Founded in 1978, the Hôtel des Ventes de Genève quickly established itself on the Swiss and international art markets. Following its acquisition in 2006 by Bernard Piguet, the house gained further prominence and was renamed Piguet Hôtel des Ventes in 2016.
Through four to five auctions each year, nearly 15,000 works and art objects—ranging in value from CHF 300 to CHF 1 million—are sold. Strategically located in the heart of Geneva, an international hub for art and finance, Piguet’s rigorous organisation and the high quality of its sales have earned it a leading position on the global stage across numerous specialties. This attracts buyers from around the world and ensures sellers achieve the best possible results. Across Switzerland, Piguet also organises prestigious house sales (in situ auctions).
Supported by a strong team of over 30 professionals, the house draws on the expertise and energy of its specialists and external consultants. Discreet and meticulous, they provide personalized advice tailored to your situation, offering a service of the highest quality.
Piguet has also developed several additional services, notably an Inventory Department that appraises and documents items without any obligation to sell. This includes illustrated and valued lists for insurance revaluations, estates, relocations, and more. In the context of estates, Piguet supports heirs with expert guidance and swiftly implements comprehensive solutions adapted to each situation to facilitate practical matters.
BERNARD PIGUET
With dual training in Art History (Manchester University) and Economics (HEC Lausanne), Bernard Piguet acquired the Hôtel des Ventes in 2006, building on the expertise firm he had founded a few years earlier. He undertook a complete restructuring of the auction house, which was later named after him in 2016.
The grandson of a banker, immersed in the art world from childhood and related to the famed couturier Robert Piguet, Bernard gained significant experience at Sotheby’s, serving as Administrator of the High Jewellery Department and Head of Sales in Geneva.
Today, together with his wife and a team of over 35 staff, Bernard Piguet serves as Director and Auctioneer of an international company with annual turnover exceeding CHF 25 million.
CLAIRE PIGUET
After studying literature at La Sorbonne, Paris, and beginning her career in French language teaching, Claire Piguet joined the auction house acquired by her husband in 2006.
She is Director, Auctioneer, and General Specialist responsible for external inventories, as well as overseeing Human Resources. Building on her academic background, she has developed expertise in bibliophilia over nearly twenty years and heads the Books and Manuscripts Department. A music enthusiast and cellist, she also manages the Music Department.
Claire Piguet has achieved several world records, including the sale of Cocteau drawings from the Serge Lifar Collection and the correspondence of the last three Tsars of Russia.