CHOPARD Mille Miglia Race Watches 1997 - 2014 Retrospective

Which is the best Chopard Mille Miglia Race Watch?

This review hopes to conclude with The One (to date).  This retrospective look at Mille Miglia (MM) race watches begins from 1997 because that is when they started using mechanical self-winding movements for all MM models and also marketed limited edition annual models. Prior to that, only competitors and guests had access to MM race watches.

Jacky Ickx and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele

In 1988, Chopard supported the revived Mille Miglia race for the first time and issued the Chopard Mille Miglia Chronograph for race competitors as souvenirs. Every year since then, a Chopard souvenir has been reserved for competitors taking the form of watches except for two years. A key-ring was presented in 1989 and cuff-links in 1992. In 1990, a steel split-seconds pocket chronograph was presented.

For more than 25 years, the Scheufele family has participated every year in the 1000-mile race from Brescia to Rome and back. All entrant cars were constructed between 1927 and 1957 are of priceless value but still challenge each other along an ancient and picturesque route.

Chopard is proud to be World Sponsor and Official Timekeeper for this legendary street race, „la corsa pìu bella del mondo”.

Jay Leno

Reasons to have a retrospective review of the MM Race Collection

A study of the MM collection gives insight into the evolution of watchmaking technique and aesthetics because it is rare in haute horlogerie that a new model for the Collection  is rolled out annually for more than 20 years. These are not SWATCH watches or cookie cutter timepieces.

1997

1998

Road Testing and Test Bench for Racing

Another reason is that Chopard treats the Mille Miglia Race Edition watch as a test bed for technical and design teams using cutting edge developments. This is similar to what racing teams do for the automobile industry.  The Mille Miglia design codes include the colour Red associated with Black and the Mille Miglia arrow logo. The vast majority of Mille Miglia Race Editions are chronographs with tachymeter scales and luminescent features for legibility.

In 1994, the first Chopard rubber straps appeared with design inspired by 1960s Dunlop Racing tyre treads. This evolved until the rubber strap was integrated into the case in 2011. The insistence on mechanical self-winding movements evolved into a requirement for COSC chronometer certification for all models from 2000 onwards.

1999

2000

2001

Current Mille Miglia Watch Collection
 

The Mille Miglia Collection today comprises two lines: Classic and GT XL. The Classic is inspired by the older group of cars in the Mille Miglia race (1927 - 1940) with their classic vintage cues. The GT XL is inspired by the 'younger' group of cars (1941 - 1957) with more technical design codes.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006 Mille Miglia GT XL experiment in NOT using a chronograph movement......

2006 Competitor's Edition #001

2007

2008

2009

 

2010

 

2011

 

2012

With advances in industrial materials science, stylistic developments have followed like the black anodised aluminium bezel in 2012. Classic 'mushroom' pushers were introduced in 2013 with strong comeback of red accents. The Chopard collaboration with Zagato must have also influenced the exciting red-line highlights recently.

2014 Mille Miglia Race Edition

The Mille Miglia Chronograph 2014 is imbued with more Italian flavour than any of its predecessors with its red tachymeter scale and hands, white dial and green minute circle; the colours of the Italian flag.

It pays tribute to the oldest cars taking part in the race: from the 1920s and 1930s. That is why the usual rubber strap with a 1960s Dunlop Racing tyre-tread motif was eschewed and replaced by overstitched Barenia calfskin. The calfskin is reminiscent of the bonnet straps on the ancient motorcars.

2014

The contemporary Mille Miglia 2014 watch is dominated by vintage detailing. The slender cursive dial fonts are inspired by the racing numbers from the 1920s. The lugs holding the strap are welded rather than screwed on. This traditional technique considerably complicates the task of producing and polishing the case of this model.

The slight curve of the case band also evokes the vintage look.

The red arrow-shaped Mille Miglia logo appears on the dial as well as on the sapphire crystal case-back.

My Favourite Chopard Mille Miglia Race Edition watch (1997 - 2014)

With 18 watches to choose from since 1997, I had to apply strict elimination criteria:

As a sportive watch for a race with long daily sectors, it has to be a chronograph and a 12-hour chronograph at that.

The tachymeter scale should not interfere with the other dial markers, thus, a clear outer bezel is ideal.

Legibility is paramount especially when the driver is also in the vintage category like his car. That is why I prefer white font on black or charcoal dial.

The chronograph sub-counters should be a different colour from the time portion of the dial. Ideally the chronograph indicator hands should be different from the time indicator hands.

It is de rigueur that hands should be long enough to reach their markers.

I like my dial-side sapphire crystal to be unblemished by printing or laser-etching and preferably enhanced with anti-glare coating.

Added value functions like GMT indicator are bonus points, but if provided, should not interfere with the main chronograph functions.

Finally, the watch should evoke a deep primordial response with sporty red-lining and Vroom Vroom.

This is the Mille Miglia...„la corsa pìu bella del mondo”; it should g-r-o-w-l like a supercharged 4 cylinder behemoth...at least visually with lots of red.

SHORTLIST

2004

2012

2013

Best Chopard Mille Miglia Race Edition Watch (to date):  The 2013 Edition !!!  

Sexy mushroom pushers with cross-hatched 'pedals' next to Classic racing logo on the crown.

Elegant Dark Charcoal dial with silver-white sub-counters.

Red chronograph hands with white-tipped central seconds hand give excellent legibility. All hands are long enough to reach their markers.

The GMT indicator arrow does not distract and the 24-hour 2nd time zone markers also do not interfere with the primary functions of the timepiece. I like the way they are off-set from the regular hour markers.

The two chronograph counters are emphasised by being bigger than the running seconds indicator.

