2016
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Cui Ruzhuo Ghenie Italian sculpture Silverware White diamond Cartier
See also : Cui Ruzhuo Ghenie Italian sculpture Silverware White diamond Cartier
2016 necklace by De Grisogono
2017 SOLD for CHF 33.5M by Christie's
Since the depletion of Golconda, the finest pure diamonds of Type IIa are extracted in Austral Africa : South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Angola.
The arrival on the market of exceptional pieces of very recent extraction certainly demonstrates improvements in the techniques of prospecting, but also in the preparation of perfect diamonds.
On November 14, 2017, Christie's sold as lot 505 for CHF 33.5M a diamond type IIa, D color, Flawless clarity. Weighing 163.41 carats, it is the largest perfect white diamond ever offered at auction and one of the largest ever inspected by the GIA. This performance is not the result of chance but of the involvement of the best specialists in the world.
The steps are told in detail by Christie's in the featured post.
The rough stone is extracted in Angola in February 2016. Weighing 404 carats, it is promising while being far from the records. Its quality is confirmed in New York by spectrography. For several weeks a team of experts researches the defects of the crystal.
Its bean form is not directly usable. In June, the world's best diamond cleaver with more than 50 years of experience cuts the stone in two halves from the middle. The polishing in emerald cut lasts six months, facet after facet.
They must now design a piece of jewelry highlighting this unprecedented wonder. The diamond is brought in December 2016 to De Grisogono in Geneva, which designs an asymmetrical necklace of emeralds and diamonds in 44 cm length. The jewel entrusted to Christie's then travels around the world before returning to Geneva for its auction sale.
Grok thought
Quote
National Jeweler @NationalJeweler Oct 2, 2017
Later this fall @ChristiesInc will #auction off 163-carat #diamond set into a necklace by @deGRISOGONO #degrisogono http://ow.ly/Yuqz30fA5lk
Founded in 1993 by Fawaz Gruosi, de GRISOGONO quickly gained fame for its bold, glamorous designs, particularly pioneering the use of black diamonds in high jewelry (e.g., cutting the famous 312-carat Spirit of de GRISOGONO, the world's largest faceted black diamond at the time). The brand's signature style emphasized opulent volumes, rich colors (often emeralds for "good luck"), asymmetry, and intricate craftsmanship.
In 2016–2017, the house acquired a 404.20-carat rough diamond (named "4 de Fevereiro" after its discovery date in Angola's Lulo mine) and transformed it into a 163.41-carat emerald-cut D-color flawless Type IIA diamond—the largest of its kind ever graded by the GIA and offered at auction. Gruosi's team crafted 50 designs before selecting an asymmetric necklace with the diamond as the detachable centerpiece, accented by graduated emerald-cut diamonds on one side and cascading pear-shaped emeralds (nearly 6,000 stones total) on the other. It took 14 artisans over 1,700 hours to complete.
Auctioned at Christie's Geneva in November 2017, it sold for $33.7 million (CHF 33.5 million), setting a world record price per carat for a D-flawless diamond and propelling de GRISOGONO "into a class of their own," as stated by Christie's experts. This "mine-to-masterpiece" project marked the brand's 25th-anniversary milestone and its elevation to handling historic-scale gems.
While this remains de GRISOGONO's most iconic piece, the brand faced challenges later: ties to Angolan investors led to scandals (Luanda Leaks, 2020), bankruptcy in 2020, and acquisition by Dubai's Damac Group in 2022. The 2017 necklace endures as its greatest legacy in jewelry history.
The arrival on the market of exceptional pieces of very recent extraction certainly demonstrates improvements in the techniques of prospecting, but also in the preparation of perfect diamonds.
On November 14, 2017, Christie's sold as lot 505 for CHF 33.5M a diamond type IIa, D color, Flawless clarity. Weighing 163.41 carats, it is the largest perfect white diamond ever offered at auction and one of the largest ever inspected by the GIA. This performance is not the result of chance but of the involvement of the best specialists in the world.
The steps are told in detail by Christie's in the featured post.
The rough stone is extracted in Angola in February 2016. Weighing 404 carats, it is promising while being far from the records. Its quality is confirmed in New York by spectrography. For several weeks a team of experts researches the defects of the crystal.
Its bean form is not directly usable. In June, the world's best diamond cleaver with more than 50 years of experience cuts the stone in two halves from the middle. The polishing in emerald cut lasts six months, facet after facet.
They must now design a piece of jewelry highlighting this unprecedented wonder. The diamond is brought in December 2016 to De Grisogono in Geneva, which designs an asymmetrical necklace of emeralds and diamonds in 44 cm length. The jewel entrusted to Christie's then travels around the world before returning to Geneva for its auction sale.
