S otheby’s is delighted to renew its collaboration with the prestigious watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen, and to present a stunning unique wristwatch at auction, to benefit the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation.
The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition, “Antoine de Saint Exupéry” Unique Piece (Ref. IW502709) will be offered during the sale of Important Watches in Geneva on 13 November. This beautiful piece in white gold features an elegant tobacco-brown dial – inspired by Saint-Exupéry’s flight suit – and its rotor takes the form of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning plane – the model of airplane which Antoine de Saint-Exupéry piloted on his last flight, a fateful reconnaissance mission in 1944. This Unique Piece embodies the spirit of the famous pilot and beloved author of “The Little Prince”.
IWC Schaffhausen will donate their full proceeds from the sale to the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 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.
The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch with Annual Calendar, dubbed the “Antoine de Saint-Exupéry” is realised in white 18-carat gold and is entirely unique. Its design commemorates the French author and aviator with the letter “A.” for Antoine on the dial.
Going back to the early days of aviation, the’ Big Crown’ of the Pilot’s watch was created for pilots who had to face the worst of the elements in open or unheated cockpits. The oversized crown made it possible for pilots to set and wind their watch even while wearing a padded flight suit and thick gloves.
