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Piece unique IWC Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth to go under the hammer for charity

IWC is one of the main sponsors of David de Rothschild's Plastiki expedition, a trip across the Pacific on a boat made from plastic bottles to raise awareness of ocean pollution. click here   to read more about the expedition. 

A piece unique Adventure Ecology Ingenieur, named after de Rothschild's environmental group, cased in platinum will be auctioned on www.theplastiki.com to raise funds for the cause. Bidding starts at EUR30,000.

As many of you would know IWC auctions a watch (or two) each year for a good cause, in the past it has been vintage Mark XI while earlier this year it was a platinum piece unique Big Pilot St Exupery. The hammer prices for these watches have always been commendable, the Big Pilot achieved CHF50,000 in May this year, and I expect this Ingenieur will too.

- SJX 

Online auction: IWC Schaffhausen’s unique Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition “Adventure Ecology” in platinum to go under the hammer

Schaffhausen, July 2010 – As a fitting close to Adventure Ecology’s four-month Plastiki expedition, official partner IWC Schaffhausen is putting a unique timepiece up for auction on the internet. To coincide with Plastiki’s expected arrival in Sydney in late July 2010, watch devotees all over the world are invited to place their virtual bids at www.theplastiki.com . This unique platinum version of the Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition “Adventure Ecology” is the flagship of the limited edition. Expedition leader and Adventure Ecology founder David de Rothschild and the Plastiki crew have been wearing the stainless steel model for the duration of their adventurous voyage from San Francisco to Sydney. IWC will be donating the entire proceeds from the auction to Adventure Ecology’s Foundation “Sculpt the Future”. All funds will benefit the Plastiki’s on-going legacy, one project being “The Plastiki Pod.”

The Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition “Adventure Ecology” is the expedition watch par excellence and, it seems, was almost predestined to accompany British environmentalist and adventurer David de Rothschild and his crew on their momentous voyage. The “Plastiki”, a purpose-built, 18-metre-long catamaran made almost entirely of reclaimed plastic bottles is sailing around 10,000 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco towards Sydney. It was an ideal opportunity to put the Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition “Adventure Ecology” through its paces, and it emerged with flying colours. The rugged case, water-resistant to 12 bar features protective shoulders for the crown and provides a safe, reliable housing for the IWC-manufactured 80110 calibre. The movement is also shielded against magnetic fields by a soft-iron inner case and protected against impacts by a sophisticated shock absorption system. As official partner of the Plastiki expedition, IWC created the exclusive watch design with its blue dial and orange coloured indices together with an engraving on the back covering featuring the expedition logo. The watch is secured by a vibrant blue rubber strap.

Going once, going twice…

The auction for the unique timepiece in platinum opens on the expedition website, www.theplastiki.com , on 23 July 2010, shortly before the Plastiki’s expected arrival in Sydney at the end of July. The reserve for the Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition “Adventure Ecology” is 30,000 euros. Bids are possible in increments of 100 to 400 euros, and the hammer comes down finally on 7 August 2010 between 4 and 6 p.m. CET.

The auction is IWC Schaffhausen’s tribute to Adventure Ecology and David’s personal mission to use the daring Plastiki expedition as a means of drawing attention to the devastating consequences of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans and of bringing about a reversal in thinking that will enable people to see “rubbish” as a valuable resource. The Plastiki, with her solar panels, wind turbines and bicycle-powered generators is a spectacular embodiment of David de Rothschild’s vision of a future in which everything is possible as long as we are prepared to get off the beaten path, redefine and rethink boundaries.

One man who is seriously impressed by the audacity of the project is Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen: “David de Rothschild deserves all our respect and support for his inspiring ideas. We are delighted that we are on board with him on this spectacular adventure and able to make some contribution towards heightening awareness of the results of our human foot print.”

As a carbon-neutral company, IWC Schaffhausen has made active climate protection and ecological responsibility part of its corporate philosophy. For this reason, the company is donating the entire proceeds from the auction to Adventure Ecology’s Foundation “Sculpt the Future”, where proceeds will benefit the Plastiki’s on-going legacy – one project being the “The Plastiki Pod”. In the course of her voyage across the Pacific, one of the Plastiki’s ports of call was Christmas Island (the Kiritimati atoll), where the crew observed the challenges the islanders had with regards to waste management. As an example, street vendors sell hundred of ice lollies daily – or popsicles as they are known in the U.S. – to schoolchildren. The heat-insulated plastic wrappers are whisked away by the wind and pollute both the island and surrounding ocean – proving to be a serious ecological issue for the island. “The Plastiki Pod” will present the islanders with a variety of equipment; reusable moulds that will enable them to make the lollies and hand them out to children without a wrapper, teaching materials, books, computer equipment, waste collection equipment and gardening tools along with other much needed goods.

With the proceeds raised from the auction of the Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition “Adventure Ecology”, IWC will be helping to support the Plastiki’s on-going mission to beat waste. About “Sculpt the Future” Foundation The “Sculpt the Future” Foundation is a UK registered charity to promote positive environmental change towards global sustainability by supporting creative, innovative and sustainable action. The Foundation recognizes that a little money can go a long way with youth driven, grass roots organizations and small initiatives whose biggest assets – passion and commitment – come free of charge.

www.sculptthefuturefoundation.org

Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth

Edition “Adventure Ecology”

Ref. IW323606

Features

Auction edition in platinum, IWC-manufactured 80110 calibre with Pellaton winding, protection against magnetic fields, central seconds, date display with rapid adjustment and special back engraving, unique piece

Movement

Calibre 80110

Beats 28,800/h

Jewels 28

Power reserve 44 h

Winding automatic

Case

Materials watch in platinum with blue rubber strap, platinum pin buckle

Glass sapphire, antireflective

Crown screw-in

Water-resistant 12 bar

Diameter 46mm

Height 15mm