Sex and the City

1. Christie's Auction House

New York, NY

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Christie's is known around the world as the "it" destination for high-end auctions, mainly for art and other collectibles. In Sex and the City, Samantha bids for an ornate flower ring made of diamonds. She loses to a higher bidder, but...well, you know what happens and if you don't, you'll just have to see the movie. Christie's was founded in London in 1766 by James Christie, an Australian auctioneer. It quickly became global, with other Christie's auction houses and offices appearing in Los Angeles, Houston, Paris, Geneva, Amsterdam, Moscow, China, Bangkok, Tel Aviv, and Dubai. Christie's also conducts treaty sales. In treaty sales, the seller sets a price, and potential buyers negotiate with the seller until a mutually agreeable number is reached. Unlike in auctions, potential buyers do not know how much competitors are willing to pay. Auctions may be more theatrical and entertaining, but treaty sales are more profitable for the auction house. In 2000, there was a price-fixing scandal between Christie's and Sotheby's auction house. After allegations surfaced, Christie's executives reported the accusations to the Department of Justice. Luckily for Christie's, a long-time employee confessed and cooperated with the FBI, thereby saving other Christie's staff from jail time. However, Sotheby's employees received jail time. Both Christie's and Sotheby's had to pay a $512 million fine.