Grok thought
Quote
National Jeweler @NationalJeweler Oct 2, 2017
Later this fall @ChristiesInc will #auction off 163-carat #diamond set into a necklace by @deGRISOGONO #degrisogono http://ow.ly/Yuqz30fA5lk
- This 2017 post from National Jeweler highlights an upcoming Christie's auction of a de GRISOGONO necklace featuring a 163.41-carat D-flawless emerald-cut diamond, the largest of its type and quality ever offered at auction.
- The piece, blending the colorless diamond with vibrant pear-shaped emeralds and baguette diamonds, sold for $33.7 million in Geneva, underscoring the premium on flawless, large-cut stones in high jewelry.
- Such auctions reflect the jewelry industry's fascination with record-breaking gems, where rarity drives value—D-flawless diamonds command up to 20% higher prices than near-flawless equivalents per GIA grading data.
Founded in 1993 by Fawaz Gruosi, de GRISOGONO quickly gained fame for its bold, glamorous designs, particularly pioneering the use of black diamonds in high jewelry (e.g., cutting the famous 312-carat Spirit of de GRISOGONO, the world's largest faceted black diamond at the time). The brand's signature style emphasized opulent volumes, rich colors (often emeralds for "good luck"), asymmetry, and intricate craftsmanship.
In 2016–2017, the house acquired a 404.20-carat rough diamond (named "4 de Fevereiro" after its discovery date in Angola's Lulo mine) and transformed it into a 163.41-carat emerald-cut D-color flawless Type IIA diamond—the largest of its kind ever graded by the GIA and offered at auction. Gruosi's team crafted 50 designs before selecting an asymmetric necklace with the diamond as the detachable centerpiece, accented by graduated emerald-cut diamonds on one side and cascading pear-shaped emeralds (nearly 6,000 stones total) on the other. It took 14 artisans over 1,700 hours to complete.
Auctioned at Christie's Geneva in November 2017, it sold for $33.7 million (CHF 33.5 million), setting a world record price per carat for a D-flawless diamond and propelling de GRISOGONO "into a class of their own," as stated by Christie's experts. This "mine-to-masterpiece" project marked the brand's 25th-anniversary milestone and its elevation to handling historic-scale gems.
While this remains de GRISOGONO's most iconic piece, the brand faced challenges later: ties to Angolan investors led to scandals (Luanda Leaks, 2020), bankruptcy in 2020, and acquisition by Dubai's Damac Group in 2022. The 2017 necklace endures as its greatest legacy in jewelry history.
2016 Boehmer et Bassenge
1
Miroir de l'Amour
2016 SOLD for CHF 17.6M by Christie's
Paris remains a capital of luxury. A new workshop has been created with a single specialty : assembling jewels composed of diamonds that are perfect by their white D-Type color, their flawless clarity and their symmetry.
Diamonds are forever and elegance too. These newcomers connect with the past by taking the name Boehmer et Bassenge.
This double name that had gone into the oblivion of history was that of the jewelers entrusted by Louis XV in 1772 to create the most stunning necklace of all time for a presentation to his mistress Madame du Barry. The necklace totaling 2,840 carats of diamonds was assembled but not delivered because of the king's death. It was dismantled in 1785 in the most sensational scam case of the Ancien Régime : l'Affaire du collier de la Reine.
The new Boehmer et Bassenge company targets an extreme quality limited to a few items per year. They chose Christie's for selling two of their earliest masterpieces. The auction takes place in Geneva on November 15, 2016.
Miroir de l'Amour is a pair of earrings 7 cm long. Each element consists of a pear-shaped diamond of over 50 carats, namely 52.55 and 50.47 carats, topped with a rich cluster of smaller diamonds. It was sold for CHF 17.6M, lot 188.
Boehmer et Bassenge is a modern Parisian Maison de Haute Joaillerie (launched around 2016) that revives the name of the historic 18th-century jewelers Charles Boehmer and Paul Bassenge. The original duo created the infamous diamond necklace central to the "Affair of the Diamond Necklace" scandal involving Marie Antoinette, which damaged the French monarchy's reputation before the Revolution.
The contemporary brand specializes in ultra-exclusive pieces using only exceptional D-color, Flawless (or Internally Flawless) diamonds of perfect symmetry and polish, producing just a few creations per year.
The two pieces you mention mark pivotal moments in the brand's short history, as they were among its earliest creations and launched publicly through Christie's auctions.
