Where art thou? From royal silverware to rare watches, what collectors are bidding for now

Auction paddles once rose almost only for paintings. But today, coveted lots aren’t just for your walls; bidding wars are just as likely for a valuable timepiece, a royal tea service or a first-edition book.

While art and antiques still command the lion’s share of attention and value, other categories have been steadily building their own dedicated collector bases. A Cartier brooch or a mid-century chair may belong to different worlds, but they are prized for the same reasons: Provenance, rarity, craftsmanship and history.

Dinesh Vazirani, co-founder, Saffronart and Art Mumbai, has held auctions spanning furniture, antiquities, decorative objects and jewellery. He shares that what people are looking for in an auction “is some sort of curation, quality and also things that are rare to find”.


According to Ankush Dadha, director at Bid & Hammer, what drives competitive bidding isn’t the category itself. “Rather, interest and prices are shaped by an object’s condition, provenance and history, as well as the reputation of its maker, publisher or artist,” he explains.

Notable Sales

• Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Babasaheb Ambedkar), The Constitution of India: Rs 48 lakhs; Gatsby reverie art deco vitrine: Rs 6.60 lakhs; Pair of spinel, natural pearl, emerald and diamond earrings: Rs 1.75 crore sold by Saffronart.
• Pair of Vermeil Girandoles by Ignaz Sebastian Würth: Rs 2.3 crore ; Piaget tonneaushaped diamond wristwatch: Rs 1.1 crore sold by Astaguru.
• The Ethereal Jadeite Necklace sold during Christie’s Hong Kong Spring Luxury Week 2026: US$25.5 million.
• F P Journe Platinum Tourbillon Souverain Ref. T: Over US$3.1 million auctioned by Christie’s in May 2026

“The whole change has happened post Covid, where your home became very important. There’s an inclination to put lovely things in your home. There’s also this boom in real estate, which is feeding this trend.” — Dinesh Vazirani, co-founder, Saffronart.

“Beyond fine art, several categories perform consistently well at auction: Jewellery and silverware, vintage timepieces, furniture and decorative arts, textiles, rare books, numismatics (coins and stamps) and memorabilia.” — Manoj Mansukhani, director, marketing, AstaGuru Auction House.

“Antiquarian books, maps, prints and photographs, silver, period furniture and sculptures are seeing strong demand.” — Ankush Dadha, director, Bid & Hammer

Meet The New Collector

Are the connoisseurs of art picking up the silverware too? “There’s an overlap, but not total,” Manoj Mansukhani, director, marketing, AstaGuru Auction House, says. High-net-worth individuals treat these collectibles both as a connection to cultural heritage and as a sophisticated investment tool, and that crowd often moves between art and jewellery/silver/timepieces sales. “But categories like memorabilia and vintage collectibles pull in a distinct, often younger buyer,” he shares.


Collectors aged 18-35 are particularly active, blending nostalgia with investment. Furniture and books tend to skew toward a more specialist, older collector base buying for personal taste. Vazirani adds, “I would say maybe more than 50 to 60% is the crossover and 40% are these new buyers who focus on certain objects.”

Source Code

Auction houses determine estimates by looking at historical sales of the same object — or comparable works if no direct benchmark exists. The final estimate is arrived at through a negotiation between the auction house and the seller, balancing past market performance with the seller’s expectations.


Vazirani says consignments come through a mix of proactive outreach and inbound interest. While collectors, estates and dealers regularly approach the auction house to sell individual pieces, Saffronart also identifies significant collections and reaches out directly to owners.


Most consignments come from private collectors, estates and dealers, with institutions contributing the least, as museums rarely deaccession works. “The hardest category to source is antiquities. Getting a superb antiquity, whether it’s a lovely Pala stone piece or a Chola bronze, is not easy and you have to wait for something good to come along,” Vazirani adds.


There are also structural challenges: Furniture and books face logistical hurdles as rare books and manuscripts are often held privately. Jewellery and watches, though easier to find, will face authentication and provenance verification.

Sold Stop

The items that attract the most competitive bidding.

Where to find the treasurers?

Estates, inherited collections, dealers, private collectors, outreach and government seizures.

• Vintage jewellery and silverware: Strong resale value. Pieces with royal or family provenance exceed estimates.
• Rare timepieces: Supported by a global collector base and transparent secondarymarket benchmarks.·Furniture and decorative arts: Provenance from royal collections or historic estates boosts demand.
• Rare books and manuscripts: Driven by specialist collectors.

Future Perfect

In percentage terms, these categories are growing faster than the broader art market. The rise of digital marketplaces and online auction platforms has made collectibles far more accessible, allowing a wider pool of collectors to participate regardless of geography or prior expertise.


“In 2026, it is expected to witness new benchmarks for collectible furniture and decorative art, vintage watches, fine wines, rare cars. They have the potential to outperform traditional markets as investors seek alternative assets,” Mansukhani says.

“The connoisseurs of yesterday are the consignors of today and collectors of today are also investors,” Dadha adds.

How To Approach an Auction

JEWELLERY: Max Fawcett, Christie’s global head of jewellery, has one golden rule for purchasing fine jewellery at auction: Buy with your eyes, but verify with your head. “The most successful jewellery purchases combine emotional appeal with objective factors such as quality, provenance, condition, and rarity.”

HIS TIPS:

BUY QUALITY

• Look for: Fine gemstones with deep colour, good clarity and perfect cutting. For signed pieces, prioritise exceptional craftsmanship and design
• Avoid: Sacrificing quality for a larger stone.

DEMAND PROVENANCE

·Look for: Certificates not older than three years, original invoices, market’s signature and any documented ownership history

·Avoid: Pieces with unclear origins or with missing paperwork.

EXAMINE CAREFULLY

·Look for: Well preserved settings, secure clasps, minimal wear. Check the back as it tells you a lot about the craftsmanship and history

·Avoid: Jewellery with damaged settings, chipped gemstones, over repairs or poor restoration.

BUY THE BEST

·Look for: Signed jewellery by renowned houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, JAR, Boucheron

·Avoid: Purchasing solely because something is in fashion.

THINK LONG-TERM

·Look for: Rarity

·Avoid: Impulse buying driven by marketing hype.

TIMEPIECES

Remi Guillemin, head of watches for Christie’s Europe, has handled some of the world’s finest timepieces — and met the collectors who’ve acquired them. “Experienced collectors often say that the watches they regret most are not those they purchased, but the exceptional pieces they let slip away,” he says.

HIS TIPS:

·Know the Heritage: Understand the history and standing of the brand. Familiarise yourself with its most significant references, technical innovations and milestones.

·Preserve the Documentation: Documentation, certificates and the original presentation box form an integral part of its identity and value. Keep them well.

·Understand the.Market: Successful collecting requires an understanding of market dynamics. During the first half of 2026, Christie’s offered 20% fewer watches than during the same period the previous year yet achieved stronger results. This reflects a deliberate focus on quality, rarity and the increasingly discerning demands of collectors.

·Seek a Specialist: Whether you are interested in a wristwatch or a pocket watch, asking questions often reveals fascinating details about a piece’s history, significance and collectability.

·Set a Budget: Maintaining discipline in the excitement of an auction is a challenge. Establish a clear budget and account for the buyer’s premium and any applicable import duties or taxes when calculating your maximum bid.