Francois Curiel, Chairman of Christie’s for Europe holds a gem-set Bowenite Magot by Faberge, also know a the “Onassis Buddha” during a preview at Christie’s auction house in Geneva May 9, 2008.

The finely carved figure, with articulated hands, head and ruby tongue, was bought by Aristotle Onassis in the early 1960’s and kept on the “Christina” yacht.

It may fetch $ 500,000-$700,000 during an auction sale in London on 11 June. Via Daylife

Update - Price realized: £1,273,250 ($2,487,929)

A Claude Monet painting of a bridge with two trains passing over the Seine while pleasure boats float below was auctioned Tuesday for more than $41 million, breaking the auction record for the French impressionist artist.

“Le Pont du chemin de fer a Argenteuil” was sold at Christie’s impressionist and modern art sale for $41,481,000, said Rik Pike, a spokesman for the auction house.

The previous record for a Monet painting was $36.5 million for his 1904 “Nympheas,” which was sold last year.

An antique necklace made up of 1,888 pearls that once belonged to the Arab world’s most famous singer was sold Tuesday for more than $1,385,000 at an auction in this rich Gulf emirate, organizers said.

Christie’s Dubai branch said an anonymous buyer from the Middle East bought the nine-strand necklace that belonged to Umm Kulthoum for more than 10 times the price expected by Christie’s [...]

The necklace was one of the few valuables the Egyptian-born singer kept. The diva’s descendants had offered the necklace for sale.

Featured above is a 206.82 carat sapphire pendant encrusted with diamonds to be auctioned at Sotheby’s auction house in Geneva, London.

Designed by jeweller Cartier in 1951, the pendant formely was a part of collection of Britain’s Wallis, Duchess of Windsor.

It is anticipated to fetch $1.1-1.5 million (Euros 6,97,000-9,50,000) on 15 May.

A Ron Arad sofa may fetch up to 80,000 pounds ($159,000) at a London sale this week that aims to tap demand for “design art.”

The steel work looks amazing — just don’t sit in it. “If you’re sitting on a polished metal sofa with rivets on your jeans you have to be careful,” said Ben Williams, a design specialist at Phillips de Pury .

“Sitting on these pieces tends to be reserved for special occasions. They’re usually just looked at as a sculptural element in the room.” [...]

A model poses with a tiara bearing a 101.27-carat shield-shaped diamond during a preview by the Christie’s auction house in Hong Kong on April 22, 2008.

The tiara has an estimated value of 6-7.5 million USD) and will be auctioned at the company’s spring sale of jewels on May 28. Via AFP / USAtoday.