This year’s Mille Miglia 2017 Race Edition by Chopard is, like last year’s model, a celebration of motor racing. The dial has an engine-turned dial finish, and counters inspired by vintage car dashboards. The case has automotive-inspired pushers, and an unmistakable rubber strap that looks just like a tyre. The solid caseback hides a Valjoux 7750-type chronograph movement, so not in-house, but nonetheless with chronometer-certified precision. It’s a limited edition of 1,000 pieces, at a price – €6,600 – more accessible than Chopard’s chronographs with in-house movements.
Celebrating the Mille Miglia
Chopard has been sponsor and official timekeeper of the Mille Miglia classic car rally since 1988. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Chopard co-president, collects cars and drives in the rally each year.
Water-resistant case
The 44 mm-diameter steel case has an excellent water resistance of 100 metres, so it would survive surface swimming. It is 13.79 mm thick, and has a solid caseback with very obvious screws. The crown is large (8 mm) and deeply grooved. Lugs are short and neatly profiled for greater wearability.
Automotive dial and bezel
There are lots of reference to motor racing on the dial, with counters recalling dashboard instruments, the 1000 Miglia logo, the aluminium bezel insert with tachymeter scale, and red trim where the watchglass meets the bezel. The inner bezel ring has a white fractional seconds scale, with numerals that interrupt it at the five-second intervals. The hands are in dark metal, hour markers are applied, and have a coating of luminescent paint. It’s interesting to compare this watch with Montblanc’s TimeWalker Chronograph Automatic, powered by a similar movement and with an analogous motor-racing inspiration.
Movement
The self-winding chronograph movement is probably a Valjoux 7750-type movement such as that made by ETA, 25 jewels, running at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hertz), and providing 48 hours power reserve. It is chronometer-certified by COSC.
Price and reference
The Mille Miglia 2017 Race Edition by Chopard is reference 168571-3002, a 1,000-piece limited edition. It costs €6,600, 6,700 Swiss francs, £5,520. More info from the Chopard website.
