When Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet was appointed Ambassador of Elegance for Longines in 2010, I was skeptical of the partnership. After all, rare is the brand-celebrity union that transcends the rather cynical (my cynicism mostly) enterprise of marketed engagement which actually produces something worthy in terms of a real association and celebration of the brand. As it turns out, actress-philanthropist was also one of the key founders of the Golden Hat Foundation, a non-profit organisation, dedicated to changing public perception of people on the autism spectrum.

Longines Ambassador of Elegance Kate Winslet fell in love with a vintage Flagship model while visiting the St. Imier factory. Today, 3 editions of the Flagship Heritage by Kate Winslet inspired by that model is up for a Golden Hat Foundation Charity Auction.

Equally important, was that Winslet was one of the rare celebrities who actually possessed a refined taste for elegance beyond her Hollywood stylist. It would serve her well during her visit to Longines headquarters in Saint-Imier where she became besotted with a refined yellow gold watch going back to the beginnings of the Flagship collection. For those of you familiar with the Longines Flagship Heritage 60th Anniversary 1957-2017, the modern re-issue of that very timepiece, who would have guessed that Winslet would have chosen a no-date (really rare in non-collector circles) and no-diamonds (uncommon for female connoisseurs) edition of a Longines watch with impeccable heritage to boot?

Longines Flagship Heritage 60th Anniversary 1957-2017, re-issue of the vintage model picked by Kate Winslet

The Longines Flagship Heritage 60th Anniversary 1957-2017, a re-issue from Baselworld 2017, based on a heritage design eventually picked by Kate Winslet for her Golden Hat Foundation charity auction.

Thee Baselworld Longines Flagship Heritage 60th Anniversary was available in steel, yellow gold  and rose gold; all driven by the exclusive calibre L609 (an extensively modified ETA 2892), a movement which powers the Longines Flagship Heritage watches by Kate Winslet as well. The key difference (other than slightly different case proportions) being that the caseback for the Longines Flagship Heritage by Kate Winslet doesn’t just come with engraving for a 16th century caravel flagship but also with her signature.

Sans date window and sporting a courteous 35 mm case diameter, the Longines Flagship Heritage by Kate Winslet is simply sublime. There’s no better opportunity to give till it hurts because you get that gorgeous timepiece personally handed to you by Ms. Winslet herself.

The caseback for the Longines Flagship Heritage by Kate Winslet doesn’t just come with engraving for a 16th century caravel flagship but also with her signature.

Flagship Heritage by Kate Winslet for Golden Hat Foundation Charity Auction

Sans date window and sporting a courteous 35 mm case diameter, Longines partnered with its Ambassador of Elegance Kate Winslet to produce 5 limited and numbered pieces named Flagship Heritage by Kate Winslet. Though there were 5 pieces produced, 1 belongs to the Longines Museum while the other was presented to Winslet at a private ceremony, leaving 3 pieces to be auction from 10 – 30 June. Models 2/5, 3/5 and 4/5 will be auctioned with proceeds going towards the Golden Hat Foundation.

The round 18k gold case of the Flagship Heritage by Kate Winslet comes with a silvered dial from reminiscent of the original models from that era and the same stamped caravel flagship with the cursive of “by Kate Winslet” on the back. The winners of the auction will receive their watch from the hands of Kate Winslet during the next event supported by Longines and attended by the brand’s ambassador. [Bid for Flagship Heritage by Kate Winslet here; prices start US$25,000]

About The Golden Hat Foundation

Co-Founders Kate Winslet and Margret D. Ericsdottir met when Kate recorded the English narration for Margret’s documentary, A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism, which captured her journey to find a way for her nonverbal autistic son, Keli, to communicate. Deeply moved by Margret and her family, Kate remained in close contact. Together, Winslet and Ericsdottir decided to create a foundation with the purpose of bringing autism awareness to a new level by focusing on abilities and changing negative stigmas.