Chopard and the iconic Mille Miglia for 2013

Held each year the Mille Miglia is one of the racing worlds’s most famous and most iconic races and for the 25th consecutive year Chopard are the official time keepers.

From May 16th-19th 2013 the racing communities of Italy and across the world came to a standstill to witness one of the greatest road races in history.

Each year only 375 vehicles are accepted to participate; the cars raced must have been driven, at least once, in one of the historical Mille Miglia races between the years of 1927 – 1957. Between 1927 and 1961 the Mille Miglia was a speed trial on open roads across Italy; the very first race featured only 77 cars but now the race welcomes cars and their drivers from the world over to race what is now essentially a rally.

Not that this rally is any less competitive than the original format – the route twists and turns through the Italian countryside as the cars make their way along to the finish line. The cars are as powerful and unpredictable as they ever have been and the riders must stay focused and vigilant. Time keeping is obviously a huge part of this race; the teams can rely only on their driving skills, the indications provided in their road-book, as well as their time measuring instrument, and so as sponsors Chopard have developed their own range of dedicated timepieces designed especially for the race.

The race lasts three days and starts in Brescia, Northern Italy. The drivers must reach Rome by the next day (Friday) and then they must return to Brescia on the Saturday ready for prizes and celebrations on the Sunday evening.

For 2013 Chopard have totally re-engineered and re-designed the Mille Miglia and has issued two limited editions in steel (2013 pieces) and rose gold (250 pieces). The watch has been designed to play a key role in the Mille Miglia race “…just in the same way as a car engine or a suspension system”.

The Watch

The Limited Edition Chopard Mille Miglia Chronograph Watch for 2013 is a self-winding chronometer that features a 24-hour dual time indication and date display in the iconic red arrow at 3 o’clock; the arrow depicts the signposts that show the route from Brescia to Rome and back. Housed in a 42.9mm case this watch sits perfectly on even the slimmest wrists. The imposing 44mm bezel gives the illusion of a much larger watch without detracting from comfort and wearability. However, in their “quest for optimal ergonomics” Chopard have continued with the amendments to the watch by revamping the lugs to make them short and tapered so as to secure the watch more firmly to the wrist. The smooth, mushroom shaped pushers with a non-slip etched grid pattern are easy to use and further emphasises Chopards desire to create the perfect time piece for the high pressure situation of serious racing.

Carrying on this theme of ease of use Chopard have designed the dial focusing primarily on readability; the red sweep second hand is tipped with white to ensure the wearer doesn’t miss it and the anthracite dial is the perfect background for the light grey hour markers. The bezel features a tachometric scale and the dual time reading is positioned on the dial between the hour markers.

Both the hour markers and the hands are enhanced with a superluminova coating to ensure the time is still visible in low light and at night. The red highlights on the dial are testament to the colour that symbolises Italy’s passion for automobiles and classic car racing. Framing the inner bezel ring and surrounding the counters and chronograph hands this red really stands out and only emphasises Chopard’s commitment to this time honoured Italian tradition.

Finished off with an integrated rubber strap with 1960’s Dunlop racing-tyre motif to enhance the sporty look of this time piece.

“The Chopard Classic Racing collection stems from the passion nurtured by Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele for historical cars and motor sports in general. A penchant for performance and speed, a passion for mechanics and tradition, a love of details and fine workmanship are all key character traits that have guided him towards the creation of this fascinating collection.”

Discover the complete Chopard Classic Racing collection on https://bankslyon.co.uk/chopard-watches