Jacob & Co, Bucherer Blue and Sotheby's are going above and beyond—literally.
The watch companies collaborated with the auction house to send the Astronomia Tourbillion Bucherer Blue into space on the wrist of an astronaut during the first private mission to the international space station.
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As part of a 17-day, 7-million-mile mission, the interstellar timepiece became the first triple-axis tourbillion to leave the Earth's atmosphere. Now, the watch is back from its trip to the stars, and Sotheby's is set to auction it for charity.
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Axiom Space launched the mission in April with a four-person team that included Israeli impact investor and philanthropist Eytan Stibbe. He wore the watch as he and the crew orbited the earth 273 times.
The Israel Space Agency and the Israeli Ministries of Innovation, Science, Technology and Education collaborated with the Ramon foundation to send Stibbe as the lead for the Rakia Mission, which was itself intended to advance and grow Israel's aerospace industry and inspire and educate the younger generation.
Now that Stibbe and the watch are back on solid ground, the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Bucherer Blue begins the next phase of its journey. The watch will be presented to the public in New York City from July 11 to 17 before moving to the Sotheby's galleries in New York on July 21.
The watch will be auctioned on Tuesday, July 26, in a single-dot dedicated live auction with a bidding price that starts at just $1.
While a specific charity has not been named, proceeds have been pledged to a good cause.
The watch features a starry, dark blue background in a dome made from anti-reflective sapphire crystal. Four satellites turn in constant motion, as do the dial, a tourbillon cage and spherical diamonds that reflect the moon.
“Bucherer Blue is our platform for bringing to life daring projects with innovative partners,” Patrick Graf, Chief Commercial Officer of Bucherer, is quoted in a press release. “Together, we strive to create the extraordinary and celebrate [the] drive and curiosity of our NextGen customers. Jacob & Co.'s exceptional timepieces, imaginative power, and can-do attitude makes possible what seemed impossible before.”
While you may not go to space anytime soon, you can wear a piece of space history on your wrist. See more images of the interstellar timepiece below, and learn more the upcoming auction at Sothebys.com.
Photography by: Bucherer/Jacob&Co;
