IWC Will Auction One-of-a-Kind Portugese Automatic in Support of De Niro’s Tribeca Film Festival

Luxury watchmakers IWC Schaffhausen are the official ‘Festival-Time’ partner of the Tribeca Film Festival, and this week they unveiled a unique tribute to this iconic event. In honor of the festival, IWC unveiled a one-off timepiece which will be auctioned off in support of their nonprofit affiliate, the Tribeca Film Institute (TFI). Antiquorum will auction off the Portuguese Automatic Edition “TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2013” One out of One on April 10th, 2013, with the entire proceeds going to the TFI, a nonprofit arts organization that supports filmmakers with grants, professional development, and resources, while also helping students to discover film and filmmaking.

The New York-based Tribeca Film Festival was founded by actor Robert De Niro, along with producer Jane Rosenthal and philanthropist Craig Hatkoff, in the wake of September 11, 2001. In the decade since, it has become one of the city’s biggest events, which IWC Schaffhausen’s CEO Georges Kern wanted to support. “We believe new voices should be heard and are convinced that projects as well as talents from Tribeca Film Institute deserve an international stage.”

Kern added, “The unique Bordeaux subdials [of the Portuguese Automatic Edition “TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2013”] harken to a time of Hollywood glamour and iconic red carpets, while the slate colored dial is inspired by Tribeca in lower Manhattan, laden with steel and concrete buildings that are home to some of the cities most iconic architecture and is a culture movement within itself.”

Here are a few more details; this one-off timepiece begins with a 42.3 mm-diameter case in platinum, which is extremely rare for the Portuguese Collection. At its heart is a Caliber 51011 self-winding movement working at a 21,600 A/h / 3 Hz frequency. Featuring the Pellaton winding system and seven-day power reserve originally developed for the Portugese Automatic, this movement also features a date display, making this version more practical for everyday use. On the slate-colored dial is a small seconds display at 9 o’clock and a power reserve display at 3 o’clock, both in a bordeaux color, while the hands, numerals, and hour markers are in rose gold. Finally, the 18-carat gold medallion bears the logo of the Tribeca Film Festival, with the words “Unique Piece” in milled lettering. A black alligator leather strap with platinum folding clasp finishes the look.

The Portuguese Automatic Edition “TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2013” One for One (reference IW500127) will be auctioned by Antiquorum Auctioneers on April 10th. Interested buyers can register to bid from March 18th to April 9th on the Anitquorum website. The auction will be conducted live at Antiquorum on Madison Avenue in New York City, with real- time bidding on the internet at www.antiquorum.com and via telephone.

Actor Robert De Niro, founder of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, is pictured above with IWC CEO Georges Kern. Photos courtesy IWC Schaffhausen.