The Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition brings to mind the octane-filled world of the 1000 Miglia, a regular race where vintage cars compete against each other for podium glory. For the past 35 years, Chopard has been the Official Timekeeper of the 1000 Miglia and, with a few exceptions, each year produces a celebratory watch for the participants, motorsport enthusiasts and racing enthusiasts.
Chopard specializes in jewelery and watches at its various production sites. In addition, it offers a wide range of luxury accessories and gift items sold through its boutiques and a selection of authorized retailers. What sets this Maison apart from many businesses of a similar size, however, is that it is a family business.
Brother and sister Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and Caroline Scheufele are co-presidents of the luxury goods company, and they have personally led the business to greater success. Having met these two on numerous occasions, I can attest that both are driven by passion, with each sibling having their own personal interests outside of the office. In fact, there’s a fantastic book on the brand (a must-read for any die-hard bloodthirsty), called “In Search of Excellence.” Quite simply, “passion” runs through Chopard’s culture and is evident in the products the company creates. Discount replica watches
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele was known for his love of contemporary and classic art, his collection of historic clocks, and his fascination with viticulture and other aspects of wine production. However, his ultimate passion is motorsports. In fact, I interviewed Mr. Schaefer a few years ago and he confessed that he would love to be a professional racing driver.
With this in mind, it is no surprise to learn that Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has competed in the 1000 Miglia several times. The race starts in Brescia, then travels to Rome and back to Brescia, covering a total distance of 1005 miles. This year, the 40th edition of the 1000 Miglia took place and Chopard was once again involved. In fact, the Geneva brand has been the official timekeeper of the 1000 Miglia for 35 consecutive years.
Every year since 1988, Chopard cheap has produced a limited edition chronograph for the annual regular season, producing key rings (1989) and cufflinks (1992) in just a few years. As the name suggests, the Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition is the latest model to feature the iconic 1000 Miglia logo on the dial.
SILVER DIAL WITH 1000 MIGLIA LOGO
The broad hour and minute hands are coated with blue CVD and lined with Super-LumiNova. They speak to the applied baton-style hour markers, again enriched with blue CVD and Super-LumiNova. The generous proportions of the hands allow easy reading, an essential requirement when navigating the 1000 Miglia’s demanding, winding course. Blue CVD also graces the light central chronograph seconds hand, although this hand has a tip that takes on the ebullient blood-red hue that has been synonymous with Italian racing and the Gordon Bennett Cup since 1903.
The round satin-brushed silver-tone dial recalls the engine-driven dashboards of yesteryear. Three snail-shaped counters grace the dial: a 30-minute counter, a 12-hour counter and a small seconds counter. Red soup appears on the two chronograph-related hands, while the small seconds wear a plain blue suit.
The date aperture at 3 o’clock shows black numerals on a white disc. A date magnifier sits below the sapphire crystal for enhanced readability. The 1000 Miglia logo adjacent to the date is bright and cheerful, while remaining elegant with the rest of the dial.
The Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition is equipped with a white rack that runs close to the edge of the dial. The track uses two digits every 5 seconds, with clear strokes of varying lengths, denoting periods of 1 second and ¼ second, and in between. Everything is presented in high clarity.
The bezel is crafted from stainless steel or ethically sourced 18-carat rose gold, depending on the reference model chosen (see below). Regardless of which version is chosen, however, both options include blue ceramic inlays. This material is becoming more and more popular because of its scratch resistance and resistance to fading. In this case, the bezel incorporates a tachymeter scale, a feature that allows the wearer to determine the speed of an object over a known distance. This seems like a very sensible feature for a watch designed for the regular season.
With a diameter of 44 mm, the generous proportions of the case provide ample space for the dial indications to convey information clearly. Although the watch has a great presence on the wrist, it fits neatly on the wrist thanks to its well-sized, ergonomic lugs.
Contrasting the two versions of the model, the bi-metal option features ethical 18-karat rose gold on the crown, pushers and bezel, adding visual interest and warmth.
The button flanks are decorated with a criss-cross pattern for a nice touch. The vertical side of the crown is engraved with a steering wheel motif, a feature also found on earlier Mille Miglia timepieces.
Unlike many modern mechanical watches, the Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition eschews the ubiquitous exhibition case back. Instead, the watch features a solid caseback secured by eight screws and adorned with the 1000 Miglia emblem.
Like several other Chopard watches, the case of the Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition features vertical satin brushes on the case and lugs, while the rest of the surfaces are given a highly polished finish. This interplay between the contrasting finishes gives the watch a particularly refined look, befitting a watch that costs much more. This model comes on a brown calfskin strap with tone-on-tone stitching. Additionally, the strap skin is perforated, a detail that no doubt draws inspiration from racing gloves of yore. When looking more closely at the strap, blue glints can be seen through the perforations and edges. Flip the watch over and you’ll find it’s lined with contrasting blue rubber. In addition, Chopard has once again reinforced the car theme by printing the car tire pattern on the lining.
The Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition is easy to read and offers the convenience of a chronograph, while also being extremely precise. However, with its luxurious details and high-end materials, it goes beyond the basics of a watch. For example, the crown is not only easy to grip and operate, but also very stylish. Again, the buttons are large and easy to use, while the cross pattern is pleasant to the touch. This combination of practicality, superior tactility and striking style runs throughout and sets the watch apart.
However, despite the Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition’s exquisite execution, the price is surprisingly low. In fact, with prices starting at £6,680 for the all-steel option, Chopard has delivered another impressive watch at a relatively modest price.
At the beginning of this article, I first discussed “passion” and how it affects the culture of the Geneva brand. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s passion for motorsport is clearly the reason behind the brand’s association with the 1000 Miglia over the past 35 years. However, as this model makes clear, it is the common passion of Chopard’s many employees that has led to the birth of this remarkable watch: at Chopard, passion seems to be everywhere. richard mille rm 11-04