Miroir de l'Amour
This sensational pair of diamond earrings features two pear-shaped D-color Flawless diamonds weighing 52.55 and 50.47 carats (the largest such pair ever offered at auction), surrounded by additional pear- and marquise-cut diamonds (total weight ~123 carats).
It sold at Christie's Geneva Magnificent Jewels auction on November 15, 2016 (lot 188) for approximately $17.6 million (including premium), below the $20–30 million estimate but still a strong result.
This sale (alongside another piece from the brand) represented the official debut of Boehmer et Bassenge as a new high jewelry house, with Christie's chosen to introduce their first collection.
Diamonds are forever and elegance too. These newcomers connect with the past by taking the name Boehmer et Bassenge.
This double name that had gone into the oblivion of history was that of the jewelers entrusted by Louis XV in 1772 to create the most stunning necklace of all time for a presentation to his mistress Madame du Barry. The necklace totaling 2,840 carats of diamonds was assembled but not delivered because of the king's death. It was dismantled in 1785 in the most sensational scam case of the Ancien Régime : l'Affaire du collier de la Reine.
The new Boehmer et Bassenge company targets an extreme quality limited to a few items per year. They chose Christie's for selling two of their earliest masterpieces. The auction takes place in Geneva on November 15, 2016.
Miroir de l'Amour is a pair of earrings 7 cm long. Each element consists of a pear-shaped diamond of over 50 carats, namely 52.55 and 50.47 carats, topped with a rich cluster of smaller diamonds. It was sold for CHF 17.6M, lot 188.
Boehmer et Bassenge is a modern Parisian Maison de Haute Joaillerie (launched around 2016) that revives the name of the historic 18th-century jewelers Charles Boehmer and Paul Bassenge. The original duo created the infamous diamond necklace central to the "Affair of the Diamond Necklace" scandal involving Marie Antoinette, which damaged the French monarchy's reputation before the Revolution.
The contemporary brand specializes in ultra-exclusive pieces using only exceptional D-color, Flawless (or Internally Flawless) diamonds of perfect symmetry and polish, producing just a few creations per year.
The two pieces you mention mark pivotal moments in the brand's short history, as they were among its earliest creations and launched publicly through Christie's auctions.
Miroir de l'Amour
This sensational pair of diamond earrings features two pear-shaped D-color Flawless diamonds weighing 52.55 and 50.47 carats (the largest such pair ever offered at auction), surrounded by additional pear- and marquise-cut diamonds (total weight ~123 carats).
It sold at Christie's Geneva Magnificent Jewels auction on November 15, 2016 (lot 188) for approximately $17.6 million (including premium), below the $20–30 million estimate but still a strong result.
This sale (alongside another piece from the brand) represented the official debut of Boehmer et Bassenge as a new high jewelry house, with Christie's chosen to introduce their first collection.
2
Le Jardin d'Isabelle
2016 SOLD for CHF 8M by Christie's
Le Jardin d'Isabelle is a necklace, at lot 187 in the same sale as the example above. This jewel consists of two lines centered on diamonds respectively weighing 31.38 carats and 12.11 carats. It was sold for CHF 8M.
Grok thought :
Quote
CHAMPAGNE GEM @xCHAMPAGNEGEMx Mar 31, 2019
#MyLoveAffairWithDiamonds w/ BOEHMER ET BASSENGE “Le Jardin d’Isabelle” sensational D FL/IF pear-shaped diamonds with pink diamonds accents on a fine strand of pearls! https://instagram.com/p/Bvpgj7egIqP/ #YourDailyDoseOfSparkle #ChampagneGem
Grok thought :
Quote
CHAMPAGNE GEM @xCHAMPAGNEGEMx Mar 31, 2019
#MyLoveAffairWithDiamonds w/ BOEHMER ET BASSENGE “Le Jardin d’Isabelle” sensational D FL/IF pear-shaped diamonds with pink diamonds accents on a fine strand of pearls! https://instagram.com/p/Bvpgj7egIqP/ #YourDailyDoseOfSparkle #ChampagneGem
- The post showcases the "Le Jardin d’Isabelle" necklace by Boehmer et Bassenge, a 2016 Christie's auction highlight estimated at CHF 8-12 million, featuring 91.8 carats of D-flawless Type IIA white diamonds and 3.92 carats of pink diamonds on a pearl strand for floral elegance.
2016 The Sky Blue Diamond
2016 SOLD for CHF 17M by Sotheby's
Diamonds are eternal but their assembly within a jewel may change. The same gem can therefore be the star lot of two auctions a few years apart with a different mounting.
