About Sotheby’s

A diamond photography solution that reinforces business mobility

We loved how compact it is, a perfect companion for business on the go!

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s largest, most trusted, and dynamic marketplace for arts, jewelry, and other luxury collectibles. It is known for its forward-thinking spirit of innovation and a towering reputation based on trust and authenticity. Sotheby’s legendary contribution to the industry is marked by its unmatched network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 44 departments including jewelry, watches, Chinese works of art, and contemporary art, among many others. They also host 600 auctions annually comprising cross-category selections; thus, cementing their position as the indomitable force that empowers collectors and art connoisseurs worldwide.

The Challenge:

With over 600 auctions annually, the challenge besetting Sotheby’s is evident at the beginning—visuals.

Art, which includes jewelry, is a visual experience that can only be best communicated through clear, visual language. While Sotheby’s holds annual auctions in both physical and digital shopping spaces, the pressure to produce and present compelling visual experiences has never been higher than the present time when the industry went virtual in the face of crisis.

How can we accompany Sotheby’s as they strive to maintain their position in physical and digital shopping spaces amidst the global rise in virtual exhibits?

The Insights:

Sotheby’s need and usage for visual assets are very straightforward—they need clear and compelling images and videos for their clients via WhatsApp, WeChat, and other social messaging platforms, and more importantly, for valuations and proposals.

Prior to the introduction of the GemLightbox Macro, Sotheby’s production process followed a traditional approach where they would employ a neutral form to provide their subjects with a neutral background before capturing them with their smartphone cameras or DSLRs.

While the process description was conventional, it was a significant insight into their work environment. With auctions being done left, right, and center, Sotheby’s has not only a digital presence to maintain, but more so, business mobility to support, and with all this movement, the company needs a photography solution that could keep up with all the actions.

SIMPLICITY

Indeed, we take pride in streamlining photography workflow as it is the core of our innovative design process. The GemLightbox Macro is the perfect on-the-go photography solution as it is compact; thereby, making it easy to carry wherever your next travel destination would be.

Despite its size, Macro still has the features that a reputable company would look for in a photography solution. It has a reflector cover with a built-in macro lens allowing Sotheby’s to capture visually appealing diamond videos and images with 10x magnification. This ability to capture tiny subject details is a winning factor, especially for companies that shift to virtual exhibits. With magnified loose diamond images and videos as well as interactive features like the Share a Link app update, virtual exhibits have the advantage of mimicking in-store shopping experiences. The interactivity also aligns with Sotheby’s power to empower because the Share a Link feature allows them to send images and videos to collectors and connoisseurs who can interact with the videos through their screen; thereby, helping them make an informed purchase decision.

See How Sotheby’s Used the GemLightbox Macro

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