I have been to Rome so often that I have the feeling to better know the eternal city than Paris which is my place of residence. It is true that it is finally much easier to discover a city by walking down its streets as a tourist, even temporarily, than by working there the full year. My numerous Roman stays allowed me to appreciate its charm, its different atmospheres and each and every corner of its small streets. If Paris is distinguished by its imposing size, its majestic and statutory dimension, Rome impresses with its details and the blend of the several pages of its history like the ancient Rome, the Renaissance and Baroque Rome, the Christian Rome not to forget to mention the contemporary Rome. This year I wished to add a special spice to my Roman holidays by wearing during two days a watch that seemed ideal in this context: the Chopard Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition.
When Chopard presented this limited series of 1,000 pieces in stainless steel and 100 in pink gold, I was immediately attracted by the red dial. The watch itself was not unknown to me since it is based on the Mille Miglia GTS Power Control which was presented this year at Baselworld. In fact, I saw many reasons to enjoy this piece during this summer stay:
- The theme of the watch is closely linked with Rome since the route of the Mille Miglia race starts at Brescia to join the capital of Italy before returning to the starting line city. This route, displayed on the caseback, gave a little pleasant wink to my walk in the Roman streets, the name of the city against my skin.
- The color of the dial, also known as the "Rosso Corsa", was used to paint the bodies of the Italian cars that participated in international competitions until the end of the 60s. This color, both intense and subtle, was perfect for a holidays watch , with a sports/chic style, while keeping a certain elegance. I really wanted to see the reflections of light on the dial caused by the intense Roman sun!
-The black Barenia calfskin racing strap also seemed perfectly appropriate due to the ambient heat.
-Thanks to the 43mm diameter giving a strong presence on the wrist, I thought it was perfect for the baroque atmosphere of the town!
- And I must admit that I was very curious to observe the behavior of the Chopard movement 01.08-C crafted in Fleurier Ebauches workshops. Chopard is step by step improving the watchmaking contents of its Mille Miglia collection and it's excellent news.
I obviously did not walk over a distance of a thousand miles (Mille Miglia!) during these two very hot and sunny days. But I could accelerate my pace, taking advantage of my knowledge of the city, in order to make the Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition visit as many places, squares and famous monuments as possible. Like any good summer watch, it was decorated with some colorful bracelets that reinforced its playful dimension and its ability to be at ease both in a very casual context or in a more formal environment.
I propose you to accompany me during this walk in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
I began my journey with a view of the Piazza di Pietra from the terrace of the hotel Albergo Cesari. The advantage of this extremely clear view is to be able to observe the clock tower of the Palazzo Montecitorio, the Italian Chamber of Deputies:
A few steps away, here I was in front of the famous Pantheon Fountain (Fontana del Pantheon) on the Piazza della Rotonda:
Piazza Navona was the most logical next stage after the Pantheon, here behind the Fontana del Moro. You will notice that the rendering the dial changes depending on the intensity of lights:
In any case, whatever is the journey in Rome, pavers are unavoidable!
One of my favorite streets is Via Giulia which offers a fast way to the Vatican from Piazza Farnese. The Fontana del Mascherone is one of its most recognized symbols:
But rather than going to the Vatican, I decided to take the Ponte Sisto to cross the Tiber and to stroll in Trastevere:
The ocher color is everywhere in Rome. The contrast offered by the wall highlights the dial color and reinforces its beauty:
Taking advantage of my presence in Trastevere, I went on the hill of Gianicolo, which is not part of the 7 hills of Rome but offers such a viewpoint, a spectacular panorama of the city. A true belvedere!
I walked down to the Tiber Vatican side and therefore could enjoy the view of Castel Sant'Angelo:
Even the angel seemed to enjoy the liveliness of the dial!
Back Via Giulia, I took advantage of an excellent cappuccino. This small café, the Bar Giulia, is known for the skill of its staff that draws motifs such as hearts or leaves with milk foam. Too bad, I did not get a nice motif this time but as the drink was delicious, it was not very a big issue... except maybe for the picture!
Finally a bit like the Mille Miglia race, I almost returned to my starting point, Piazza Navona, facing the Fontana del Nettuno:
But time was flying by and I still had an important task. At this time of the year, the sun went down around 20:30. So I had to join as soon as possible the Pincio to watch the setting sun, enjoy the color of the sky and observe how the dial behaved under these particular conditions. This context is so amazing that any watch is transcended, is embellished by the play of sunlight rays. The Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition was then in a perfect atmosphere, the color palette of the sky marrying perfectly with the dial.
Again, the red color of the dial was changing, revealing all its richness, depth, ranging from pale red close to pink to deep red.
The night was about to happen, I finished my walk with a view of the Piazza di Spagna from the Trinita dei Monti stairs:
The next day, I attached myself to look more closely at the Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition. It is quite fun to note that the color of the dial ultimately makes more discreet the logo of the famous race around the date window. The power reserve indicator, which some find useless in the context of an automatic watch, is for me a worthy addition. It complements nicely the dial, giving it an additional reminder of the world of racing classic cars and it gives the proof of the winding efficiency of the Chopard movement 01.08-C. Indeed, very quickly, the hand was in the up position to not leave it during the walk. It may seem obvious and mandatory for each and every automatic movement, but all of them do not have the same efficiency, believe me.
The Chopard movement 01.08-C has a 4hz frequency and a comfortable power reserve of 60 hours. It is obviously not finished like a LUC movement but is still enjoyable to watch thanks to its nice bridges shapes and the finishes of the winding mass that are consistent with the rendering of the caseback.
I resumed my walk afterwards to go on the terrace of the Grand Hotel de la Minerve which also provides a superb view on the rooftops of Rome and on the Vittoriano from one side and on the back of the Pantheon from the other:
I took one last photo Piazza della Rotonda:
Then I prepared myself later to attend the evening cocktail organized at the Swiss Embassy to celebrate the National Holiday. With such invitation, a tie was required... a Chopard tie of course with the right pattern related to to the theme of the watch!
Ready for this celebration which also marked my last moments with the Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition!
So I had to give the watch back with regret because I really started to get used with it and to find it ideal in the context of Roman summer. Indeed, we must not have a quick final opinion on its dominant color that may seem aggressive at first glance. Certainly, it will appear as too eccentric with a classic formal wear but I was surprised by its ability to adapt to different and varied outfits: casual, sports/chic & dressed but with a twist, in all cases, the red dial brought dynamism and a punchy touch while remaining finaly reasonnable and refined. The Roman sun had a lot of influence on my feelings but it is the consistency of the overall piece which explains this success. The design of the watch and of its bracelet indeed offer the right framework for the use of the red color. In any case, despite its more versatile character than expected, it is in a summer and bright atmosphere that the 2015 Mille Miglia Edition Race delivers its full potential. A very enjoyable watch! Now, I can't wait for next summer!
A big thank to the staff of the Chopard boutique of Rome for its availability and its warm welcome.
Fr.Xavier