The GIA report dated 8 June 2010, applied to a Type IIb diamond weighing 8.01 carat, guaranteeing its natural, Fancy Vivid Blue color and VVS1 clarity.
This gem is close to the best, in the most prestigious color and a clarity which is second only to Internally Flawless. Fancy vivid blue diamonds rarely exceed that weight. Mounted on a platinum ring between two small white diamonds, it was sold for HK $ 100M by Sotheby's on 3 April 2012.
Its emerald cut is the most prestigious for colored diamonds. It guarantees the natural qualities of the diamond and does not alter the color.
Later identified as the Sky Blue Diamond, it is more accurately described as square cut which better stresses its great shape achievement, and assembled on a more exuberant Cartier ring set with brilliant cut and baguette diamonds. It was sold for CHF 17M by Sotheby's on November 16, 2016, lot 337. Please watch the video shared by WSJ.
The GIA report dated 8 June 2010, applied to a Type IIb diamond weighing 8.01 carat, guaranteeing its natural, Fancy Vivid Blue color and VVS1 clarity.
This gem is close to the best, in the most prestigious color and a clarity which is second only to Internally Flawless. Fancy vivid blue diamonds rarely exceed that weight. Mounted on a platinum ring between two small white diamonds, it was sold for HK $ 100M by Sotheby's on 3 April 2012.
Its emerald cut is the most prestigious for colored diamonds. It guarantees the natural qualities of the diamond and does not alter the color.
Later identified as the Sky Blue Diamond, it is more accurately described as square cut which better stresses its great shape achievement, and assembled on a more exuberant Cartier ring set with brilliant cut and baguette diamonds. It was sold for CHF 17M by Sotheby's on November 16, 2016, lot 337. Please watch the video shared by WSJ.
2016 CUI RUZHUO
1
Ten Thousand Miles of Snow
2017 SOLD for RMB 138M by Poly
Ten Thousand Miles of Snow, an assembly in color on paper 180 x 550 cm overall painted in 2016 by Cui Ruzhuo, was sold for RMB 138M by Poly on June 4, 2017, lot 4310.
2
Lotus in the Autumn Wind
2016 SOLD for HK$ 142M by Poly
An assembly of panels in ink and color on paper 142 x 750 cm executed in 2016 by Cui Ruzhuo was sold for HK $ 142M by Poly on October 3 of the same year, lot 1219. Its title is Lotus in the Autimn Wind.
2016 The Spectacle by Alrosa
2021 SOLD for CHF 12.8M by Christie's
The Alrosa group, whose headquarters are in the Sakha republic, previously Yakutia, is the world leader in volume for diamonds. They manage the whole supply chain : exploration, mining, manufacture and sale.
The offer of top quality Russian diamonds at auction is nevertheless recent. The 14.83 carat fancy vivid purple pink named the Spirit of the Rose is an Alrosa, processed from a 27.85 carat stone unearthed in Sakha in 2017. It was sold for CHF 24.4M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2020.
A 100.94 carat diamond of Type IIa, color D, excellent polish and good symmetry has been named The Spectacle by Alrosa. It is a 3.2 cm long rectangular step cut with an Internally Flawless clarity, the highest grade below Flawless. Its 207.29 carat raw stone had been unearthed in 2016 from a Zarnitsa kimberlite pipe. Zarnitsa is the site where the first Yakut diamonds had been found in 1954.
The Spectacle is unmounted, as the Spirit had also been before its sale. Fitted in an Alrosa case, it was sold for CHF 12.8M by Christie's on May 12, 2021, lot 146.
The preparation process of The Spectacle had taken one year and eight months at the Alrosa cutting factory in Moscow. Its emerald shape matches the geometry of the raw gem. Christie's press release observes that "Emerald cut is incompatible with any imperfections, as it allows the observer to gaze endlessly into the clear, unobstructed depths of the gem." and states that "The 100.94 carats Spectacle diamond is the largest stone ever to have been cut in Russia".
The offer of top quality Russian diamonds at auction is nevertheless recent. The 14.83 carat fancy vivid purple pink named the Spirit of the Rose is an Alrosa, processed from a 27.85 carat stone unearthed in Sakha in 2017. It was sold for CHF 24.4M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2020.
A 100.94 carat diamond of Type IIa, color D, excellent polish and good symmetry has been named The Spectacle by Alrosa. It is a 3.2 cm long rectangular step cut with an Internally Flawless clarity, the highest grade below Flawless. Its 207.29 carat raw stone had been unearthed in 2016 from a Zarnitsa kimberlite pipe. Zarnitsa is the site where the first Yakut diamonds had been found in 1954.
