Bulgari - Awarded the Chronosprint Endurer All Blacks for €24,000

A few days ago we reported on the special auction in Paris in response to the Christchurch earthquake appeal. Held on 2 September, a week before the start of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, with the participation of the international rugby community, it raised a total of €53,200 (NZ$ 90,000). The event took place at the prestigious Royal Monceau Hotel in the presence of the Ambassador of New Zealand, Rosemary Banks, who expressed her appreciation for the sustained fundraising effort. "It is a great comfort to us all to see that Christchurch has not been forgotten and I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart our friends for their support tonight." The star of the auction was the Bulgari Chronosprint Endurer All Blacks watch, a unique piece that is part of the special collection created in collaboration with the legendary New Zealand rugby team. The watch, which is engraved with the date of the earthquake that devastated Christchurch in February this year, fetched the sum of €24,000 and was won by Qatar Group GSSG. The auctioned items, hammered out by the expert hammer of Arnaud Oliveux of the Paris auction house Artcurial-Briest-Poulain-F.Tajan, were mostly related to the present and past history of rugby and included autographed shirts, a rugby ball from the last century and some modern art pieces. The 'Rugby Nations Uniting for Christchurch' charity auction was organised by Avenport Investment Group in collaboration with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU). The total proceeds of the auction were donated to the Fund established following the New Zealand Government's appeal for the Chirstchurch earthquake. The catalogue and auction results can be viewed at www.020911.com

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