Announcing the ‘Pink Dial Project’ – an auction of pink prototypes in aid of breast cancer

Nick Kenyon

The watch industry has always had a charitable streak, but never as conspicuously as it does today. Charity auctions have been a key part of the industry’s calendar for years, with the Only Watch Auction that raises money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, earning headlines for the watches if offers and the money it contributes.

Lately we’ve seen more auctions for a good cause, such as the Horological Society of New York Auction that was running this week and the Revolution and The Rake Covid Solidarity Auction that took place 12 months ago to raise money for countries that had been badly affected by the global pandemic. This week, we are delighted to announce another fresh initiative that we are very proud to bring to you, along with a proper super-group of good friends, most of which you will recognise from videos and written stories.

After many months of planning and scheming – the lion’s share of it done by Wei Koh and the teams at Revolution and The Rake – we can now bring you the Pink Dial Project, that will raise money for breast cancer awareness, research and treatment. Auction partners also include Fratello Watches, Eye of Jewellery, and Loupe This (a pretty big deal in the making from collector Eric Ku).

It’s kind of Wei to say this, and we’re quite humbled to report, that the concept for this auction is said in the Pink Dial Project press release to have been born nearly a year and a half ago when we launched the ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction to help raise money for the bushfires that were ravaging much of Australia during the 2019/2020 summer. It was through discussions in the wake of such a positive and successful project that the idea was born to bring even more social good out of the watch industry.

Since then, and after a few primer conversations with the supergroup on Zoom, Wei Koh and the teams at Revolution and The Rake have been working closely with more than a dozen brands to create unique watches around the theme of pink dials, which is the colour that symbolises the fight against breast cancer.

Brands included in the charity auction are Bulgari, IWC, Zenith, Panerai, Baltic, TAG Heuer, Rado, Bamford and more. The auction will kick off in October 2021, hosted on the auction platform Loupe This, with 100% of the proceeds being donated to breast cancer charities around the world. Let’s now take a look at five highlights that have been committed to by the participating brands.

Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Automatic pièce unique in black ceramic

A modern classic in the horological landscape, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo is a watch that wears its thinness on its sleeve. This unique expression in matte black ceramic features a pink sub-seconds dial with “the pink project” spelled out on the sapphire crystal caseback.

IWC Big Pilot Watch 43 pièce unique with pink dial

The IWC Big Pilot 43 has earned a lot of attention this year when it was first announced at Watches & Wonders in April. Its wearable steel case offers a stark contrast for the bright pink dial, complimented by a white textile strap.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Pink Ribbon pièce unique

The TAG Heuer Aquaracer collection has been reinvigorated in 2021 with a new look and dial layout. This unique watch features a pink dial with diamond hour markers that is framed by a bold black polished ceramic bezel.

Zenith pièce unique “Cover Girl” with powder pink dial

One of Zenith’s 2020 highlights was the launch of the Zenith x Revolution x The Rake Chronomaster Revival Ref. A3818 “Cover Girl”, a heritage-inspired chronograph that ticked all the right boxes. This unique version of that limited-edition release features a dusty pastel pink dial that nicely compliments the brushed steel case and ladder bracelet.

Pièce unique M.A.D.1 by Maximilian Büsser with pink rotor and minutes ring

The M.A.D.1 by Maximilian Büsser was only launched last week for the first time, offering an entry level timepiece into the wild world of MB&F. This unique piece features an exciting 42mm case where the time is read on the discs between the bottom two lugs, executed in the same pink as the rest of the auction lots.