The Spectacle is unmounted, as the Spirit had also been before its sale. Fitted in an Alrosa case, it was sold for CHF 12.8M by Christie's on May 12, 2021, lot 146.
The preparation process of The Spectacle had taken one year and eight months at the Alrosa cutting factory in Moscow. Its emerald shape matches the geometry of the raw gem. Christie's press release observes that "Emerald cut is incompatible with any imperfections, as it allows the observer to gaze endlessly into the clear, unobstructed depths of the gem." and states that "The 100.94 carats Spectacle diamond is the largest stone ever to have been cut in Russia".
2016 America by Cattelan
2025 SOLD for $ 12M by Sotheby's
America was edited by Maurizio Cattelan in 2016 as a declared edition of 3 plus 2 artist’s proofs. The number 2, 47 x 37.5 x 63.5 cm, weighing 101.2 kg of 18-karat gold, was sold for $ 12M by Sotheby's on November 18, 2025, lot 109. The video is shared by Euronews.
Grok thought :
Quote
Artprice.com @artpricedotcom Nov 22
Record at Sotheby’s: Maurizio Cattelan’s gold toilet “America” sold for $12.1 million @Sothebys #Artmarket #Artprice #ArtpriceNews https://artprice.com/artprice-news/12173/record-at-sotheby-s-maurizio-cattelan-s-gold-toilet-america-sold-for-12-1-million?utm_medium=artprice-news&utm_source=X&utm_campaign=news&utm_content=12173…
Asking Grok for the inspiration and purpose of the artist.
Maurizio Cattelan's "America" (2016) is a fully functional toilet sculpted from solid 18-karat gold, weighing over 100 kilograms. The piece draws direct inspiration from Marcel Duchamp's iconic readymade "Fountain" (1917), but subverts it by restoring the object's practical utility rather than removing it from everyday function—allowing viewers to interact with it intimately as a working fixture in public restrooms during installations.
The title references Franz Kafka's novel "Amerika," evoking themes of the American dream, while also nodding to Donald Trump's well-known affinity for gold-plated bathroom fixtures, adding a layer of political satire.
Cattelan's purpose with the work is multifaceted, serving as a sharp critique of wealth inequality, excess, and the commodification of art. It juxtaposes the toilet's universal, egalitarian function—accessible to all regardless of status—with its extravagant material value, highlighting how art can both democratize and underscore societal divides.
The artist has described it as a commentary on excess wealth, stating in a 2018 interview: “whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise.”
More broadly, it winks at the art market's absurdities while reminding us of shared human physicality, breaking down barriers between artwork and audience through direct, bodily engagement. As Cattelan expert David Galperin notes, it "confronts the most uncomfortable questions about art, and the belief systems held sacred to the institutions of the market and the museum," unraveling a century of art history with humor and conceptual depth.
Asking Grok : America by Cattelan is an edition of 3 plus 2 artist’s proofs. Were they assembled simultaneously ? What did happen to each of them afterwards ?
Grok thought :
"America" by Maurizio Cattelan is declared as an edition of 3 plus 2 artist's proofs, all dated 2016.
However, only two versions have been fabricated to date.
Each was produced at a foundry in Florence, Italy, where it was molded, cast in several parts from 18-karat gold, and then welded together.
While not explicitly stated in sources, given that both extant versions were executed in 2016 and produced at the same foundry, they were likely assembled around the same time, if not simultaneously—though the first one experienced production delays before its installation.
As for what happened to each afterward:
It became part of the museum's permanent collection.
In September 2019, it was loaned to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England, for the exhibition "Victory is Not an Option," but was stolen on September 14, 2019, by thieves who ripped it from the plumbing, causing significant flooding.
The piece has never been recovered and is presumed to have been melted down for its gold value. In June 2025, two men were convicted and sentenced for the theft.
This version is currently being offered for sale at Sotheby's The Now & Contemporary Evening Auction on November 18, 2025, with an estimate available upon request (starting around $10 million based on gold value).
In contemporary art editions like this, additional pieces are often produced only as they are sold or requested.
Pre sale Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Oct 31
Fashioned from just over 100 kilograms of solid 18k gold, ‘America’ has become one of the century’s most influential—and infamous—artworks.
