A Special Charity Auction for a Special—and Rather Sturdy—Watch

IWC, Austrian billionaire Toto Wolff, and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team create a special watch—and then make it even more special.

Want something a little more special than a 100-piece limited editionLimited EditionA product produced in deliberately restricted numbers, often numbered, signed, and distinguished by special materials or design. Limited editions create scarcity, urgency, and desirability, and they are common across watches,Go to Limited Edition Glossary watch? On its own, the IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL “Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team” is pretty special, as it’s a limited edition of 100 pieces from the Swiss watchmaker and its collaboration with the Formula One team. But the watch being auctioned this month by Bonhams is a very special piece worn by CEO and team principal Toto Wolff. The watch was worn and shock-tested, and it appeared recently on his wrist at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The idea for this watch originated as early as 2021 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, when Toto Wolff was wearing a prototype model. As on-track tensions heated up, he slammed his headset on the table—an incident that went viral on social media. The result is this collaboration, which uses an integrated shock-absorber system developed by IWC’s Engineering Division XPL. The system cushions the movement inside the case using a spring made from bulk metallic glass, an advanced material significantly more elastic than conventional metals.

The watch was personally worn by Toto Wolff at the recent Singapore Grand Prix, where Mercedes driver George Russell took first place. The auction lot contains the watch and an elegant white team polo shirt signed by Mr. Wolff. It is estimated at 80,000 to 200,000 CHF, and all proceeds will be donated to charity. Much excitement surrounds this because the previous Toto Wolff charity auction in 2022 raised 160,000 EUR.

This foundation is near and dear to Mr. Wolff’s heart. “The Laureus Charity Night, one of my favorite events, brings together a passionate group of supporters and partners all united by commitment to driving social change through sport to create a better future for children and young adults,” he says.

Bidding is online at Bonhams.com and will conclude on Saturday, October 25, in Zurich, coinciding with the annual Laureus Sport for Good Gala.