The Bozeman Watch Co., of Bozeman, Mont., is launching an online auction of one of its top luxury timepieces to benefit victims of the Southern California wildfires in October. The auctioned watch is number 80 of Bozeman’s automatic SmokeJumper Chronograph series, the official timepiece of the National Smokejumper Association, valued at $5,500 each and limited to 100 worldwide.

The online auction will run through Jan. 1, 2008 and can be found at www.bozemanwatch.com. Inquiries can be made at bwc@bozemanwatch.com.

All proceeds from Bozeman’s online auction will go to assist the victims, say Bozeman officials. Administration of the money raised in the auction of SmokeJumper #80 will be handled by the American Red Cross.

The widespread fires in October, the worst in California’s history, forced the evacuation of a million residents, killed at least seven people, injured 61 firefighters, destroyed some 1,800 homes and damaged hundreds of others, and caused losses estimated at more than $1 billion.

The Bozeman Watch Co. is one of the few U.S. companies which designs and manufactures mechanical timepieces. The watches, aimed at the worldwide collector’s market, are produced in series of no more than 200 individually-numbered watches of each model, and are part of the brand’s “Montana Class Watch Collection.” Each is a certified Swiss chronometer.

The National Smokejumper Association is dedicated to preserving the history and lore of smokejumping, maintaining and restoring the nation’s forest and grassland resources, and responding to special needs of smokejumpers and their families.

JCK