Grok thought :
Quote
Artprice.com @artpricedotcom Nov 22
Record at Sotheby’s: Maurizio Cattelan’s gold toilet “America” sold for $12.1 million @Sothebys #Artmarket #Artprice #ArtpriceNews https://artprice.com/artprice-news/12173/record-at-sotheby-s-maurizio-cattelan-s-gold-toilet-america-sold-for-12-1-million?utm_medium=artprice-news&utm_source=X&utm_campaign=news&utm_content=12173…
- Maurizio Cattelan's "America" (2016), a fully functional 18-karat gold toilet weighing 101.2 kg, fetched $12.1 million at Sotheby's November 18, 2025, auction, exceeding its gold value of approximately $8 million and marking a record for the artist.
- The sculpture, a satirical critique of American excess originally proposed as a White House gift to Donald Trump in 2018, was stolen in 2019 from England's Blenheim Palace and recovered in 2021; this edition's sale underscores sustained demand for provocative conceptual art.
- Acquired by Ripley's Believe It or Not! for public display, the purchase highlights how quirky cultural artifacts can command premium prices in the contemporary art market, where symbolic value often surpasses material worth.
Asking Grok for the inspiration and purpose of the artist.
Maurizio Cattelan's "America" (2016) is a fully functional toilet sculpted from solid 18-karat gold, weighing over 100 kilograms. The piece draws direct inspiration from Marcel Duchamp's iconic readymade "Fountain" (1917), but subverts it by restoring the object's practical utility rather than removing it from everyday function—allowing viewers to interact with it intimately as a working fixture in public restrooms during installations.
The title references Franz Kafka's novel "Amerika," evoking themes of the American dream, while also nodding to Donald Trump's well-known affinity for gold-plated bathroom fixtures, adding a layer of political satire.
Cattelan's purpose with the work is multifaceted, serving as a sharp critique of wealth inequality, excess, and the commodification of art. It juxtaposes the toilet's universal, egalitarian function—accessible to all regardless of status—with its extravagant material value, highlighting how art can both democratize and underscore societal divides.
The artist has described it as a commentary on excess wealth, stating in a 2018 interview: “whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise.”
More broadly, it winks at the art market's absurdities while reminding us of shared human physicality, breaking down barriers between artwork and audience through direct, bodily engagement. As Cattelan expert David Galperin notes, it "confronts the most uncomfortable questions about art, and the belief systems held sacred to the institutions of the market and the museum," unraveling a century of art history with humor and conceptual depth.
Asking Grok : America by Cattelan is an edition of 3 plus 2 artist’s proofs. Were they assembled simultaneously ? What did happen to each of them afterwards ?
Grok thought :
"America" by Maurizio Cattelan is declared as an edition of 3 plus 2 artist's proofs, all dated 2016.
However, only two versions have been fabricated to date.
Each was produced at a foundry in Florence, Italy, where it was molded, cast in several parts from 18-karat gold, and then welded together.
While not explicitly stated in sources, given that both extant versions were executed in 2016 and produced at the same foundry, they were likely assembled around the same time, if not simultaneously—though the first one experienced production delays before its installation.
As for what happened to each afterward:
- First version (likely edition 1/3 or an artist's proof, owned by the Guggenheim):
It became part of the museum's permanent collection.
In September 2019, it was loaned to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England, for the exhibition "Victory is Not an Option," but was stolen on September 14, 2019, by thieves who ripped it from the plumbing, causing significant flooding.
The piece has never been recovered and is presumed to have been melted down for its gold value. In June 2025, two men were convicted and sentenced for the theft.
- Second version (edition 2/3):
This version is currently being offered for sale at Sotheby's The Now & Contemporary Evening Auction on November 18, 2025, with an estimate available upon request (starting around $10 million based on gold value).
- Third edition and two artist's proofs:
In contemporary art editions like this, additional pieces are often produced only as they are sold or requested.
Pre sale Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Oct 31
Fashioned from just over 100 kilograms of solid 18k gold, ‘America’ has become one of the century’s most influential—and infamous—artworks.
- Sotheby's thread announces the auction of Maurizio Cattelan's 2016 sculpture 'America', a functional 101kg 18-karat gold toilet valued as a satirical commentary on excess, with bids opening at its fluctuating gold weight price—approximately $6.5 million as of October 31, 2025—during the November 18 Contemporary Evening Auction in New York.
- For the first time, viewers can experience 'America' privately in a bathroom installation at Sotheby's new Breuer Building headquarters starting November 8, emphasizing its interactive absurdity amid the auction's high-stakes contemporary art scene.
2016 Degenerate Art by Ghenie
2022 SOLD for $ 9.3M by Sotheby's
From 2016 Ghenie revisits his beloved Self portrait as Vincent van Gogh in two series titled Degenerate Art and Lidless Eye.
