These two new watches are the latest fruits of a decades-long partnership.
The post Chopard’s Newest Mille Miglia Chronographs Pay Homage to Classic Motorsport appeared first on Sharp Magazine.
When Andrea Vesco and Fabio Salvinelli crossed the finish line in Brescia earlier this month, they marked an unprecedented achievement in motorsports. After successfully piloting their 1929 Alfa Romeo 6c 1750 Ss Spider Zagato from Brescia to Rome and back — a course winding 2,200 km through the heart of Italy — the pair clinched the top spot in the famed 1000 Miglia for the fourth consecutive year, a new record for the century-old event and Vesco’s seventh victory to date. It also marked the fifth consecutive win for their car — not bad at all for a vehicle that’s almost 100 years old.
The race was also marked by the reveal of two new Chopard Mille Miglia chronographs, an annual tradition to mark the decades-long partnership between the Swiss luxury watchmaker and the historic classic car race. Since 1988 Chopard has served as the official timekeeper and global sponsor of the legendary event, creating a new version of its namesake racing chronograph each year for the last 36 years.
As a testament to Chopard co-president Karl Scheufele’s dedication to classic Italian motorsports and an event Enzo Ferrari once called ‘the most beautiful race in the world’, the Chopard Mille Miglia is equal parts precision timing instrument and luxury accessory. Two new timepieces, a Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph in Lucent Steel and a limited-edition Mille Miglia GTS Chrono, were unveiled at the race’s starting line, and each pays homage to the event with a unique combination of materials and details.
The Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph features a 40.5mm case made from Chopard’s proprietary Lucent Steel, an alloy composed of at least 80% recycled metal, which surrounds a monochrome dial inspired by the race’s black and white chequered flag. Nicknamed La Gara, the Italian word for race, the dial is capped by a vintage-style ‘glass box’ crystal for maximum legibility — an important consideration for any motorsport watch.
As with every Mille Miglia, however, it’s the subtle details that will resonate most strongly with motorsport fans, including pushers that are knurled to recall brake pedals and counters, hands, and numerals inspired by the design of vintage car dashboards. In addition to a famous red ‘1000 Miglia’ logo stamped on the dial, a perforated black calfskin strap evoking traditional driving gloves completes the look.
The Mille Miglia GTS Chrono Limited Italian Edition 2024 takes things up a notch with a 44mm case made from beadblasted grade 2 titanium and DLC-coated steel pushers and crown. Limited to just 100 pieces, the new GTS Chrono is equipped with a mechanical self-winding chronograph movement that’s chronometer-certified by COSC and a strap made from SEAQUAL yarn (a material crafted from upcycled plastic waste recovered from the Mediterranean) with a black rubber lining inspired by 1960s Dunlop racing tires. With a case back engraved with a chequered flag, the 1000 Miglia arrow logo, and the inscription “Brescia > Roma > Brescia”, it more than lives up to the race’s century-old legacy, and Chopard’s longstanding commitment to keeping it alive.
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