Art dealer David Kordansky crisscrosses his wristwatch nervously. It was exactly 45 minutes on the opening day of the Frieze Art Fair and the booth, with big abstract paintings pass across with neon light tubes via Mary Weatherford, was typically empty.

“I am expecting those personalities these paintings are meant for to appear,” Kordansky said that on Tuesday, beating his timepiece. “are there any lines outside?”

Kordansky as originator didn’t need to be concerned. Neither the 15-minute line snaking during the course of the fair’s Regent’s Park location nor the tossing stock markets could prevent the international jet set from attending at the annual art shopping spree in London. The exhibited five paintings by Weatherford sold on the VIP opening, with prices between $120,000 to $220,000.

Billionaire Eli Broad, jeweller Laurence Graff, heiress Nicky Hilton Rothschild and actor Benedict Cumberbatch joined the multitudes of reputable and wannabe collectors of art who descended on Frieze and its nearby sister fair, Frieze Masters, with this crunchy October day. The fair was supposed to be the first real test in the art market ever since auction houses sold $2.7 billion worth of art in New York in May, this year, and following the stock market collapse in August and September those distraught global investors.

Broad, who piloted the aisles in a wheelchair due to back surgery, said he was alert about the real estate markets and upbeat as regards the art market.

“Russian’s economy is in trouble. Brazil is turmoil. Commodities are in distress” Broad, who just opened his $140 million private museum in Los Angeles recently, said in an interview. “The art market is very strong and competitive. You will think there isn’t any troubles from anywhere around the globe.”

Commissioned in the year 2003, Frieze has risen to be one of the world’s foremost art fairs, challenging Art Basel and increasing geographically using a Frieze New York edition in May. The show is now among London’s major art week of the year.

Junzi Fine Art was founded in 2012 by Joseph Manqueros, international gallerist & Serina Manqueros Chief Curator & Asian art specialist; with the purpose of building a cultural bridge within the global art community between art, institutions & communities.