Degenerate Art refers to the designation of Vincent as a degenerate artist by the Nazis. Lidless eye means watchful or vigilant as with unblinking eyes. It is also a reference to the Dark Lord in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and a reminder of a painful stare in Ghenie's eye.
The figuration follows the style of Francis Bacon, who had reinterpreted in 1960 a self portrait by Vincent. Ghenie blurs the figure in a bright sculptural impasto and distorts it beyond the limits of nausea.
A Degenerate Art painted in 2016 is based on Vincent's 1889 self portrait, kept at the Musée d'Orsay, of which it reuses the complementary colors of the fiery orange hair and the pale-turquoise background.
The source dates back to Ghenie's childhood memories of a magazine article entitled ‘The Tragic Life of Vincent van Gogh’, where the Sunflowers were printed in off-colot and that portrait in black and white.
This oil on canvas 200 x 180 cm was sold for $ 9.3M from a lower estimate of $ 7M by Sotheby's on May 20, 2022, lot 14.
Degenerate Art refers to the designation of Vincent as a degenerate artist by the Nazis. Lidless eye means watchful or vigilant as with unblinking eyes. It is also a reference to the Dark Lord in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and a reminder of a painful stare in Ghenie's eye.
The figuration follows the style of Francis Bacon, who had reinterpreted in 1960 a self portrait by Vincent. Ghenie blurs the figure in a bright sculptural impasto and distorts it beyond the limits of nausea.
A Degenerate Art painted in 2016 is based on Vincent's 1889 self portrait, kept at the Musée d'Orsay, of which it reuses the complementary colors of the fiery orange hair and the pale-turquoise background.
The source dates back to Ghenie's childhood memories of a magazine article entitled ‘The Tragic Life of Vincent van Gogh’, where the Sunflowers were printed in off-colot and that portrait in black and white.
This oil on canvas 200 x 180 cm was sold for $ 9.3M from a lower estimate of $ 7M by Sotheby's on May 20, 2022, lot 14.
2016 LaFerrari Coupe
2016 SOLD for $ 7M by RM Sotheby's
The planet turns green. The FIA cannot ignore this trend and announces for 2009 the authorization of the KERS in Formula 1. McLaren and Ferrari are getting some early success.
The KERS is a system transforming the braking energy into kinetic energy, avoiding a creation of overheating. The engines are designated as hybrids due to the addition of this electrical device to the conventional internal combustion engine, for the first time in the history of competition.
A total synergy still applies at Ferrari between the technologies from Formula One and those of the sports models. The experience of the F60 leads the brand to design the LaFerrari, a berlinetta which is irreversibly changing the high-end car market.
The performances in speed and acceleration of the LaFerrari are comparable to those of the Enzo. With a quarter-mile in less than 10 seconds, it overcomes the Porsche 918 and the Bugatti Veyron. All automakers will necessarily one day adopt the hybrid technologies. The race to the performance is started and no one can really predict how far it will go.
Unveiled in 2013 at the Auto Show in Geneva, the LaFerrari brings Ferrari's return to the top level of road legal berlinettas, a position that had been shaken in the previous years by the successive variants of the Bugatti Veyron.
The LaFerrari has a top speed of 350 Km/h comparable to the Ferrari Enzo and is less rare. 400 Enzo were produced from 2002 to 2004 and 499 LaFerrari from 2013 to 2015. It is indeed the pioneer of the hybrid propulsion for high-end vehicles beside the McLaren P1 and the Porsche 918 Spyder.
Its carefully chosen name indicates to the fans that LaFerrari is a culmination of the brand. It is however only a step. New bodies are being studied. The LaFerrari Aperta with a retractable roof will be officially unveiled this fall at the Paris Auto Show. The FXX-K variant for the track is existing since 2015.
The LaFerrari shared with most of its competitors its marketing strategy as a limited edition sold in advance of the realization, stirring in the secondary market the lust of the candidates who had arrived too late. The availability of such vehicles becomes a highly anticipated event and prices are now far exceeding the original commercial value.
The race to auction is also launched. The production of the LaFerrari was strictly limited to 499 cars, built from 2013 to January 2016. The frustration of the rejected candidates whose number is around 200 and of the latecomers is already blowing up the prices.
A LaFerrari made in 2014 was sold for $ 3.7M by Bonhams on August 19, 2016, lot 95. It was still under factory warranty. It was the first time a LaFerrari was offered at public auction. It was followed the next day by the example below.
On August 20, 2016 Mecum sold for $ 4.7M before fees a LaFerrari made in 2014, lot S110. Entirely black including its interior, it is one of only three LaFerrari painted in a very intense Nero Opaco. Its first owner named it Cavallo Infernale in a metal label at the base of the steering wheel. It is almost new : 340 Km on the odometer.
