Christie’s and F.P. Journe have jointly announced the extraordinary sales result for the first all aluminium Centigraphe Sport No 001. It was sold in Hong Kong to raise funds in relief aid to the victims of tsunami and earthquake in Japan. The final price soared to an extraordinary HK$ 3,620,000 /US$ 465,170, close to ten times its original estimate.

The donation ceremony took place at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tokyo on June 3rd, 2011, in the presence of his Excellence the Ambassador Mr. Urs Bucher, Mr. François-Paul Journe, Ms. Yuko Fukagawa from Christie’s Japan, Mr Richard Bliah, founder of the franco-japanese FERE foundation, and the representative of Médecins du Monde. With its programme ‘100 maisons pour 100 familles’, the FERE Foundation is constructing temporary anti-seismic wooden houses to relocate family victims in the northern city of Tome.

F.P.Journe, Richard Bliah - Fere Foundation, His Excellency the Swiss Ambassador Urs Bucher, Yuko Fukagawa - Christie’s Japan.

François-Paul Journe said: “I am tremendously happy that the charity sale of the Centigraphe Sport will contribute to bring relief aid to earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. I sincerely thank all those who have allowed this extraordinary project to come to reality, Christie’s as well as all auction bidders. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The extraordinary amount gathered by the Centigraphe Sport during the Christie’s auction allows me to present this Mokuroku today to Mr Richard Bliah. It will enable the FERE Foundation to finance the construction of 7 anti seismic full houses with implantation costs. Japan had welcomed us so warmly when I opened my first Boutique in Toyko, I wanted to reciprocate today in providing a new roof to Japanese families in need.”

Source: F.P. Journe