Object X

A ceiling painting by Caravaggio along with murals by Guercino in the same villa in the center of Rome, two 17th-century painters where Caravaggio was partly the inspiration for Guercino. This is what makes Villa Aurora, currently considered the most expensive residential building in the world, with a value of 470 million euros. Ignace Meuwissen is presently negotiating with several new potential owners of the villa. "Whoever buys this, buys history," he says. And today, Meuwissen takes you on a unique tour of Villa Aurora's history.

As a luxury real estate specialist, Ignace Meuwissen frequently comes into contact with various forms of investment by wealthy families. One of the favorite forms of this diversification is investment in art. Today, Ignace meets artist Arne Quinze, who's placed one of his large metal lupins on the grounds of Ooigem Castle. Quinze is a highly sought-after artist. In the video, he explains that he uses his hands to direct the crane operator who works the aluminum. "It's the symbiosis between my hands and the crane operator that makes the art," says Quinze, whose lupins also end up in the domains of Belgium's wealthiest.

Last year, Limburg entrepreneur Dirk Ceyssens surprised the real estate market on the Côte d'Azur. Barely three months after he put his high-end villa in Cavalaire-sur-mer near Saint-Tropez on the market, it found a buyer. The asking price was 8.5 million euros and it was sold after being brokered by Ignace Meuwissen, a luxury real estate specialist. In this episode of Object X, we take you back to Cavalaire-sur-mer and Saint-Tropez.

Their names are Benoît and Maxime Brizzi and Clément Cattalano. They're three young entrepreneurs who founded their real estate agency in Monaco. All three are convinced that to be a real estate specialist, you've to be anchored in Monaco to be successful in business there. To master the finer points of the craft, they turn to Ignace Meuwissen, a luxury real estate specialist with worldwide experience. Join the young entrepreneurs in one of the smallest, but equally richest and most expensive countries in the world. We also meet Limburg designer Piet Stockmans, who successfully designed the exclusive porcelain service for French celebrity chef Alain Ducasse in Monaco.

Today, Meuwissen takes you to Isola Santa Cristina. An island inaccessible to the regular tourist, hidden in the Venetian lagoon. An unknown gem bathed in the natural opulence of vineyards, orchards and fish ponds, owned by the renowned Swarovski family of jewelry.

Meuwissen introduces you to a unique Flemish pearl in the South of France: Marc Verstraete and the hybrid organic wine village Castigno.

Meuwissen takes you to a beautiful 19th century domain. Located 20 minutes from Antwerp on the border between Belgium and the Netherlands in the province of Antwerp.

The most extravagant and most secure villa in the Netherlands is located in Laren. Together with the neighboring municipality of Blaricum, Laren is the home municipality of the richest Dutch people in the Gooi region. In this episode of Object X, real estate specialist Meuwissen introduces you to one of the most exclusive villas in the Benelux.

In this fifth episode of the mini-series Object X you will get to know Ignace Meuwissen and his surprising view on luxury real estate.