IWC Pilot's Watch Spitfire Mark XVI Bracelet (IW3255-05)

Thanks to the support of IWC and the commitment of the Foundation, the Laureus blue on the dial of the Portuguese Automatic is now the colour of hope for underprivileged children throughout the world.

Do some good - and enjoy it. The outstanding work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in helping children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds inspired the Schaffhausen company once again to put one of its classic watches at the service of a good cause. This is now the fourth time that IWC Schaffhausen has supported the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation with a special edition. Following on from the Portuguese Chrono-Automatic in 2006, the Pilot's Watch Chrono-Automatic in 2007 and the Da Vinci Chronograph in 2008, the model that carries on the range's support for sport in 2009 is the Portuguese Automatic, made of stainless steel with a dial in unmistakable Laureus blue and limited to 1,000 watches.

In keeping with a worthy tradition, IWC Schaffhausen holds a children's painting competition within the projects supported by Laureus throughout the world. The winning design is engraved on a medallion and inset into the back of the case of the special edition model. This year, the jury's choice was a drawing by 12-year-old K.D. Sriyan Chamod Dilshan from Sri Lanka, who is involved in the Laureus project Seenigama Sports. He illustrated the theme of "Team spirit" with a picture of four young people holding hands in a circle. The engraving is a reminder that part of the proceeds from sales of the watch will go towards projects for underprivileged children in troubled areas of the world.

IWC Schaffhausen is a Global Partner and world representative of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. This is a charitable Foundation that supports over 65 projects throughout the world which have so far helped more than 750,000 children and young people who have fallen victim to poverty, homelessness, war, violence, discrimination, drug addiction, racism and HIV/ Aids. The Laureus World Sports Academy is an association of sports legends who together hold more than 100 Olympic medals, 100 world championship titles and 200 world records. With its support, and using the universal language of sport, these children and young people are offered an escape from the vicious circle of drugs, poverty and violence. In this capacity, Laureus operates in the slums of Uganda, the South Bronx of New York and the Indian city of Mumbai, among other places.

As well as the watch, IWC Schaffhausen has also brought out a unique illustrated book, "Let the Children Play", in order to attract more attention to the considerable social involvement of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Anyone who buys the Portuguese Automatic Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation will get a copy of the book, which shows 10 of the more than 65 projects supported by the Foundation to help underprivileged children. Part of the proceeds from sales of the watch will go to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation to help the National Laureus Foundations in Argentina, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, the USA and Switzerland.
For its fourth watch in aid of a good cause, IWC has chosen an absolute winner from among it functional and distinctive timepieces: the Portuguese Automatic with a mechanical IWC-manufactured 51011-calibre movement and a Pellaton winding mechanism that provides a power reserve of seven days. It has a large-format date, a small seconds hand and an indicator showing the remaining power reserve. The beautifully balanced dial is a model of the clarity and simplicity of design which marked the first Portuguese watches exactly 70 years ago.