IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN HOSTS GOLF CHALLENGE WITH TOM BRADY AND LEWIS HAMILTON TO RAISE FUNDS FOR SOCIAL SPORT PROGRAMS
Schaffhausen/Miami, May 4, 2022 – Ahead of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix™, IWC Schaffhausen invited sporting legends, including seven-time American Football World Champion Tom Brady and seven-time Formula One™ World Champion Lewis Hamilton, to compete in an entertaining golf challenge. Following ‘The Big Pilot Challenge’ event at the Miami Beach Golf Club on Wednesday, the four IWC watches worn by the players are being auctioned online by international auction house Bonhams. The proceeds will be used by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation to support Miami-based nonprofits such as Dibia Dream, which supports young people through education and the power of sport.
As the inaugural Miami Grand Prix™ brings the excitement of Formula One™ to South Florida, IWC Schaffhausen united some of the world’s greatest sporting legends to raise money for social programs in the Miami area. Relaxed and fun, ‘The Big Pilot Challenge’ took place at the Miami Beach Golf Club, an 18-hole golf course located in the heart of South Beach. Former F1™ star David Coulthard hosted the event alongside American actor and passionate golf player Kathryn Newton. Mixing Scottish humor with in-depth golfing knowledge, they presented the teams and guided them through the challenge.
FOUR TITAN S CLASH ON THE GREEN
Team ‘Mojave Desert’ brought together two of IWC’s most accomplished brand ambassadors: seven-time American Football World Champion Tom Brady and seven-time Formula One™ World Champion Lewis Hamilton. The other team ‘Lake Tahoe’ comprised retired American Football running back, Marcus Allen, and Dibia DREAM founder and CEO Brandon Okpalobi. The first self-explanatory challenge, called ‘The Longest Drive’, was followed by ‘Closest to Pin’. Here, the objective was to put the ball close to a digit on the dial of a gigantic Big Pilot’s Watch painted onto the green.
ONLINE AUCTION TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CHARITY
Following the event, the watches worn by the players and some personal items from the players will be auctioned online by the international auction house Bonhams. Among the timepieces are novelties from IWC’s recently launched “Colors of TOP GUN” collection in crisp white and sand-colored ceramic. Bidding starts immediately and will end on Wednesday, May 11, at 11 am ET. The auction proceeds will allow Laureus Sport for Good to expand its critical impact on youth in communities in Miami, Florida. The primary beneficiary will be Dibia DREAM, which sparks social change through STEM and recreational education for underserved young people in Miami. Last year Dibia DREAM served 5,000 youths, with 75% improving their school attendance, 70% improving their academic performance, and multiple students helped with scholarships to support their educational aspirations.
The charity auction can be accessed via this link: www.bonhams.com/auction/27983/The-Big-PilotChallenge-charity-auction-IWC-Laureus
DIBIA DREAM
Founded in 2013, Dibia DREAM provides a safe place after school, on the weekends and in the summer with caring, responsible adults and engaging activities. Dibia DREAM was created with athletes and aspiring youth in underserved communities in mind. Its programs use sports as an instrument to teach life skills and promote mentorship, active participation, and exposure to diverse opportunities through its 5 Pillar program. Dibia DREAM delivers early, positive experiences for students in sport, physical activity, STEM, and education. Our goal is to enrich the youth through transformative experiences.
LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD FOUNDATION
Laureus Sport for Good is a global charity that supports children and young people by using the power of sport to end violence, discrimination, and disadvantage. Over the last 20 years, Laureus Sport for Good has raised more than $200m for the Sport for Development sector, reaching and helping change the lives of more than six million children and young people since 2000. Laureus Sport for Good currently supports more than 200 programs in 50 countries and territories that use the power of sport to transform lives.
In 1868, the American watchmaker and entrepreneur Florentine Ariosto Jones travelled from Boston to Switzerland and founded the ‘International Watch Company’ in Schaffhausen. His visionary dream was to combine advanced American manufacturing methods with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers to make the best pocket watches of his time. In doing so, he not only laid the foundation for IWC’s unique engineering approach but also established the centralised production of mechanical watches in Switzerland.
Over its 150 year history, IWC Schaffhausen has developed a reputation for creating functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust, and easy for customers to use. A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramics, IWC today specialises in highly engineered technical watch cases manufactured from advanced materials, such as titanium aluminide and Ceratanium®. Preferring the principle of “form follows function” over decoration, the Swiss watch manufacturer’s timeless creations embody their owners’ dreams and ambitions as they journey through life.
IWC sources materials responsibly and takes action to minimise its impact on the environment, creating intrinsically sustainable timepieces that are built to last for generations. The company prides itself in training its own future watchmakers and engineers, as well as offering an excellent working environment for all employees. IWC also partners with organisations that work globally to support children and young people.