Sothebys : Unique IWC Watch to be Worn by Bradley Cooper at the Oscars®

London | [phone] | Marie-Béatrice Morin |[e-mail]

New York | Adrienne DeGisi / Darrell Rocha |[e-mail] |[e-mail] Switzerland | Catherine Allen |[e-mail] | Hong Kong | Vania Lam |[e-mail]

UNIQUE IWC WATCH TO BE WORN BY BRADLEY COOPER AT THE OSCARS®

To Star in Exclusive Sotheby's Charity Auction

Proceeds to benefit the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation

Sale open for bidding, 22 February - 4 March 2019

22 February 2019 - This Sunday, whilst attending the 91st Academy Awards ceremony, American Actor and Director Bradley Cooper will wear a unique IWC Big Pilot's Watch with a special engraving. The watch on the wrist of the IWC brand ambassador will be offered by Sotheby's in an exclusive online auction, open for bidding from today until 4 March. A personal letter from Bradley Cooper to the new owner will accompany the watch. IWC will donate its full proceeds to the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation. These proceeds will be used by the foundation to support Arrimage, a charitable organization that focuses on teaching visually impaired children how to read drawings using their sense of touch.

A triple Oscar-nominee in 2019, Bradley Cooper co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in A Star is Born. The film has received eight Oscar nominations: "Best Actor in a Leading Role" for Bradley Cooper, "Best Actress in a Leading Role", "Best Picture", "Best Adapted Screenplay", "Best Actor in a Supporting Role", "Best Original Song," "Best Cinematography" and "Best Sound Mixing." The American actor previously earned Oscar nominations for his critically acclaimed performances in Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle and American Sniper. Bradley Cooper became a brand ambassador for IWC in 2018. Among other projects, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has produced a worldwide advertising campaign with the renowned actor.

Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, commented: "The support of disabled children and adolescents is one of the cornerstones of our CSR effort. I am pleased that, together with our brand ambassador Bradley Cooper, and the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation, we have the opportunity to support the association Arrimage."

Speaking ahead of the auction, Mikael Wallhagen, Head of the Watch Division for Sotheby's in Geneva, said: "IWC

Schaffhausen's master watch-makers have produced a complex and beautifully crafted symbol of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's pioneering spirit. After witnessing dreams come true on the stage of the Oscars this Sunday, it will be a privilege for us to offer this one-of-a-kind watch in our upcoming sale and to support the important work of the foundation, helping future generations to aim high and pursue their own dreams."

A BIG PILOT'S WATCH SINGLE PIECE WITH A SPECIAL

ENGRAVING

The IWC watch Bradley Cooper will be wearing at The

Oscars® is a Big Pilot's Watch single piece with a special

engraving (Ref. IW500923). The timepiece features a

midnight blue dial and is housed in a case made of 18-

carat 5N gold. It is powered by the IWC-manufactured

51111-calibre movement. Within no time at all, the spring-

mounted rotor and Pellaton pawl-winding system build up

a power reserve of seven days. On the case back, there is

an engraving of an iconic quote from Antoine de Saint-

Exupéry's The Little Prince: "It is only with the heart that

one can see rightly".

IWC'S PROCEEDS DONATED TO THE ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY YOUTH FOUNDATION

Bidding for the watch will open at $16,000. IWC will donate its proceeds from the auction to the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation, helping it to support the association Arrimage in Nice, France. The association was established by Dr. Claude Garrandes, a blindFrench artist and teacher. One of its main projects focuses on teaching visually-impaired children how to read drawings in two-dimensional relief through the sense of touch. For this project, the foundation created the first-ever tactile art book of embossed illustrations of The Little Prince that it created. Thanks to teaching tools created by Arrimage, blind children are also given the opportunity to learn how to draw themselves.

PRESS IMAGES available for downloadhere

FOLLOW THE SALEhere.Online bidding opens 22 February 2019 (11am EST/ 4 pm GMT) - 4 March (11am EST - 4pm GMT)

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN

With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been producing timepieces of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world's leading brands in the luxury watch segment, IWC crafts masterpieces of Haute Horlogerie at their finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design. As an ecologically and socially responsible company, IWC is committed to sustainable production, supports institutions around the globe in their work with children and young people, and maintains

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