Since 1988, Chopard has been the partner and official timekeeper of the prestigious Mille Miglia, which sees this year 430 classic cars compete over four days along a route stretching one thousand miles and winding through the most stunning Italian scenery between Brescia and Rome.
Born of the personal passion for classic racing cars nurtured by Chopard’s Co-President, Karl-Friedrich Scheufeule - alos an active driver who takes part in the race personally each year - this link between Chopard and classic racing gave birth to the Mille Miglia watche collection. Each year, a limited series dedicated to the race is specially created.
Issued in limited series of 1,000 in steel and 100 in rose gold respectively, the Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition picks up the design codes of the classic cars that took part in the Italian race between 1940 and 1957. On the varnished dial, the emblematic “Rosso Corsa” red colour reigns supreme. This watch face, with its black and white touches, recalls the new Mille Miglia GTS watches presented by Chopard at Baselworld 2015. The power-reserve indicator is reminiscent of typical 1950s petrol gauges, while the oversized 6 and 12 o’clock Arabic numerals echo the dashboards of vintage cars. In a nod to the participant numbers placed on the doors and bonnet of the competing vehicles, the date window appears clearly on a white background in the Mille Miglia red arrow-shaped logo.
The Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition comes in a sturdy 43 mm-diameter case in 18-carat rose gold or steel, topped by a bezel with a black aluminium graduated insert.
The black Barenia leather calfskin strap is secured by an 18-carat rose gold or steel folding clasp.
The screw-down back guaranteeing water resistance to 100 metres is engraved with the inscriptions “Mille Miglia” and “Brescia > Rome > Brescia” and fitted with a transparent sapphire crystal pane revealing the Chopard movement and its openworked oscillating weight.
This movement is the mechanical self-winding Chopard Calibre 01.08-C, entirely developed, designed and assembled in the Chopard’s Fleurier Ebauches workshops. COSC-certified, it ensures extreme precision in driving the hours, minutes and seconds indications, as well as a date appearing at 3 o’clock and a power-reserve display at 9 o’clock and is endowed with an approximately 60-hour power reserve.
