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Chopard Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition watch: Owner Review

This is an owner's review of the new Chopard Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition steel watch.
In 2015, the model chosen to represent the legendary spirit of the famous 1000-Mile Italian race is fitted with an in-house Chopard manufactured movement for the first time. The 'engine' is certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). Inspired by the racing cars that took part in “la corsa più bella del mondo” between 1940 and 1957, the Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition features a power-reserve indicator that looks like a fuel gauge, along with a flaming red “Rossa Corsa” dial and oversized numerals reminiscent of 1950s dashboards. This exclusive edition is issued in limited series of 1,000 in steel and 100 in rose gold.

 Unlike my last Chopard watch (L.U.C 1963 Chrono PuristS Edition) this new timepiece was a surprise purchase. It is my first watch from the Mille Miglia range. 

I knew about the novelty from a launch report on PuristSPro website that was dominated by discussions about the shade of red of the dial. By the way, the shade of red does appear different in varying light conditions and digital cameras are "fooled" easily to make the watch appear orange-red. The real colour is as in the photograph above.  Below, you will find examples of orange-red images in different light conditions.

As a L.U.C. man, it did not seem likely that I would pursue watches from the Mile Miglia line. As I usually choose chronographs but the Mille Miglia GTS Chrono for 2015 still has a 3rd party 'engine' inside, I was an unlikely buyer.

DANGER 

There is a danger to attending watch-related events because last year, I had 24 hours to inspect all Chopard racing watches on offer during the lulls at the Le Mans race.

I should have guessed that a power reserve gauge would eventually feature in my collection because I had already taken a 'selfie' photograph with the Chopard Superfast Power Control (below).

Maybe I should not go to Le Mans 2015 as it's too dangerous for my wallet? 

NATIONAL COLOURS

The varnished dial in a powerful shade of red dominates the Mille Miglia 2015 Race watch.

This “Rosso Corsa” (RACING RED) is one of the famous “racing colours”, the colour codes for cars that served to identify competitors’ nationality from the early 20th century through to the late 1960s.

Actually, national racing colours were assigned for the Gordon Bennett Cup races (1900 - 1905) but Red was allocated to the USA. Italy did not adopt the colour until 1907 when a red Itala won the Peking to Paris race. Since then, red was chosen as the competition colour of Italy.

WATCH REVIEW

DIAL AND HANDS

If 'The Eyes are the Windows to your Soul', then the dial is the portal to the character of a watch. The Chopard Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition watch has a distinctive dial of flaming red with black and white highlights is a variant of the new Mille Miglia GTS watches introduced by Chopard for 2015. 

The power-reserve indicator is reminiscent of typical 1950s era fuel gauges, while the oversized 6 and 12 o’clock Arabic numerals echo the dashboards of vintage cars. As an acknowledgement of the racing numbers placed on the doors and bonnet of the track cars, the date window appears clearly on a white background in the Mille Miglia red arrow-shaped logo at 3 o'clock.

The striking red dial attracts urgent and rapt attention. Maybe it’s the universal warning colour in motor racing or Nature that evokes such primordial feelings?  The red flags on the race track and traffic lights only reinforce that urgency.   I was immediately drawn to it and it has proven to be my most vivid watch. Every time I look at it, an irrepressible rush of blood courses through my being. Officially, Chopard lists the background dial colour as 'rosso corsa' or what the Italians call 'racing red'. There is a subliminal texture to the lacquer dial and close inspection with magnification reveals the fine stipled pattern as the root cause.

For clarity, I appreciate the white hour markers with large numerals at 12 and 6 o'clock. This is further highlighted by the 'black-polished' steel central sweep seconds hand with whlte tip. The hour and minute steel hands are facetted and filled with Superluminova luminescent paint in their central core for maximal visibility. In daylight, the highly polished facets reflect the light for maximal visibility. At night, the glowing hand looks like those on a dashboard instrument dial.

The eight markers for hours are luminescent appliqué chevrons similar to the Mille Miglia logo; they give an immediate automotive ambience by evoking road directional signs. The large numerals at 12 and 6 o'clock are also luminescent appliqué harking back to vintage dashboard instruments. The minutes/seconds/quarter-seconds are indicated by painted white markers on a black chapter ring at the rim of the red dial. The black aluminium bezel is marked out at 5 minute intervals by white numerals.

There is a small but important detail that all the appliqué markers are surrounded by steel outlines to give a 3-Dimensional effect. The steel outlines of the markers and hands are so polished that they look black. I thought they were black hands until inspecting them with a magnifying loupe.

The most obvious feature on the dial is the 'fuel gauge' at 9 o'clock to indicate power reserve of the mainspring. It is in a recessed sector between 8 o'clock and 10 o'clock, with an immediate cognitive indicator of 'fuel' by a curved white segment that tapers to zero as power diminishes. The black 'F' for full tank is at the broadest part of the white segment. Finally, just before 'E' for empty, there is a black sector showing final reserves.

