In the most unusual manner, the majority of the contents of the superyacht Sarafsa, now renamed Pure, were sold recently at an auction for around €300,000 (~ $330,000). Originally owned by Prince Fahad Bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia, the 82-meter luxury vessel was seized in 2022 over unpaid loans and interest amounting to $78 million that was owed to Credit Suisse Group AG. After being on the market for a year, the Devonport yacht was sold last month to billionaire Olivier Leclercq, son of Decathlon founder Michel Leclercq, who reportedly paid $65 million for the vessel. Soon after, the superyacht’s name was changed from Sarafsa to Pure and she was taken to Genova in Italy to undergo a $50 million refit, which will be managed by JMS Yachting.
The yacht’s new owner has ordered a comprehensive transformation of the vessel’s interior as well as exterior in order to “bring her back to her former glory and some more,” according to Boat International. To prepare the superyacht for refit, which includes extending the length by 7 meters, the interior contents of the vessel were cleared out, which is a usual part of the process. However, most of the items taken out from the luxury superyacht were immediately put up for sale with French auction house Pichon & Noudel-Deniau, which came as a surprise to many.
Everything from a mahogany grand piano to the silver mounting salt and pepper shakers taken out from the superyacht was put up for auction, with prices ranging from €50 (~ $55) to €11,500 (~ $12,700). What’s shocking is that most of those articles are believed to be a lot more valuable than what their corresponding asking prices may suggest. Without any surprises, all 525 lots on offer with the Cannes-based auction house were snapped up by buyers in no time.
Collectively, all the items could be worth at least a few million dollars, if not more; however, they ended up fetching only $330,000. It’s puzzling why the contents were sold so hastily in what could only be perceived as a fire sale, earning ten cents on a dollar.
Amongst the items sold at the auction was a Regency-era clock from Franz Hermle that fetched around $330, a blackened wood and red tortoiseshell cabinet in the style of Napolean III that sold for about $600, and a lacquered dial with mechanical arms that went for slightly less than $1800. The opulent interior of Sarafsa might look a little dated, which is understandable considering the vessel was built in 2008; however, it still looks special.
The classically beautiful interior with its luxe Mediterranean influences was penned by Winch Design. From its traditional marquetry panels to its intricate carpets and old televisions, the vessel’s interior was like a time capsule. All of it has now been cleared to make way for modern items and amenities that will transform the superyacht into an avant-garde floating mansion.
