S otheby’s has joined with IWC Schaffhausen to present the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch, worn by Bradley Cooper to the 2019 Oscars®, to be auctioned in aid of the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation in the IWC ICON sale, open for bidding until 4pm on the 4 March.
For Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince, poetry and technology, writing and flying were two sides of the same coin and this special edition watch brings these two worlds together.
The Big Pilot's Watch is one of IWC's most iconic timepieces. The history of Pilots' Watches harkens back to the early days of aviation when pilots needed reliable instruments to carry out celestial navigation in the cockpit. The iconic instrument design is a reminder of that era. The case, case back, and conical crown of this special watch are made from 18-carat 5N gold. Inside the case, a soft-iron inner case protects the IWC-manufactured 51111 calibre movement against magnetic fields. Within no time at all, the spring-mounted rotor and Pellaton pawl-winding system build up a power reserve of seven days. A display at "3 o'clock" provides an indication of the time remaining until the movement comes to a stop. The watch also has a date display at "6 o'clock" and a central seconds hand.
Further, adorning the movement and represented in solid red gold, The Little Prince himself may be seen staring in amazement at the sky. The highlight of this exclusive timepiece can also be found on the case back, which has an engraving of an iconic quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's famous novel "The Little Prince" — "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly." It builds a bridge to a good cause that is supported by this auction.
IWC Schaffhausen will donate its full proceeds from the sale to benefit the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation, helping it to support the Association Arrimage. Among numerous projects, this institution conducts pioneering art and educational workshops allowing visually impaired children to have access for the very first time to the original illustrations of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry‘s “The Little Prince” by teaching them how to read drawings through the sense of touch.
IWC ICON: to benefit the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation sale is open for bidding until 4pm on the 4 March.