This is a complex dial with both hollowed out sub-dial and raised appliqué markers. There is even a shiny red 1000 Miglia arrow at 3 o’clock position incorporating the date window that contrasts with the matt texture red dial. The depth of the dial is also enhanced by the black chapter ring providing an angled transition to the outer bezel.

All the appliqué numerals and markers provide a real depth that cannot be achieved with even thick paint. You can enjoy the clarity of the dial because of the double sided anti-glare coatings on the sapphire crystal.

CASE  

The case recalls those of previous Mille Miglia designs especially the pointy ends of the lugs. The lugs have a flat top surface for a strong integration with the case. There is a demarcation line from which the lugs curve smoothly to the tips.

The tops of the lugs are a brushed satin finish while the sides are gloss polished. This requires a greater degree of difficulty of polishing than a uniform finish.

The convex curves are evocative of racing car bodies. The lugs have been redesigned to ensure enhanced comfort as the short lugs allows wrapping around smaller wrists but people like me with larger wrists are not compromised. The sharper angle change helps to bring the lugs down to encompass all wrist sizes comfortably. The lugs do not protrude outside the outline of small wrists.

A distinctive feature of the case is the groove in the side of the bezel, just under the sapphire glass, that recalls engine piston rings. It sets the scene and is an example of the attention to detail at Chopard. Some finishing details are so subtle that we may not notice their presence; and yet we would notice their absence by the drop in perceived quality.

CROWN

The oversized 7mm crown aids usage and is decorated with the Classic Racing 3-spoke Steering Wheel logo.

The crown is set between tapered guards that have curved sides to recall the swooping lines of vintage sports cars.

STRAP and CLASP   
 

Chopard used Barenia leather straps to mimic the leather straps on bonnets and trunks of vintage cars. They also add a sportive feel with the racing fenestrations in the leather.

I wish the red theme was carried onwards with red stitching instead of black thread on my strap.

Each black barenia calf leather strap is fenestrated with three holes in the vintage style. Barenia leather is soft and silky calfskin, which acquires a beautiful patina over time.  Full grain and double tanned, it contains 20% oil and is resistant to scratches; fine scratches can be rubbed off with our fingers easily. Barenia also has a good water resistant characteristic.

I remember Momo steering wheels and Dents deerskin leather driving gloves embellished with the holes of graduated diameter.  These Chopard Classic Racing black straps are soft and comfortable. The double deployant steel clasp is signed CHOPARD.

I have not suffered any pinching yet but the inner clasp could engage a little more positively. It is still secure with the outer clasp engaged with a satisfying click.

FUNCTION

The time display is clearly displayed by the luminescent steel hands over the red dial. Appliqué numerals and hour markers provide 3-dimensional shadows that draw you into the dial.

The date display is large and the black numerals on white date disc is Clarity itself.

The power reserve sub-dial provides both instinctive and objective reading of the "fuel in the tank" like in an automobile. The instinctive indicator is the tapering white arc from the black marker at Empty to the widest part at the top of the arc for Full.  The objective indicators are markers for 1/4, 1/2. 3/4 and Full tanks.

In use, I'm getting just under 3 days power reserve if I don't wear the watch from "full tank" i.e. 60 hours as specified.

PROS

1) Striking evocative racing red dial
2) Functional and Distinctive Power Reserve Display
3) Good legibility Day or Night
4) First in-house Chopard movement in the Mille Miglia range

CONS

1) The standard strap may be a little short as I'm on the 2nd last hole even if I don't have the largest wrist around. I know that is "picky" but I could not really find fault except for that. I'm sure they have longer straps in stock.

CONCLUSION  

I am glad that I took a look in-person and listened to the current Mrs MTF who asked: "Do you want a red watch and do you like it?"

This time, I succumbed to the rush-of-blood in hot-headed lust; my usual scientific and deliberate approach had no place in the decision making.

What tipped the scales? The limited edition serial number of the only example in that shop, which had been delivered only 3 days before, was 178; that being the official PuristS lucky number meaning "All together we prosper" in Chinese. 

End Game; I surrendered....

WRIST SHOT

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Case: Steel
Total diameter  43.00 mm
Thickness  11.43 mm
Water-resistant to 100 metres
Crown in steel  7.00 mm
Bezel in steel with black aluminium insert
Glareproofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition back secured with screws and bearing the inscriptions
“Mille Miglia”  and “Brescia > Roma > Brescia”

Movement:
Self-winding movement Chopard 01.08-C
Total diameter  28.60 mm
Thickness  4.95 mm
Number of jewels 40
Frequency  28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve approx. 60 hours
Chronometer-certified (COSC)

Dial and hands:
Red varnished dial with white transfers
Metallised black appliques and numerals painted with Superluminova
Power-reserve indicator with black and white transfers
Metallised black or gilt central sweep-seconds hand

Functions:
Hours, minutes, seconds
Date window at 3 o’clock
Power-reserve indicator at 9 o’clock

Strap and clasp:
Black Barenia leather with black stitching
Folding clasp in steel

Ref. 168566-3002 – In steel
1,000-piece limited edition

© Dr Melvyn Teillol-Foo, 2015