Swiss luxury watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen, global charity Laureus Sport for Good and international auction house Bonhams are collaborating for a unique online auction in which a watch worn by seven-time Formula One world champion, Lewis Hamilton is up for bidding.
Lewis wore the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team on the podium when celebrating his ninth British Grand Prix win earlier this year.
Also up for auction along with this special chronograph are the original and signed racing gloves the British driver wore during the race.
Bidding started online on October 7 at Bonhams and will end on October 19, during the annual Laureus Charity Night fundraising event in Zurich, Switzerland.
All proceeds from the auction will go to Laureus Sport for Good and its sport programmes for young people.
The organisation uses sport as a powerful tool to help children and young people overcome violence, discrimination and disadvantage in their lives.
With numerous social sport programmes all over the world, the foundation has a positive impact on the lives of tens of thousands of youths.
IWC Schaffhausen has been a global partner of Laureus Sport for Good since 2005. The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer also supports the Laureus Foundation Switzerland by participating in their annual Laureus Charity Night.
Every year, IWC donates a unique timepiece for auction at the fundraising event. This year, for the first time, the auction will be run online in collaboration with Bonhams. All proceeds will go to the Laureus Foundation and its social sport programmes.
“Each year, we look forward to participating in the Laureus Charity Night, which is one of the foundation’s most important fundraisers,” said Franziska Gsell, Chief Marketing Officer at IWC Schaffhausen.
“This time around, it will be particularly special, as we are auctioning the watch Lewis Hamilton wore during one of the most emotional and memorable moments of the season.
“By making the auction accessible globally online, we are ensuring that even more interested bidders will have the chance to participate.”
Lewis’ triumph at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone was even more significant as it marked his first win in two seasons.
When the seven-time Formula OneTM World Champion held up the trophy on the podium, he was overwhelmed with emotion. He later expressed his gratitude through social media, saying: “It has been 945 days since the last win and it has finally come at home.
“Silverstone, I love you. There’s no crowd that deserves this more. This is love, this is family. Thank you all for the love and support.”
The Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team features a case and case back ring made of Ceratanium.
Developed by IWC Schaffhausen, this high-performance material combines the lightness and structural integrity of titanium with a hardness and scratch resistance similar to that of ceramic.
The black ceramic bezel with a tachymeter scale lets the wearer determine the average speed over a reference distance of 1,000 metres. With its elaborate lacquer finish, the black dial radiates tremendous visual depth.
The hands, indices and numerals are filled with Super-LumiNova, ensuring excellent readability at night. The watch is powered by the IWC- manufactured 69385 calibre, which is visible through the tinted sapphire glass case back. The mechanical chronograph movement has been engineered with a focus on robustness, precision and reliability.
In addition to the watch, the auction lot also contains the original racing gloves that Lewis Hamilton wore in the cockpit of his Mercedes-AMG F1 W15 E PERFORMANCE during this year’s memorable race at Silverstone.
Signed by the champion himself, the gloves were donated by the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team.
The final bidding will take place live during the Laureus Charity Night. The online auction can be accessed via the following link: https://www.bonhams.com/auction/31115/laureus-x- iwc-schaffhausen-charity-auction/.
For more information, please visit www.iwc.com.