A LaFerrari unique in its spectacular blu elettrico finish over crema leather was sold for $ 4.1M by RM Sotheby's on January 26, 2023, lot 141. It is now 5,100 km from new. It had been delivered new in 2014 to an outstanding Ferrari collector who brought to auction a 250 GTO for $ 48M at RM Sotheby's in 2018.
By setting the number of LaFerrari coupés at 499, Ferrari obviously anticipated a promotional action. The commercial production was performed from 2013 to 2015 and the 500th LaFerrari was announced in 2016.
2016 was a terrible year for Italy. The 500th coupé is the subject of a dedicated charity auction at Ferrari's initiative to help the Italian state to reconstruct the areas ravaged by the earthquakes. Its first owner will be the only one to enjoy a brand new LaFerrari without having been registered on the list of clients allowed by Ferrari before they launched the production.
The sale was managed by RM Sotheby's on December 3 in Daytona. Here is the link to the press release. The car was sold for $ 7M.
The KERS is a system transforming the braking energy into kinetic energy, avoiding a creation of overheating. The engines are designated as hybrids due to the addition of this electrical device to the conventional internal combustion engine, for the first time in the history of competition.
A total synergy still applies at Ferrari between the technologies from Formula One and those of the sports models. The experience of the F60 leads the brand to design the LaFerrari, a berlinetta which is irreversibly changing the high-end car market.
The performances in speed and acceleration of the LaFerrari are comparable to those of the Enzo. With a quarter-mile in less than 10 seconds, it overcomes the Porsche 918 and the Bugatti Veyron. All automakers will necessarily one day adopt the hybrid technologies. The race to the performance is started and no one can really predict how far it will go.
Unveiled in 2013 at the Auto Show in Geneva, the LaFerrari brings Ferrari's return to the top level of road legal berlinettas, a position that had been shaken in the previous years by the successive variants of the Bugatti Veyron.
The LaFerrari has a top speed of 350 Km/h comparable to the Ferrari Enzo and is less rare. 400 Enzo were produced from 2002 to 2004 and 499 LaFerrari from 2013 to 2015. It is indeed the pioneer of the hybrid propulsion for high-end vehicles beside the McLaren P1 and the Porsche 918 Spyder.
Its carefully chosen name indicates to the fans that LaFerrari is a culmination of the brand. It is however only a step. New bodies are being studied. The LaFerrari Aperta with a retractable roof will be officially unveiled this fall at the Paris Auto Show. The FXX-K variant for the track is existing since 2015.
The LaFerrari shared with most of its competitors its marketing strategy as a limited edition sold in advance of the realization, stirring in the secondary market the lust of the candidates who had arrived too late. The availability of such vehicles becomes a highly anticipated event and prices are now far exceeding the original commercial value.
The race to auction is also launched. The production of the LaFerrari was strictly limited to 499 cars, built from 2013 to January 2016. The frustration of the rejected candidates whose number is around 200 and of the latecomers is already blowing up the prices.
A LaFerrari made in 2014 was sold for $ 3.7M by Bonhams on August 19, 2016, lot 95. It was still under factory warranty. It was the first time a LaFerrari was offered at public auction. It was followed the next day by the example below.
On August 20, 2016 Mecum sold for $ 4.7M before fees a LaFerrari made in 2014, lot S110. Entirely black including its interior, it is one of only three LaFerrari painted in a very intense Nero Opaco. Its first owner named it Cavallo Infernale in a metal label at the base of the steering wheel. It is almost new : 340 Km on the odometer.
A LaFerrari unique in its spectacular blu elettrico finish over crema leather was sold for $ 4.1M by RM Sotheby's on January 26, 2023, lot 141. It is now 5,100 km from new. It had been delivered new in 2014 to an outstanding Ferrari collector who brought to auction a 250 GTO for $ 48M at RM Sotheby's in 2018.
By setting the number of LaFerrari coupés at 499, Ferrari obviously anticipated a promotional action. The commercial production was performed from 2013 to 2015 and the 500th LaFerrari was announced in 2016.
2016 was a terrible year for Italy. The 500th coupé is the subject of a dedicated charity auction at Ferrari's initiative to help the Italian state to reconstruct the areas ravaged by the earthquakes. Its first owner will be the only one to enjoy a brand new LaFerrari without having been registered on the list of clients allowed by Ferrari before they launched the production.
The sale was managed by RM Sotheby's on December 3 in Daytona. Here is the link to the press release. The car was sold for $ 7M.
