Jaeger-LeCoultre Raises $790,000 at (RED) AUCTION

This weekend Jaeger-LeCoultre raised $790,000 for Bono’s charity (RED). On November 23, Sotheby’s auctioned off two one-of-a-kind timepieces the Swiss watchmaker created with Sir Jonathan Ive and Marc Newson.

Ive and Newson are two of the world’s most respected designers. Together, the duo curated an auction of 44 special objects from disciplines as diverse as contemporary art, rare automobiles, and of course, watches. Each object was customized by Ive and Newson, with lots including a red Fiat 600 Jolly, a custom red Hermès leather saddle, a red magnum of 1966 Dom Pérignon, a pair of rose gold Apple earphones, and a red grand piano by Steinway.

The custom Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos 561 by Marc Newson clock was customized with unique red accents. This piece sold for $425,000.

Meanwhile, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Tribute to Deep Sea watch was customized with a unique red dial and the (RED) logo engraved on the back of the watch. This piece sold for US$365,000.

Attendees included Chelsea Clinton, Helena Christensen, Meg Ryan, Jenna and Barbara Bush, Larry Gagosian and Mario Batali. They were treated to a number of surprises, including a performance by Coldplay’s Chris Martin on the Steinway (which was later taken home by philanthropist Stewart Rahr for $1.9 million), and a turn by supermodel Christy Turlington down the runway in a pink Azzedine Alaïa dress (which sold for $149,000).

The auction raised US$12,883,000, which was matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for a total of $26.2 million. Proceeds will benefit The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

After the auction, guests made their way to Sotheby’s 10th floor galleries to be entertained at the after party by Nile Rodgers and Chic, as well as Angelique Kidjo.

Photos courtesy Jaeger-LeCoultre and Sotheby’s.