Anton Smit's Ques Mask scultpure is one of the items that will be on auction at the Imibala Summer Gala fundraiser.
Anton Smit's Ques Mask scultpure is one of the items that will be on auction at the Imibala Summer Gala fundraiser.
Image: Supplied

The Vergelegen Wine Estate in the Cape Winelands will play host to the first-ever Imibala Summer Gala fundraising auction event on February 8. The event will be raising funds to elevate Imibala Trust’s efforts in providing educational opportunities to disadvantaged children. 

Luxury brands such as Chopard and Panerai have come on board to support the initiative with Chopard donating jewellery worth over R1m and Panerai donating a one-of-a-kind bespoke timepiece, the Imibala Trust Edition Luminor Calendrio Perpetuo, worth over R1,4m.

Panerai Imibala Trust Edition Luminor Calendrio Perpetuo.
Panerai Imibala Trust Edition Luminor Calendrio Perpetuo.
Image: Supplied

A truly unique creation, the timepiece automatically adjusts the day and date of each month while correcting for leap years. With a small black sapphire crystal dial, a GMT function that enhances the versatility of the timepiece, a day-night indicator, small seconds at 9 o’clock and water-resistance up to about 50 meters deep, this prized watch is a true reflection of Paneria’s technical achievements. 

Panerai’s CEO Jean Marc Pontroué believes that culture and education are essential for the future and one of the key drivers for giving back value to our communities, this is why the Maison’s partnership with the Imibala Trust is one he considers an important one. 

“We are proud to team up with Imibala by donating one of our most precious high-end complications whose revenue will help disadvantaged African children and people in their right to quality education,” he said.

With a line-up of auction lots worth over R4m, here are some of the items one can expect to bid on at the event: 

  • Jewellery by Chopard worth R1m.  
  • A one-off bespoke Panerai timepiece worth R1,4m.
  • Sculptures and artworks by Dylan Lewis, Frank van Reenen, Anton Smit and Riaan van Zyl. 
  • A number of five-star African safari sojourns.
  • A Tswalu bush experience. 
Lebombo Luxury Lodge & Safari on the picturesque banks of the N'wanetsi River in Singita Kruger National Park.
Lebombo Luxury Lodge & Safari on the picturesque banks of the N'wanetsi River in Singita Kruger National Park.
Image: Supplied

Other items include dinner at the award-winning Klein JAN, international holidays and world-class wine — among others. 

Reece Ackerman, head of sustainability and social media at the Imibala Trust, says since its inception 20 years ago, the Imibala Trust has gone from helping a few hundred children to assisting more than 3,000 through its Sponsor-a-Child initiative, alongside the numerous creative and performance arts programmes it runs. 

“These programmes include art, ballet, dance, pottery, drama, music, coding, and math classes,” Ackerman says. “All of this is possible through the generous support of companies and the volunteers who continually commit time and energy to support the children that are part of the Imibala programme.”

See full list of auction lots here.

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