Chopard Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Black Edition

MTF provides a flash live report from Le Mans 2016, announcing the Chopard Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Black Edition. This new chronograph, inspired by the Porsche 919 Hybrid, continues Chopard's partnership with Porsche Motorsport and features design cues that appeal to PuristS, such as a black dial and red highlights.

FLASH LIVE REPORT: Announced from Le Mans, France

17:30 H, 18 June 2016

Immediately, I can report an exciting new Superfast Chronograph watch from Chopard to continue their association with Porsche Motorsport and the World Endurance Racing Championship. Methinks, there are many design cues from this watch in common with what PuristS like...black dial, red chronograph hands  and other red highlights.  We'll come back to this watch in a formal report soon.  Meanwhile, enjoy these first photographs.

A Chopard chronograph to deliver Porsche Motorsport peak performance

At the 2016 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Chopard – Official Timing Partner for Porsche Motorsport since its major comeback to the World Endurance Championship in 2014 – is presenting the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Black Edition.  This chronograph with its imposing, avant-garde design, is inspired by the new Porsche 919 Hybrid from the German team which, after a triumphant 2015 season, is already eyeing an 18th world championship title in 2016. The Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Black Edition, issued in a 100-piece titanium series, flaunts a modern style combining intense black with white and red detailing. It is equipped with a movement chronometer-certified by the COSC: Chopard Calibre 03.05-M.

On the road to victory
United by the shared values of a passion for cars and a quest for performance, Chopard has been accompanying Porsche Motorsport in the World Endurance Championship since its return to the competition in 2014. As Official Timing Partner to this legendary racing team, the Geneva-based watch manufacturer proudly celebrated a 2015 season that saw Porsche win the “Manufacturers’ World Championship” title as well as an historical two top spots in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For this 84th edition of the most eagerly anticipated endurance race, Chopard presents the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Black Edition, a 100-piece limited series that will doubtless make a lasting impression on the most dedicated enthusiasts of this fine piece of mechanical engineering. The powerful and sophisticated chronograph is inspired by the new Porsche 919 Hybrid – an evolved version of the speed machine that powered Porsche Motorsport to the very top of the 2015 podium.

An exclusive timepiece built for competition and performance
Exclusively available in Chopard boutiques, the limited Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Black Edition flies high the banner of the new Porsche prototype by picking up its aesthetic codes. Witness the imposing 45 mm-diameter case made in titanium – an ultra-light material much favoured in the world of endurance racing – that is bead-blasted, blackened by a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) treatment ensuring an extremely scratch-resistant coating, and water-resistant to 100 metres. Topping it is a bezel bearing a lacquered titanium tachymetric scale and secured by eight PVD-coated blackened screws. The matt black rubber-moulded screw-lock crown bears a steering wheel emblem, while the two pushers are respectively coated in red rubber at 2 o’clock (chronograph start-stop functions) and black rubber at 4 o’clock (zero-reset function). The grooves on the case middle evoke the cooling fins of race-car engines, an exclusive finish reflected in the straight lines of the dial reminiscent of the Porsche 919 Hybrid’s rear diffuser. The red 919 logo appearing on the hours counter is identical to the numbers of the Porsche Hybrid competition cars.

A play on contrasting colours
Clothed in deep black, lit up by glowing white as well as vivid red accents, the new Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Black Edition plays on the contrasts between the three colours of the new futuristic Porsche prototype. Its matt black dial features red counter hands, minutes markers and central sweep-seconds hand, while Superluminova-painted Arabic numerals, hours and minutes hands as well as metallic hour-markers stand out distinctly against the dial. 

Precision mechanics and an exceptional engine
Like a racing car equipped with the finest mechanism, the case of the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Black Edition with its sleek, sporty lines houses a ‘motor’ built for competition: Chopard Calibre 03.05M. Designed like an authentic engine, entirely produced and assembled in Chopard’s Fleurier Ebauches workshops, this mechanical self-winding chronograph movement achieves remarkable precision certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). The movement delivers a substantial 60-hour power reserve and features a flyback function. The sapphire crystal case-back, engraved with the inscription “Official Timing Partner Porsche Motorsport” as well as the team logo, provides a chance to admire this cutting-edge mechanism featuring slit bridges reminiscent of racing engines.

A compendium of chronometric precision and reliability, this standout chronograph designed for passionate motor-racing instruments is teamed with a black rubber strap inspired by slick competition racing tyres and secured by a folding clasp in DLC-coated titanium.

 
Technical details

Case:
• Bead-blasted DLC-blackened titanium
• Total diameter       45.00 mm
• Thickness        15.18 mm
• Water resistance       100 metres
• Matt black rubber-coated screw-lock crown    8 mm
with steering wheel emblem
• Steel pushers cpted with red rubber (at 2 o’clock) and black rubber (at 4 o’clock)
• Glareproofed sapphire crystal
• Exhibition back with “Official Timing Partner Porsche Motorsport” transfer and Porsche Motorsport logo
• Engraved and black-lacquered titanium bezel with tachymeter function, secured by eight screws in PVD-blackened steel

Movement:
•  Mechanical self-winding chronograph    Chopard 03.05-M
•  Total diameter       28.8 mm
• Number of jewels  45
• Power reserve   60 hours
• Frequency  28,800 vph
• Chronometer-certified (COSC)

Dial and hands:
• Matt black dial with red and white transfers on the inner bezel ring
• “919” logo in the hours counter at 9 o’clock
• Superluminova-painted metallic black hours and minutes hands and metallic hour-markers
• Arrow-tipped central sweep-seconds hand
• Red minutes and hours counter hands
• Metallic black seconds counter hand

Functions and displays:
• Central display of the hours, minutes and seconds
• Small seconds at 6 o’clock
• Date through a window between 4 and 5 o’clock
• Chronograph – stop seconds function
• Flyback function
• 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock
• Tachymeter

Bracelet and clasp:
• Black rubber strap (slick tyre tread motif)
• Folding clasp in bead-blasted, DLC-blackened titanium

Ref. 168535-3005 -  100-piece limited edition
Chopard Boutique Exclusive