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Baselworld 2017: CHOPARD Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary

90th Anniversary Limited Edition embodies Italian-style racing spirit

On the last day of Baselworld 2017: LIVE REPORT of an excellent RACING HYBRID watch.

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Chronograph

In 2017, the Mille Miglia race celebrates its 90th anniversary, while Chopard issues a 90-piece Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Limited Edition .

As the historical partner of “la corsa più bella del mondo”, Chopard surprised the racing paddock with a "supercharged engine" in a rose gold collector's watch – the most prestigious Chopard Mille Miglia ever.

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Chronograph

90 years of historic automobile passion and dolce vita

Inaugurated in 1927, the Mille Miglia has become the  most prestigious and ultimate classic rally. It was a speed trial at first, with the greatest drivers (Nuvolari, Campari, Biondetti and Moss) fighting for honours. Since 1977, the Mille Miglia became a 'regularity race' over 1,000 miles of spectacular scenery, on roads lined by passionate Italians, from Brescia to Rome and back.

1000 Miglia Logo

This gathering of gentlemen drivers is a unique event in which Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele is personally involved. His personal passions as a driver, collector and devotee of racing cars gave rise to the association between Chopard and the Mille Miglia in 1988. This shared love of fine mechanical engineering and sports performance inspired one of our favourite watch collections: Mille Miglia watches epitomise the spirit of the races with more than 430 teams entered each year.

Drivers always want a better engine

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary rose gold chronograph with L.U.C 1963 Chrono PuristS Edition in steel

When asked why a usually modest Mile Miglia watch has a L.U.C calibre inside, Mr Scheufele shared his thoughts.

His analogy was the car racing world where it is not unusual to replace the 'stock' standard engines with more powerful motors for a track advantage.

He was spotted wearing his L.U.C 1963 Chrono PuristS Edition at Baselworld 2017 trade fair.

An apt choice as that was from the inaugural collection to feature the hand-wind L.U.C Calibre 03.07-L. flyback chronograph movement.

That was a special 'date-less' movement requested by PuristS without date display and in steel case. This movement variant was homologated with a Geneva Seal and we wondered when Chopard would use it again.

Now, we know!

[By the way, a few pieces of the L.U.C 1963 Chrono PuristS Edition in rare steel case, as worn by Mr Scheufele, are available upon request.  They will ship them to your nearest Chopard In-House Boutique]  

Karl-Friedrich Scheufele at Baselworld 2017

Chopard uprated the Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Limited Edition with L.U.C Calibre 03.07-L.

This hand-wound flyback chronograph from the best of the Chopard workshops was borrowed for this tribute piece. It features extremely refined finishing and is made of nickel silver (German silver), an alloy allowing precision machining and exceptional chamfering. The lowermost parts of the movement are circular-grained and gilded, while the uppermost parts, related to the chronograph, are in steel or rhodium-plated.

This interplay of colours echoes that of the finest racing cars with their internal mechanical complexities.

L.U.C 03.07-L

The construction and shapes of a movement comply with functional and aesthetic rules, like the lines of a car’s bodywork. L.U.C Calibre 03.07-L obeys the laws of high-precision Haute Horlogerie and its standards of beauty. These standards and high precision allows a Mille Miglia watch to be awarded the Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal) for the first time. 

Honouring legends by Design

Some legendary cars have taken part in the Mille Miglia and the Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary recalls their elegance.

The curves of a Ferrari 250 GTO, the taut lines of an Alfa Romeo 6C, the sensuality of an Aston Martin, the robust quality of a Porsche 550 RS: all the ingredients of sophisticated, masculine and opulent style converge in this chronograph.

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Chronograph

Its 'vintage' calfskin strap has a special treatment that will ensure it ages gracefully while acquiring a pleasing patina.

That recalls the bonnet straps on vintage cars.

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary sketch

The Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Limited Edition is the most exclusive watch of the Mille Miglia collection.

Its voluptuous rose gold case is an ample but perfectly proportioned 46 mm-diameter, 13 mm-thick ‘bodywork’.

The polished bezel lends an air of softness against the precision of virile curves showing the attention to details like the short dipping lugs to ensure comfortable fit on any wrist.

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary sketch

The chronograph pushers resemble engine pistons as a vintage detail and the large notched dial remind us of petrol tank caps, while ensuring easy handling even with leather driver’s gloves.

Racing Dashboard

Vintage Arabic numeral font

The porcelain-like white dial is bears Arabic numerals and snailed counters like those typically seen on vintage dashboards.

The tachymetric scale on the edge of the dial is functional as a driver’s aid. It can be used to measure real speed as well as average speed – vital information for 'regularity trials'.

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary

Certificates of Excellence

The Geneva Seal attests both aesthetic and technical approval by an independent authority and governed by Law of the Canton of Geneva. It dictates the strict criteria of excellence for the case and movement, its structure, its appearance, its precision, as well as finely crafted surface finishing.

Karl-Friedrich Scheufele applied the same logic of Mille Miglia timing regularity to Chopard watchmaking. Each of the 90 movements used in the Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Limited Edition has been also issued a C.O.S.C. by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, which certifies its precision.

In the Winners Circle

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Chronograph

The Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Limited Edition will delight passionate PuristS and aficionados of cars who appreciate the classic racing spirit perpetuated for 90 years by drivers who compete with true style. It is NOT a regular Chopard Mille Miglia watch and can thus be appreciated as a supercharged "speciale" and a tribute to the fabled classic race.

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Limited Edition Technical Details

Case:
18-carat rose gold
Total diameter      46.00 mm
Thickness      13.12 mm
Water resistance     50 metres
18-carat rose gold crown    8.50 mm
18-carat rose gold pushers
Glareproofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition case-back with engraved Mille Miglia logo

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary

Movement:
Hand-wound movement L.U.C 03.07-L
Number of components 300
Total diameter  28.60 mm
Number of jewels 38
Frequency  28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve approximately 60 hours
Nickel silver bridges, adorned with a Côtes de Genève motif
Chronometer certified (COSC)
Poinçon de Genève

Dial and hands:
Porcelain-like white dial bearing Arabic numerals painted with Superluminova
Black transferred minute track and tachymeter scale
Red Mille Miglia logo
Finely snailed white chronograph counters
Superluminova-gilded and painted Dauphine-type hands
Triangular-shaped gilded counter pointers
Red-tipped gilded central sweep-seconds hand

Functions:
Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph
Hours and minutes counters at 9 and 3 o’clock respectively, seconds by a central sweep-seconds hand
Flyback function

Strap and buckle:
Brown Barenia calfskin strap, vintage treatment acquiring a patina over time
Polished 18-carat rose gold folding clasp

Ref. 161299-5001 – in 18-carat rose gold – 90-piece limited edition