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New from CHOPARD: Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition

 

Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition  

 
 


In 2014, Chopard became “Official Timing Partner” of Porsche Motorsport for the German racing team’s grand comeback to endurance competition. That same year, in honour of this exclusive partnership, Chopard launched a 919-piece limited edition  919 Superfast chronograph inspired by the Porsche 919 Hybrid com peting in the World Endurance Championship LMP1 category. See chopard.watchprosite.com   Today, Chopard is unveiling a new watch, the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition, a 100-piece limited series dedicated to Jacky Ickx,  longstanding ambassador of Chopard and Porsche.


While the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition features the design codes of the German speed machine racing in the World Endurance Championship, its dial also displays the famous colours of the racing helmet worn by Jacky Ickx, multiple champion (and close friend of Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele). The dial features an inner bezel ring and counters in dark blue dotted with white touches, the colors of Ickx’s racing helmet. The dial remains primarily silver-toned, a nod to Porsche’s metallic grey, with dial stripes designed to resemble the rear diffuser of the Porsche 919 Hybrid.


The Man

Jacky Ickx is involved in much of Chopard’s racing endeavors.  Who is he? Mr. Ickx is truly one of the greatest 20th century race car drivers. As a Formula 1 driver from 1967 to 1979, he took part in 114 Grand Prix and won his first victory at the French Grand Prix in 1968, at the age of 23. He also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans six times, four with Porsche, and he won the 1983 Paris-Dakar rally.


 


The Watch 

With the exception of its unique dial colors, the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition appears to me to be identical to the regular version. It is water-resistant to 100 meters. The 45 mm grooved case features a bezel bearing a tachymetric scale and secured by eight blackened screws. The crown is adorned with a black rubber-moulded steering-wheel motif.

  


The now familiar, COSC certified, self-winding, flyback movement is a beauty – the Chopard Calibre 03.05-M, entirely developed, produced and assembled in Chopard’s Fleurier Ebauches workshops. The caseback is engraved with the inscriptions “Official Timing Partner Porsche Motorsport” and “Jacky Ickx Limited Edition”. The watch comes on a black “smooth tread” rubber strap.



Thoughts 

 I have wanted a Superfast Chrono for some time now but I have not yet "pulled the trigger".  When I first saw them, the regular edition rather than this new Jacky Ickx, in all honestly I was underwhelmed.  As a huge fan of Chopard L.U.C, this case seemed huge at 45mm, and thick, and the styling is anything but subtle.  But then I tried one on.  It does wear big, and thick, maybe too big for a small wrist, but it is very comfortable on its smooth rubber strap, and not nearly as heavy as I suspected.  And then I took it off, and really studied the case and movement.  The fit and finish of this case is fantastic, and for me a comparison to an AP Royal Oak Offshore was inevitable.  But while similarly bold, and big, this watch draws styling cues all it own, not at all derivative of the AP.  And then I turned it over and got a good look at the Calibre 03.05-M and its unique, slotted finishing.  The movement is entirely derivative -- of the L.U.C Chrono One, and that is a good thing! It's a proven movement and entirely Chopard's design. 

Anything I don't like? I might as well say it before Nicholas does: I wish it didn't have a date complication, and the location between the 4 and 5 o'clock markers is not my favorite.  But Chopard is by no means alone with the presence of a date window on its chronographs, and I forgive its presence easily given how much there is to love about this watch. 

What do I think of this new, Jacky Ickx limited edition? The dial looks handsome.  That it bears Ickx's name, and his colors -- undeniably cool.  Cool enough to trade a view of the Calibre 03.05-M through a sapphire caseback?  That we'll have to see.  I can't wait. 

Best, 

CaliforniaJed

Technical Details

 

Case:

·    Steel

·    Total diameter                                                          45.00 mm

·    Thickness                                                                15.08 mm

·    Water resistance                                                       100 metres

·    Screw-lock crown with black rubber-moulded steel

 steering wheel motif

·    Steel bezel with tachymetric scale, secured by eight blackened PVD-coated steel screws

·    Glareproofed sapphire crystal

·    Exhibition back engraved with the inscriptions “Official Timing Partner Porsche Motorsport” and “Jacky Ickx Limited Edition”

 

Movement:

·   Self-winding chronograph movement                 Chopard 03.05-M

·   Total diameter                                                 28.8 mm

·    Thickness                                                       7.60 mm

·    Number of jewels                                             45

·    Power reserve                                                 60 hours

·    Frequency                                                      28,800 vph (4Hz)

·    Chronometer-certified (COSC)

 

Dial and hands:

·      Opaline silver-toned dial with matt blue inner bezel ring, white and silver-toned transfers

·      Metallic black hours/minutes hands and hour-markers

·      Arrow-tipped red central seconds hand

·      Red hours/minutes counter hands

·      Metallic black small seconds hand

 

Functions and displays:

·      Central display of the hours, minutes and seconds

·      Small seconds at 6 o’clock

·      Date aperture between 4 and 5 o’clock

·      Chronograph sweep-seconds hand with flyback function

·      30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock

·      Tachymeter

 

Strap and clasp:

·      Black rubber strap (slick-tyre tread)

·       Polished steel folding clasp

Ref. 168535-3003 – Limited edition of 100 




The Porsche 919 Hybrids and their teams.



Here is the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Edition for comparison.











Yes, Jacky Ickx is a legend.  No he's not a watchmaker.  Or is he?! ;-)


This message has been edited by CaliforniaJed on 2015-06-15 11:08:28

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