sothebys-international-realty-expands-into-the-philippines\/","url_meta":{"origin":345608,"position":3},"title":"Sotheby’s International Realty Expands into the Philippines","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"March 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Sotheby's International Realty today announced the opening of Philippines Sotheby's International Realty, marking its 18th\u00a0office in\u00a0Asia. 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As the 2019 president of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brand News"","block_context":{"text":"Brand News","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/brand-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eibner-saliba-3T9dDY0WqDI-unsplash.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":415,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/significant-sales-january-2025-highlights\/","url_meta":{"origin":345608,"position":4},"title":"Significant Sales: January 2025 Highlights","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"February 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"From a \u20ac$21M sale in Saint-Tropez, France, to a US$17.225M sale in Cambria, California, here are five sales represented by the Sotheby\u2019s International Realty global network in January. 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