The paddle is collected before the sale, on presentation of photo ID and proof of address; Christie's recommends registering at least 24 hours before the session. At Christie's, registration goes through a My Christie's account on christies.com or through the sale office, with a payment method on file: a paddle number is then issued. For the Magnificent Jewels sale on November 10, 2026 in Geneva, no paid ticket is required: this free registration alone opens the saleroom, though a financial guarantee or deposit may be required for lots of very high value, with amounts published alongside the catalogue. The same logic applies at Sotheby's: for the Modernités evening sale on October 23, 2026 in Paris, bidders register on sothebys.com. Three rules to know before raising your paddle. Any winning lot is invoiced to the name and address under which the paddle was registered, with no transfer to another name possible. Once placed, a bid can no longer be canceled. Finally, bidding generally opens below the low estimate and moves up in increments of up to 10 percent, at the auctioneer's discretion.