Italian stallion: a close look at Chopard’s 2019 Mille Miglia watch One of the most anticipated events in racing, Mille Miglia, inspired Chopard’s sports luxury watch collection
This is an annual gathering that brings together the owners and drivers of classic cars and travels through the Italian countryside for four days. Sounds too good to be true? For Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard, this is reality. Scheufele is an avid collector and driver of classic cars. He started to establish a partnership with Chopard and this race more than 30 years ago and is still developing today.
Mille Miglia race
The name of the game is officially Mille Miglia Storica, which means “a thousand miles of history”. Hyundai racing is a tamed version of the original Mille Miglia held from 1927 to 1957. The earlier version was the open road speed endurance race, which attracted up to 5 million spectators along the way. Unfortunately, after two fatal car accidents in 1957, the safety of drivers and spectators became the top priority.
Family affairs
Today, Mille Miglia Storica is a four-stage road rally endurance race, and Scheufele has many driving partners, including racing legend Jacky Ickx. This year, Scheufele’s daughter Caroline-Marie accompanied him on a Gullwing Mercedes for the first time. Only cars manufactured between 1927 and 1957 are allowed to participate in the competition, and each of the more than 400 vintage cars is not less than spectacular. These cars follow the route from Brescia to Rome.
The Mille Miglia series came out in 1988 when Chopard became the global sponsor and official timepiece of the event. In this series, precision and elegance are perfectly balanced. This year, Chopard launched one of the Mille Miglia products, not two, but three additional products, all of which are limited editions: Mille Miglia GTS Power Control, Mille Miglia Chronograph Zagato 100th Anniversary Edition and Mille Miglia 2019 Race version. Let’s see.
Chopard Mille Miglia GTS power control
The Mille Miglia GTS Power Control watch is a self-winding certified timepiece. Chopin said in a statement that its design was “inspired by the unique style and evocative atmosphere of the historic automotive world”. The design is sturdy and stylish, with a seconds hand engraved on the bezel. It is worth noting that the 60-hour power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock corresponds to the design of the car’s fuel gauge. At 3 o’clock, the date window appeared in a small hole with a red arrow marked by Mille Miglia. By the way, red is the official color of the annual event.
There are two versions of the watch, both of which are limited editions. This men watches cheap uses a stainless steel and ethical rose gold case with a ruthenium gray dial and a brandy perforated calfskin strap. The all-steel version has an elegant blue dial and blue perforated calfskin strap. Both straps have rubber linings, and their design is based on Dunlop tires used in racing in 1960.
Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Zagato 100th Anniversary Edition
If you don’t know what Zagato is, then you should be at the racing scene. Since 1919 (the 100th anniversary), Zagato has been producing outstanding designs for automobiles. They are the last remaining independent Italian car designers. Although Chopard admits that he is in a state of “healthy competition” in motorsports, outside the track, the two brands respect each other and are passionate about “attention to detail, mechanical ingenuity, elegant aesthetics and a natural sense of harmony”.
Chopard has a COSC-certified chronograph, which has all the technical indicators, but the really attractive feature is its bold red dial. The Z-shaped pattern further enhances the lacquered dial, creating a dazzling brilliance. The counter of the chronograph is red and has a large Z logo at 12 o’clock. This is a bold, personalized watch with a steel case with a diameter of 42 mm and a strap. It will also be very rare, only 100 pieces will be manufactured.
Mille Miglia 2019 Racing Edition
To commemorate this year’s Mille Miglia, Chopard released the 2019 Race Edition watch, which is made of stainless steel and two-tone rose gold and stainless steel. This is a durable 44mm watch, indeed a racing tool. The COSC-certified chronograph counts one-eighth of a second. Of course, the watch has a tachymeter scale on the bezel.
Bold buttons enhance the sporty feel of the swiss watch men, and the steering wheel is engraved on the top of the crown. The perforated leather strap of the watch is lined with black rubber and lined with a Dunlop tire pattern from the 1960s, which is the same as the GTS Power Control model.