Speed Machines
The Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition is a limited-edition watch that pays tribute to the famous Italian road race, known as the “thousand miles.” This annual event, which was first held in 1927, is a celebration of classic and vintage cars, and Chopard has been the official timekeeper of the race since 1988.
And there’s a lot to fit into a tribute. The history of the Mille Miglia dates back to the 1920s, when Italy was experiencing a boom in car manufacturing. The race was created as a way to showcase the country’s automotive industry and promote tourism in the region. It quickly became one of the most prestigious and challenging events in the world of motorsports, attracting top drivers and teams from around the globe to compete in the open-road endurance race that covers a distance of 1,000 miles through the Italian countryside. It starts and finishes in the city of Brescia, and follows a route that takes in a number of iconic cities and landmarks, including Rome, Florence, and the Apennine Mountains. Tough gig.
The cars that participate in the Mille Miglia are essentially by this point a museum convoy, as the race is only open to cars that were built between 1927 and 1957, and entrants must adhere to strict rules and regulations in order to qualify. Some of the most popular cars in the race include the Ferrari 250 GTO, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, and the Jaguar XK120. This had made the event an kind of Mecca for car buffs just to come and watch.
The Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition watch is inspired by these classic vehicles, and it features a number of design elements that reflect this theme. The watch itself is a typical offering from the Mille Miglia GTS collection, featuring an oversized and motorsport-inspired 44mm diameter case. It is available in all-steel or a combination of steel and 18k rose gold on the crown, pushers, and bezel. The watch’s design is heavily influenced by the world of cars, with oversized pump pushers, a large screw-lock crown, and a tachymeter scale on the bezel.
One of the main features of the Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition is its dark blue ceramic insert on the bezel, which is paired with a white printed scale. The watch also comes with a racing perforated leather strap with a tire-like rubber lining, which combines light brown and blue colors. The strap is attached to the wrist with a stainless steel triple-folding clasp.
The dial of the Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition is executed in silver, with a circular satin-brushed pattern that radiates from the centre of the dial. The sub-counters, which have a Valjoux-like 6-9-12 display, are tone-on-tone and snailed, while the applied markers and hands are executed in blue. The watch is powered by a self-winding movement with a power reserve of 46 hours.
The watch is also water-resistant to a depth of 100 metres, making it suitable for everyday wear for when you are navigating the Italian countryside in a Ferrari GTO.
