The Chopard Mille Miglia – Racing Spirit Unleashed
The world of wristwatches has countless examples of watchmakers taking cues and inspirations from the racing world. This is especially the case for most big-name watch manufacturers as they create watches like the Chopard Mille Miglia. Why mention such a specific brand name you ask? Well, this is because we are focusing on this particular timepiece today and revisit the roots of sporty watches. There are countless watches that could fit that bill but very few have shown this much closeness to motorsports. In addition to that, the fine craftsmanship that Chopard has put into making this watch is also worthy of praise. It is no secret that the company is synonymous with creating amazing products, both in terms of watches and jewelry. Knowing the roots of this incredible piece of artistry is important to fully realize its importance.
The inspiration
True European motorsports enthusiast would already have figured out the meaning of Mille Miglia in the name. It was a very popular Italian race that was basically a test of endurance since it was 1500km long. Started in 1927, the race kept on running for a massive 24 seasons and it was a very competitive event. However, due to two horrible accidents which took 12 lives, the race finally came to an end. The loss of lives of spectators caused the race to be shut down as an unsafe event. It took 20 years for the race to be restarted and now it is a highly celebrated racing event. In 1988, the Chopard got the responsibility of being the official timekeeper of the race. In addition to that, the company co-president Mr. Karl-Friedrich has been a racer in every event that happened since 1988.
Mille Miglia 8331
The fact that Chopard has launched a whole series of watches inspired by the race is no surprise. And one of the most iconic of these watches is easily the 8331 variant. This particular watch has a very sporty outlook and carries the racing Mille Miglia spirit in a very classical manner. The watch has a reasonably small 39mm casing. The tachymeter is located on the dial itself and there are three chronograph functions available. The date feature is present between 4 and 5 o’clock positions. The Mille Miglia logo is also present on the bezel, representing the racing pedigree of the watch. If all that was not enough, the watch also comes with a rubber strap that has a tire tread design on it.
Chopard Mille Miglia GMT 8992
While all the watches Chopard created around the race are unique and beautiful, the GMT 8992 is something special. This watch features an all-stainless steel body and is one of the most iconic automatic chronographs available. The racing Mille Miglia tradition is strong in this watch and there are quite a few design cues. The very first and obvious one is the Mille Miglia race logo, present both on the dial and the clasp of the chain. In addition to that, the watch has a much more racing style with a large 42mm dial. The all-white dial and luminous hands are truly a beautiful sight. The three chronographs are present at 6, 9, and 12-hour positions and the date is at the traditional 3’clock position. The watch also boasts a transparent underbody which allows to viewer to enjoy the automatic chronograph in action.
Chopard Mille Miglia GT XL Rosso Corsa
If the previous versions were not sporty enough, Chopard went a step further in enhancing Mille Miglia’s racing pedigree. The creation of Rosso Corsa marked how serious the company was about its association with the Mille Miglia race. The watch features the classic Rosso Corsa colored dial which is an international racing shade of red. The most interesting turn of events with this watch is the placement of numbers. The company decided to engrave the 6 and 12 numbers onto the sapphire glass atop the dial. This, in addition to the all-red dial and numbers, gave it a very unique look. The leather strap with large holes and titanium clasp only added to the beauty of this watch. When it comes to watches that are one of a kind, this watch definitely falls in that category.
Chopard Mille Miglia Racing Colors
If there is one thing that Chopard is synonymous with, it is definitely their ability to play with colors. This fact is particularly highlighted in the racing colors series of Chopard Mille Miglia watches. The company launched this series as a 30-year celebration of the company’s association with the race. The Chopard racing colors series consists of five colors in total, namely: silver, green, blue, yellow, and of course, red. The watch has a very bold look and a large 42mm dial. Each color has a limited production quantity of 300 only. The watch also has the same 4:30 date position and a transparent back showing off the automatic chronograph. The typical rubber tire tread on the straps is also not present. Instead, the watch has a calfskin strap that has stitches that match the dial color of the watch.
Chopard Mille Miglia GTS
If there is any watch in the whole world that screams racing pedigree, it is probably the Chopard Mille Miglia GTS. 2015 Baselworld was the event where the company launched this elegant yet sporty watch. The dial was clean in every aspect except for a very special feature: a fuel gauge. This is actually the power reserve indicator of the watch and the watch has 60 hours of power reserve. The watch also boasts an in-house developed automatic chronograph which is visible through the transparent back. The watch comes in three variants: steel dial with rubber, all stainless steel, and 18k rose gold on a rubber strap. The GTS is truly one of the most beautiful watches currently available in motorsport watches.
The history of Chopard is studded with the great successes of Chopard Mille Miglia watch series. Owning any of these watches is truly a privilege for any motorsport watch fan.
