Hublot Auction for Young Victims of the Catastrophe in Japan

In support of the Kids Earth Fund in Japan, the Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot began an online auction for its Manchester United King Power Red Devil engraved 000/500 timepiece.

Auction registration is now active on the Hublot website.

All funds from the sale of this rare timepiece made for the Manchester United English soccer team (one of the most popular and successful teams in any sport in the world) will go to the Kids Earth Fund directly benefiting the children suffering from the catastrophe in Japan.

All potential bidders must register on the Hublot website by June 22 at 2 p.m. GMT. The live auction will begin on June 23 at 2 p.m. GMT. The highest bid will win the watch.

And if I may say the 48 mm timepiece is quite a beauty. The hour markers of the sapphire dial are made from grass off the “sacred” turf of Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium. The date window is at 4 o'clock and the Manchester United Red Devil logo at 3 o'clock.

The bezel and case is made of black ceramic and it has an adjustable black rubber strap. The movement is the HUB 4245 skeleton chronograph.

“When you are sitting halfway around the world watching events like this unfold on a television screen, you cannot imagine the suffering, but you can try and help,” said Jean-Claude Biver, Hublot CEO and board member. “It is impossible for us to stop events like this happening but we owe it to our friends in Japan to help where ever and in whatever way that we can. That is why we cannot simply stop now. We must continue to help and send a very clear message to the people suffering from the fall out of the tsunami. We are here and we will not give up on you.”

Hublot Opens First Boutique in Japan

From left: Emmanuel Prat, president of Hublot Japan and LVMH Japan, Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot managing director, Sumo wrestler Sho Hakuho, Jean-Claude Biver, Hublot CEO, and Harumi Torii, founder of a non-profit organization Kids Earth Fund at the June 2 opening of Hublot boutique in Tokyo. Biver is holding the King Power Red Devil that will be auctioned off to support children suffering from the recent Tohoku earthquake.

Hublot celebrated the opening of its flagship boutique on Namiki Street in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district with a special unveiling of the FIFA Winner’s Trophy for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and efforts to help children affected by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The event was attended by local celebrities and top Hublot officials. It is the Swiss luxury watch brand’s first boutique in Japan.

The boutique, designed by New York architect Peter Marino, carries the same concept as the Hublot boutiques in Place Vendôme, Paris (opened in December 2010) and Madison Avenue, New York (opened in February 2011). Marino introduced materials such as bronze, natural buckskin and ebony to convey a warm yet tranquil atmosphere. The Ginza boutique is the only location in Japan to offer the Hublot Vendome Collection.
 
Guests for the celebration included Sumo wrestler Sho Hakuho, soccer goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki and Harumi Torii, founder of a non-profit organization Kids Earth Fund. Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver, attended the event with Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot managing director, and Emmanuel Prat, president of Hublot Japan and LVMH Japan.

Through a strong relationship with FIFA as the tournament’s Official Watchmaker and Official Timekeeper, Hublot was able to bring the FIFA Winner’s Trophy for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil to the event. It was the first public release of the trophy in Japan.

At a charity gala dinner to support the Kids Earth Fund, Hublot announced the donation of 10,000 sets of Swiss Caran d’Ache colored pencils for children affected by the tsunami. They are used by children in drawing workshops to help them express themselves.

As a special feature of the event, Hublot announced that the King Power Red Devil – limited number “000 of 500” timepieces will be presented for an online auction to raise funds for children in despair, beginning June 23. Registration will begin Friday (June 10) through the Hublot website, http://www.hublot.com.

Just after the chaos caused by Tohoku Earthquake on March 11, Hublot launched “Commitment for Japan, You and Hublot for Japan” campaign on its website to raise funds via Red Cross Society for support. The company soon became involved with the Kids Earth Fund, which works to help children worldwide who suffered through disasters.