Thanks to KenH for the draft report draft and image processing.
I append LIVE hands-on photos of the watches and post on his behalf as he is travelling.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique

Only victory counts 

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique

The most prestigious event on the classic racing circuit is scheduled for the 11th edition from 11th to 13th May 2018. The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique unites drivers and devotees of historical racing cars for competition speed trials.
Chopard is its sponsor and official timekeeper since 2002, a natural alliance for a company steeped in racing passion.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique

A partnership guided by passion 

A key fixture on the classic racing calendar, the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique attracted Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. In 1992, his passion for these speed machines – with their high-precision mechanical engineering equalled only by their splendid designs – led him to make Chopard principal sponsor and official timekeeper of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. A commitment synonymous with a collection of Chopard timepieces featuring refined details inspired by this exceptional universe and entirely in tune with the virtues of this Grand Prix: endurance, precision, sturdiness… and elegance.

Romain Dumas, K-F Scheufele and Jacky Ickx

Held every two years, the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique adheres to the exact route of the F1 Grand Prix, where 50 years of motor racing history converge on the ‘Rock’ to compete. Drivers engage in fierce battles at the wheel of collector’s cars assigned to one of seven categories.

Aficionados of fine mechanical engineering revel in the wide variety of cars from the finest automotive manufacturers. Offering a splendid retrospective look at models from the pre-war period to 1976, the competition is held on the circuit of the 2018 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, which takes place a fortnight later.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Sketch

For the 11th edition of the race, an exclusive new chronograph – the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition – honours the daring spirit of this intense and much sought-after race of which speed is the very reason for being and victory a question of panache. 

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Editions

The Chopard GPMH collection welcomes two new limited-series Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition chronographs. These ultimate driver’s instruments are powerful, sporting and sophisticated watches that pay tribute to the 11th edition of the race. Bodywork inspired by classic racing cars; an ‘engine’ chronometer-certified by the COSC; bright orange or blue accents: these chronographs are a distillation of mechanical refinement, precision and vintage design.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Gold Ti Steel

Issued in two limited series – one of 250 in bead-blasted titanium and steel and the other of 100 in 18-carat rose gold, bead-blasted titanium and steel – they embody Chopard’s passion for racing as well as its high watchmaking standards.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Ti Steel

Inspired by the design codes of classic cars, its daring aesthetics as well as its high-precision mechanical engineering match the adventurous spirit of the participants in this speed race.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Ti Steel

Topped by pushers shaped like engine pistons and a blue bezel with a tachymeter scale for calculating average race times, the 44.5 mm-diameter case is fitted with a screw-lock crown and a caseback stamped with the Automobile Club de Monaco logo. The latter is secured by screws reminiscent of automotive bolts. Water-resistant to 100 metres, it houses a high-precision watch ‘engine’, chronometer-certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing institute (COSC), an indispensable quality for a Chopard chronograph. This mechanical movement with automatic winding, endowed with 46 hours of autonomy, also powers the hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph and date functions.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Ti Steel

The legible snailed silver-toned dial is enlivened by luminous effects created by the blue and silver-toned chronograph counters. The minute track is punctuated by characteristic applied arrow-shaped hour-markers painted with Super-LumiNova®. The bright orange sweep-seconds hand of the titanium/steel version and its orange-tipped blue counterpart on the 18-carat rose gold, titanium and steel version mark off the precious seconds of the race.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Gold Ti Steel

Double wrist straps

Two interchangeable straps set the perfect finishing touch to the sporting nature of these new timepieces: the blue Barenia calfskin strap with orange stitching for a vintage elegant look; or the blue NATO strap enhanced with orange racing stripes for a casual sporting style.  

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Editions

That is exactly how Chopard views racing: performance matched by mechanical excellence and faultless ergonomics, teamed with the aura of elegance inseparably bound up with the world of gentlemen drivers. 

Technical details 

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition 250-piece limited edition in titanium and steel.

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Ti Steel 
 
Case: Shotblasted titanium and steel

Total diameter 44.5 mm

Thickness 14.1 mm 

Water resistance 100 metres

Titanium screw-locked crown with steering wheel 8 mm

Steel bezel with blue insert, silver-toned inscription and orange 

Glareproofed sapphire crystal

Pushers in beadblasted (lower) and polished (upper part) titanium

Case-back stamped with 'Automobile Club de Monaco' logo

 
Movement:  Mechanical self-winding chronograph movement

Total diameter 37.2 mm 

Number of jewels 25 

Frequency 28,800 vph

Power reserve approximately 46 hours

Chronometer-certified (COSC)

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Ti Steel

Dial and hands: 
Snailed silver-toned dial

Galvanic blue snailed hollowed counters at 12 and 6 o’clock, silver-toned hollowed counter at 9 o’clock

Rhodium-coated hours and minutes hands painted with Super-LumiNova®

Orange sweep-seconds hand

Orange-tipped rhodium-coated hands for the 12 and 6 o’clock counters

Blue hand for the 9 o’clock counter

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds

Hours, minute and seconds counters at 6, 12 and 9 o’clock

Date window at 3 o’clock

Strap and buckle: 

Blue Barenia calfskin strap with orange stitching; blue and orange NATO strap

Brushed titanium and steel folding clasp

Ref. 168570-3004 – in titanium and steel 

250-piece limited edition 

Technical Details 

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition 100-picece limited edition in 18-carat rose gold, titanium and steel

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Gold Ti Steel

Case:  18-carat rose gold, shot-blasted titanium and steel

Total diameter 44.5 mm

Thickness 14.1 mm 

Water resistance 100 metres

Titanium screw-locked crown with steering wheel 8 mm

18-carat rose gold bezel with blue insert, silver-toned inscription and orange 

Glareproofed sapphire crystal

Pushers in bead blasted (lower) and polished (upper part) 18-carat rose gold

Case-back stamped with the 'Automobile Club de Monaco' logo 

Movement:  Mechanical self-winding chronograph movement

Total diameter 37.20 mm 

Number of jewels 25 

Frequency 28,800 vph

Power reserve approximately 46 hours

Chronometer-certified (COSC)

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2018 Race Edition Gold Ti Steel

Dial and hands: 

Snailed silver-toned dial

Galvanic blue snailed hollowed counters at 12 and 6 o’clock, silver-toned hollowed counter at 9 o’clock

Rhodium-coated hours and minutes hands painted with Super-LumiNova®

Orange-tipped blue sweep-seconds hand 

Orange-tipped gold-coloured hands for the 12 and 6 o’clock counters

Blue hand for the 9 o’clock counter

Functions: 

Hours, minutes, seconds

Hours, minute and seconds counters at 6, 12 and 9 o’clock

Date window at 3 o’clock

Strap and buckle: 

Blue Barenia calfskin strap with orange stitching; blue and orange NATO strap

Brushed titanium and steel folding clasp

Ref. 168570-9002 – in 18-carat rose gold, titanium and steel  

on Barenia calfskin strap and NATO strap 

100-piece limited edition

For Ken H at PuristSPro