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The Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Antoine de Saint Exupéry in platinum to be sold at auction at Sotheby’s.

Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen has commissioned Sotheby’s to sell a unique and precious timepiece at auction, with the proceeds of the sale to be donated to charity: the only existing platinum version of the Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Antoine de Saint Exupéry will be sold together with a special edition of the Saint Exupéry biography “L’archange et l’écrivain”.

The proceeds will be donated to the French organisation “Enfants du Monde/Droits de l’Homme” (EMDH), which works worldwide to protect children and their rights.

On 9 May 2010 at Sotheby’s “Important Watches” auction in Geneva, an IWC Schaffhausen watch will be sold of which only one exists in the world: the Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Antoine de Saint Exupéry in platinum. This icon of Swiss-manufactured aviator watches is highly distinctive both in terms of looks and functionality. Its sporty elegance features a high-calibre platinum watch case, tobacco brown dial and a special back engraving depicting Saint Exupéry as a military pilot. Its classic functionality and superior mechanical properties also set this watch apart. The IWC-manufactured 51111 calibre with automatic Pellaton winding, 7-day power reserve, power reserve display, Breguet spring and date display make this novel timepiece one of the best in its class, a fact reflected in its reserve price. The auction will open on 9 May in Geneva at the Hotel Beau Rivage, and the Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Antoine de Saint Exupéry in platinum will be auctioned together with a special edition of the Saint Exupéry biography “L’archange et l’écrivain” by Nathalie Des Vallières at a reserve price of CHF 50,000. The entire proceeds from the auction of this timepiece will be donated by IWC Schaffhausen to the French organisation “Enfants du Monde/Droits de l’Homme” (EMDH), which works worldwide to protect children and their rights. In particular, IWC supports projects in Madagascar, where EMDH has been working together with local partners since 1994 to help disadvantaged children.

Homage to Antoine de Saint Exupéry

The fourth special edition pilot’s watch commemorating Antoine de Saint Exupéry completes the collection of exclusive timepieces designed by IWC to honour this renowned aviator and humanist. While the earlier special edition watches in this collection all focused on a selected literary work with flying as their theme, this edition is dedicated to author’s entire literary oeuvre. Saint Exupéry was born on 29 June 1900 in Lyon and disappeared at age forty-four during a reconnaissance flight over southern France when his plane was shot down and crashed into the sea. IWC CEO Georges Kern is greatly looking forward to the auction: “This reverence of Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s life’s work in true aviator spirit is the crowning event in our four-part homage. The person who ultimately owns this prestigious timepiece will not only enjoy the distinction it embodies but also, through its purchase, can improve the developmental opportunities for needy children in Madagascar.”

IWC and Antoine de Saint Exupéry

IWC Schaffhausen, the Swiss watch manufacturer, founded a partnership with Société Civile pour l’OEuvre et la Mémoire d’Antoine de Saint Exupéry Perfect landing for a unique timepiece: The exclusive Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Antoine de Saint Exupéry in platinum, by IWC Schaffhausen, on auction at Sotheby’s in Geneva in 2005, and since then the two organisations have launched a number of joint projects. The series of IWC special edition watches honouring Antoine de Saint Exupéry was launched in 2006 with the Pilot’s Watch Chrono-Automatic. In 2007, the Pilot’s Watch Automatic followed, and in 2008 the series continued with the Pilot’s Watch UTC. How the proceeds from the auction are used is decided in cooperation with the Société Civile pour l’OEuvre et la Mémoire d’Antoine de Saint Exupéry, which ensures that the donation reflects values held dear by Saint Exupéry.

A brighter future thanks to EMDH

The proceeds from the auction of this timepiece will be donated to the French organisation “Enfants du Monde/Droits de l’Homme” (EMDH), which is committed to protecting children and their rights worldwide. Since it was founded more than 20 years ago, EMDH has worked tirelessly in many countries to see the provisions and principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child put into practice. IWC will donate the proceeds from this sale to aid developmental opportunities for disadvantaged children on the African island of Madagascar. 70 percent of the people living there exist below the poverty level – more than half of all families and children cannot afford medical treatment either from a doctor or hospital. “Enfants du Monde/Droits de l’Homme” focusses its activities on this African island in the areas of education, health care and social welfare projects aimed to prevent child labour and exploitation, and it also places increased attention on education and medical care.