When the threat of Covid-19 has receded, and international travel is back on the agenda, the Swiss watchmaker Girard-Perregaux is prepared to roll out the red carpet at its manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland for one lucky watch lover.
The brand has teamed with Wempe, a luxury watch and jewelry retailer with a prime location on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, to auction the ultimate watch enthusiast package on Charity Buzz. Proceeds will benefit City Harvest, New York’s largest food rescue organization, which has seen demand for meals soar since the start of the crisis.
The package leads with a Girard-Perregaux Laureato limited-edition model—one of just 20 pieces—valued at $11,600. It includes a private tour of the manufacture followed by lunch with CEO Patrick Pruniaux, and one night’s stay at the Beau-Rivage Hotel in nearby Neuchâtel. (If the hotel does not have availability, the winner will be put up at a similar luxury category hotel in the La-Chaux-de-Fonds region.)
The Charity Buzz auction begins on Wednesday and concludes June 3 at 12 P.M. ET.
Both Pruniaux and Ruediger Albers, US president of Wempe, said in statements that they felt compelled to give back to the Big Apple.
“Wempe is part of the fabric of New York City—it’s been home to our Fifth Avenue flagship boutique for nearly 40 years,” Albers said.
The sporty Laureato limited edition, an automatic model with 54 hours of power reserve, is housed in a 42 mm stainless steel case. Famed for its octagonal case and integrated steel bracelet, the Laureato was introduced in 1975 but has a distinctly contemporary vibe.
Note: The auction package includes ground transportation—from either the Geneva or Zurich airport to the manufacturer’s premises, as well as around Neuchâtel—but it does not include airfare to Switzerland.
Don’t forget to read the fine print, which states that if Pruniaux is not available for lunch, “there is no guarantee of which executive committee member would replace him.”
The winner will instead be given the option of having lunch in New York City with a member of the Girard-Perregaux executive committee.
