Disadvantaged children around the world were the real winners of an auction on board Emirates flights to celebrate Montblanc’s centennial year, which netted US$250,000!
In a first for the travel retail industry, the silent, onboard auction of the exclusive Montblanc chronograph centennial watch attracted numerous bids from passengers over a three-month period, beginning March 2006.
However, Prominent Ugandan International Businessman Mr Michael Ezra Mulyoowa topped all other bids with his quarter-of-a-million-dollar offer.
The proceeds will go to Emirates Airline Foundation, the airline’s onboard charity which uses donations by passengers to fund projects around the world in aid of underprivileged children.
Mr Mulyoowa presented the cheque for US$250,000 to His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman & Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, and Patron of the Emirates Airline Foundation, at a ceremony in Dubai.
Also in attendance were Frank Passmann, Montblanc’s General Manager of Travel Retail, and Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline.
Sheikh Ahmed said: “It is a day of celebration. I congratulate Montblanc in its centennial year and Mr Mulyoowa for making the winning bid for this beautiful Montblanc watch in aid of the Emirates Airline Foundation.
“As patron of the foundation, I am extremely pleased to accept this donation which will go towards funding the many projects singled out by the foundation which provide food, medicines, housing and education for disadvantaged children around the world.
“They are the real winners of this auction which was the first of its kind in the inflight duty-free industry. Its success has exceeded all expectations. The winning bid was almost four times the minimum amount required, and it’s probably the biggest single transaction ever made in the travel retail industry.”
Hand-crafted to celebrate Montblanc’s 100th anniversary, as well as its long-standing relationship with Emirates’ Inflight Duty Free service, the exclusive timepiece was presented to Mr Mulyoowa by Mr Passman.
Mr Passmann said: "Montblanc is delighted to have joined hands with Emirates in an exclusive promotion such as this. Both brands are internationally renowned, and the promotion provided an exclusive platform to highlight the art of watch-making to a premium, international audience.
“I’d like to thank Mr. Mulyoowa for his generous offer that has contributed in full to a very worthwhile and honourable cause.”
As part of his auction prize, Mr. Mulyoowa and two guests were flown First Class on Emirates to Montblanc’s headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. They then went onto Zurich for a stay at the luxurious Montblanc Chateau in Le Locle, the heart of watch-making.
The one-of-its-kind, automatic Montblanc chronograph centennial watch is encased in 118 grams of 18-carat solid white gold and features a bezel set with black and white diamonds and a 43-faceted diamond on the crown (winder), shaped in the distinctive Montblanc star, with a total weight of 1.5 carats.
