On December 16th in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, luxury watchmaker IWC auctioned its unique platinum Pilot's Watch UTC Edition Antoine de Saint Exupery timepiece for $46,700 (USD). The winning offer, from a buyer in the Czech Republic, comfortably exceeded the $39,000 minimum bid threshold set by IWC.  The entire amount will be donated to the France-based Sipar association and its extensive literacy programs in Cambodia.  

In addition to the IWC's UTC Edition Antoine de Saint Exupery watch itself, the new owner took possession of another rare prize--an early edition of Saint Exupery's 1939 memoir "Wind, Sand and Stars", personally signed by the French author and aviator.