It isn’t every day that IWC creates a piece unique timepiece for Australia, but when it’s for such a charitable cause, the Schaffhausen-based brand couldn’t help but get involved. In partnership with luxury retailer Kennedy and their ambassador Dustin Martin, IWC has created a 1-of-1 pilot’s watch, which is set to be sold at auction to raise much-needed funds for the Australian Childhood Foundation.
In a colourway that is perfect for any die-hard Tigers fan who also happens to love watches, the IWC Big Pilot has been executed in the yellow and black of the Richmond football club. Featuring a 48mm black ceramic case, it isn’t a small watch, but hey, surely you weren’t expecting a big pilot to be petite?
The expansive black case pairs nicely with a matte black dial, contrasted crisply by the luminous yellow paint found across the hands, hour markers and dial text. You’ll spot the symmetrically placed date window at the 6 o’clock position, while the tiny hand at 3 o’clock indicates how much power reserve you have left in the watch.
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You’d probably expect a timepiece with this much wrist presence to be matched equally by it’s impressive movement specifications, and you’d be right. Boasting a remarkable 7-day power reserve (168 hours), the 51111 Calibre features IWC’s proprietary Pellaton automatic winding mechanism and a soft-iron inner case to prevent the movement from being magnetised.
The unique Big Pilot also features a titanium caseback with a special engraving, which nods to the link with Kennedy and Dustin Martin. Arriving on an embossed calfskin strap, the watch will be on display at Kennedy’s IWC Boutique on Collins Street for the duration of the online auction.
“The Australian Childhood Foundation is a leader in advocacy for children who have experienced or are experiencing the trauma of violence and abuse. As a community, they need our help,” said Kennedy Executive Chairman James Kennedy in a statement.
“Thanks to the generous contributions like that of the Kennedy + Martin campaign, we are able to ensure that children who need us can access the very special support they require in order to begin healing,” Australian Childhood Foundation’s CEO Dr Joe Tucci explained.
So if you’re a member of the Tiger Army (or just as massive Dustin Martin fan) and you’ve been considering adding a special timepiece to your collection, this IWC really could be the perfect watch for you. If you’re keen to place a bid, the online auction will run until the 8th of December at 8.30 pm AEST, with the minimum reserve set for $20,000. You can register to bid over at the Kennedy site right now.
