NEW YORK, July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to the global
environmental crisis, everyone agrees time is of the essence. With that in
mind, luxury Swiss watch company Jaeger-LeCoultre -- in partnership with
actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio -- has created its "Time to Care"
program, to benefit the Leonardo DiCaprio Fund at the California Community
Foundation. The fund-raising focal point of the initiative will be the sale
of two uniquely executed timepieces in the fall of 2008. Both will be the
first of an extraordinary limited series of watches that feature technology
never used before. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to the
Leonardo DiCaprio Fund at the CCF in order to further its work with
environmental programs worldwide. The watches will be presented exclusively
at the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Boutiques in Boca Raton and Beverly Hills,
scheduled to open summer and fall of this year, respectively.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080708/NYTU104-a)
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080708/NYTU104LOGO-b)
The longstanding efforts of Jaeger-LeCoultre to preserve the
environment drew to its attention to the Leonardo DiCaprio Fund at the CCF.
His organization is devoted to heightening awareness and spurring action on
issues that range from global warming and alternative and renewable energy
sources, to the preservation of the planet's biodiversity. The foundation
works with well-respected entities, such as the Natural Resources Defense
Council (NRDC) and Global Green USA. The NRDC's goal is to defend the
Earth, its people, its plants and animals and the natural systems on which
all life depends. Global Green USA focuses on stopping global climate
change, eliminating weapons of mass destruction and providing safe drinking
water for those who do not have access to it. (For more information, visit
http://www.globalgreen.org).
The first unique piece for sale will be a one-of-a-kind Master
Compressor Extreme Lab, worn by DiCaprio to the premiere of his
documentary, "The 11th Hour." This piece will be the first watch in the
Extreme Lab series to be delivered anywhere in the world, and is valued at
approximately $300,000. It will be engraved with Leonardo DiCaprio's
signature. The watch, crafted in carbon fiber and titanium, features an
automatic tourbillon, two time zones, a pointer-type AM/PM indication at 12
o'clock and a patented jumping date display between 15 and 16 linked to
local time. This revolutionary concept watch features the first mechanical
movement to operate without any lubricant and it is resistant to extreme
temperatures of -40 degrees to +60 degrees Celsius.
The second unique timepiece for sale will be a one-of-a-kind edition of
the Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2. Valued at approximately $400,000, it contains
a state-of-the-art, first-ever spherical tourbillon and will be the first
watch in the Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2 series to be delivered anywhere in
world. A key feature is the cylinder-shaped balance-spring with end curves.
This innovation represents a breakthrough in the field of accuracy and
paves the way for a level of rotating precision that is unprecedented for a
timepiece designed to follow its wearer's movements. The watch also
contains a 50-hour power reserve and is crafted in platinum. The Reverso
Gyrotourbillon 2 contains over 371 parts and was specially created to
commemorate the 175th anniversary of Jaeger-LeCoultre this year.
In addition to the efforts put forth through this initiative,
Jaeger-LeCoultre has formalized its sustainable growth initiatives into a
comprehensive working plan, called "Making Time More Beautiful." This Plan
is in keeping with its founder's legacy of establishing a framework and
infrastructure for sound growth at the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre since
1833. Over its 175 year history, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been one of the most
respected employers in its home region of the Vallee de Joux, Switzerland,
nurturing the development and future of great watchmaking skills, and
operating its Manufacture in the cleanest environment. Additional
substantive initiatives are to be implemented in the months ahead,
including recycling and only using recyclable paper goods, a company
transport system for employees and a number of carbon-offsetting measures.
ABOUT THE LEONARDO DICAPRIO FUND AT THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION: Established in 1998, the Leonardo DiCaprio Fund at the
California Community Foundation has actively fostered awareness of
environmental issues through participation with such organizations as
Natural Resources Defense Council, Global Green USA, the International Fund
For Animal Welfare, and National Geographic Kids, to name a few. In order
to reach, inform and entertain a wider global audience about these issues,
the environmental website http://www.leonardodicaprio.org was created. To this
end, it supported the efforts made by the Dian Fossey Foundation, Reef
Check, Oceana, Santa Monica's Heal The Bay, and the U'wa Defense Project.
TreePeople and the Foundation, along with Tree Musketeers joined forces to
promote the incorporation of trees into urban neighborhoods and also to
help reforest the decimated Southern California mountains. Environment Now
honored the Leonardo DiCaprio Fund at the California Community Foundation
with its prestigious Martin Litton Environmental Warrior Award in 2003.
ABOUT JAEGER-LeCOULTRE: Since 1833, the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre
has been at the forefront of fine Swiss watchmaking. Located in the Vallee
de Joux, the cradle of high-watchmaking, Jaeger-LeCoultre has nurtured a
culture of inventors who have taken the family business of founder Antoine
LeCoultre to international recognition over its 175-year history. Featuring
an unparalleled number of skills and crafts under a single roof,
Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to produce timepieces that are innovative,
elegant and refined. From the creation of the world's smallest mechanical
movement, to the legendary swivel-case Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre is a rare
manufacture with a vision and passion for the measurement of time.
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