The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, a biennial rendezvous, brings together racing cars dating from the Pre-War period through to the 1970s. Chopard has been its sponsor and official timekeeper since 2002. The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique watch collection, born from the personal passion for classic cars of Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, is composed of sporty watches featuring refined details inspired by the design codes of classic cars.
Accurate, rugged and perfectly readable, the new Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2016 Race Edition comes in two versions: shotblasted titanium and stainless steel, or 18-carat rose gold, respectively issued in 500-piece and 100-piece editions.
Fitted with pushers shaped like engine pistons and a grey bezel with a tachymetric scale that is ideal for calculating average speeds during the race, the 44.5 mm-diameter case features a back engraved with the Automobile Club de Monaco logo and is secured by screws reminiscent of automobile bolts. Water-resistant to 100 metres, it is powered by a high-precision horological ‘engine’, chronometer-certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). This self-winding chronograph movement, endowed with a 46-hour power reserve, offers hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph and date functions.
The optimally legible silver-toned snailed dial is enlivened by light effects created by the grey and silver-toned chronograph counters, while the minute circle is punctuated by applied hour-markers featuring the collection’s characteristic arrow shape. The bright orange central sweep-seconds hand on the titanium/stainless steel version, or the blue one adorning the 18-carat rose gold model, ticks off the precious seconds of the race during which speed is matched by performance and risk-taking around the sharp bends of the Monaco circuit.
Two interchangeable straps set the perfect finishing touch to the sporting nature of these new timepieces: a classy Barenia calfskin strap with orange or blue stitching, for the vintage elegance typical of gentlemen drivers or a grey NATO strap bearing orange or blue racing stripes for a relaxed sporty style.
