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| Cara Delevingne with Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer |
Cara Delevingne’s passion for lions is evident through her lion tattoo on her index finger. As an ambassador Tag Heuer, the tattoo shows prominently in an advertisement for the Swiss watch brand.
The 22-year-old fashion model and actress’ love of lions was evident again following the killing of Cecil the Lion, as she auctioned her personal TAG Heuer Signature Edition Carrera watch on eBay. The sale raised $14,430, which was donated to the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), one of the largest conservation research institutes in the world. Tag Heuer matched the winning bid to raise a combined $28,900 for the organization, the company said in a statement.
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| Delevingne’s TAG Heuer Signature Edition Carrera watch |
WildCRU had been tracking Cecil since 2008 in the Hwange National Park in Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe, as part of a wildlife conservation project. Cecil was killed by Walter Palmer, a Minnesota dentist and a recreational big game hunter. The lion was allegedly lured outside the confines of the sanctuary, where wildlife is protected, and then killed. The killing drew international outrage. Delevingne on her Twitter feed called Palmer “a poor excuse of a human being.”
Delevingne’s personal watch was worn by her on many occasions, including the Monaco F1 Grand Prix. She auctioned it ahead of its release on the market in September. The 41 mm steel watch case has a titanium-carbide coating and an anthracite dial. The bezel is set with 72 round white diamonds. It is engraved with “Cara Delevingne Edition” and stamped on the back with a lion’s head. The strap is aged black calfskin. The signature of Cara Delevingne is stamped in rose gold inside the strap.
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| The lion's head on the caseback of Delevingne’s TAG Heuer Signature Edition Carrera watch |
The donation will contribute to the organization’s in-depth study of lion movements through satellite trackers, support of field equipment and staff, and training future conservationists.
“Little did we think that this morning we would be opening our emails to discover that Cara was auctioning her watch (with a lion inscribed on its face) to raise money for WildCRU’s research,” David Macdonald, WildCRU’s director, wrote on the WildCRU website, after first learning about the auction on August 6. “It is also a wonderful educational opportunity to think that Cara’s gift will introduce our work to the millions of people who follow her globally, and who we hope will come to appreciate the importance of wildlife and the environment to their futures.”
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| Delevingne and her lion tattoo featured on a Tag Heuer advertisement |
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