Finally, the redline is evocative of the racing line....

 

Mille Miglia 2013 Race Edition Chronograph with GMT function Ref. 168555-3001

I wonder how they could top this in 2015?

Which Year is your favourite and why?

Regards,

MTF

This message has been edited by MTF on 2015-02-24 06:11:17

The 2009 has the same spirit, for me.

Excellent idea, to recap all the versions!

Best,

Nicolas

Nico

1997 edition was in the vintage 'Classic' style that they brought back for 2014.  I would EXPECT you to like that. 

2014

I left out the ones without GMT movement because I don't like the date window at 'half-past-four' that you get with the straight chronographs.  At least the GMT versions get a 3 o'clock date window...sometimes with bubble-eye loupe.  of course, the best is without date like on our LUC 1963 Chronograph PuristS Edition but that is a different league.

If I were to chose from the straight chronographs, then my favourites would be the 1998 without COSC or the 2001 with COSC.

1998

2001

Regards,

MTF

With a Dunlop strap and badaboum, a killer!

Best,

Nicolas

Nico,

How can you ask for rubber strap with the Mille Miglia 2014 Race Edition?  That would not be correct for the period.

The watch pays tribute to the oldest cars from the 1920s and 1930s. That is why the usual 1960s Dunlop Racing style rubber strap is replaced by overstitched Barenia calfskin to be reminiscent of the bonnet straps on ancient motorcars. Hein!

But it is possible to ask for a rubber replacement...if you must. 

Regards,

MTF

No message body

Just because it carries the last name of my most recent granddaughter:



Now, family matters aside, the 2014 looks almost perfect:



My only complain is the date (also called Nicolas syndrome). Without the date ... Perfect.

Cheers,

Nilo

Perhaps she is little Miss Ferrara or a Roma by name?

Thanks for your vote for the 2014 Edition..

I did not like the Chopard Mille Miglia 2014 Race Edition at first look. It seemed wishy-washy in pale colours compared to recent trends for more red and black - Grrr-o-w-l .

Then, the vintage concepts fell into place and it made sense.  The 1920s style font from the old racing numbers and even the Italian tricolore was understandable.

I always liked the Barenia leather like on my Grand Prix de Monaco Historique chronograph.

Regards,

MTF

I believe that my daughter reject the "Competitor" as a name. She also reject the 100m!!!

Little Miss Ferrara (I'm so absented minded that I triple check before I did the original post) is the correct name.

About straps, I agree with your taste to Barenia but since I consider the chronograph a more tool oriented, why not a Shell Cordovan strap?

Cheers,

Nilo

Shell Cordovan is great material for racing apparel and maybe you know something about future designs for CHOPARD and Porsche Motorsport watches? 

As the MM 2014 Race Edition is a tribute to vintage classic racing, they must use calfskin.

I like Barenia leather because it contains more oil to be water resistant and hard wearing. Minor scratches can be miraculously 'erased' by rubbing with my finger.

Regards,

MTF

this is a real treat! The 2012 is my idea of a great balance of all the elements and so classy IMHO. I own the 1998 and will always own it as it is the first watch my wife ever purchased for me.
I just hope to get over to Italy one day and enjoy the race and the cars. Thanks again and now I must increase the hunt for a few of these beauties.

Best to all,
Tim

timerider,

With the 1998 edition, you were and are a captive audience; it is a matter of the heart. 

But your description of the 2012 edition is from the soul.

It was on my shortlist and in fact, came 2nd after the 2013 edition.

Regards,

MTF

think differently!

The ’97 and ’98 examples seem to me the quintessential Mille Miglia watches. And I like 2012, MTF.  It would be my favorite, in fact, but for the GMT complication, which seems superfluous on this watch.  My favorite, though, is the 2008 GTX!. 

Generally, I am not a fan of this dial configuration, with the three chrono subdials “pointing left”, but it is well balanced here, and I much prefer the date window at 3 than stuck between 4 and 5.  The white dial is fresh, and the red contrast is great.  And I love the etched dial 6 and 12!

Great post, MTF -- thanks!

Best,

CaliforniaJed

This message has been edited by CaliforniaJed on 2015-02-10 15:11:37

Jed,

I count your vote for the 2008 limited edition.

Just to be 'ornery' I tease you with a non-limited 2008 Mille Miglia watch disallowed entry to the voting race.

Regards,

MTF

... what a great job to do this thread, so that we can find all these watches here!

regards

Stephan

Stephan,

i think it could be a one near by this 2004 modern/classic design, but without GMT
and tachy bezel.

regards

Stephan

(nt) This message has been edited by MTF on 2015-02-11 14:11:10

Before reaching your criteria I had already and in a heartbeat chosen the Mille Miglia 2013.

marcelo,

Unfortunately. :-(

About the 2015 edition, I hope to be surprised.

Best!
Marcelo

marcelo,

Of course, getting one as a Valentine's gift from a dearly beloved, with cert and manual signed by Dr. Zagato himself, makes one particular variant just extra extra special to me...

I own an 8141 from 1988, it was attached to car number 215 a Porsche 955 and it is confirmed on the back of the watch that it was a true Mille Miglia 8141. However, the red arrow is not on the face of. the race models, I believe that the commercial or after race productions have the red arrow on it, and some even have the read arrow on the small 30 minute dial too. Just to confirm, a true race 8141 has no red arrows on it all and had the number of the car it was issued to stamped by Chopard on the back.

Gary
I was after much trawling interested to read your note on the participant presentation watch
I took part in the MILLE MIGLIA in 1987/88/89 in 1955 PORSCHE 550 Spyder with event number 193 and still have my watch with no red arrows and the start number engraved on the back.Clearly from reading your note these watches are within the overall production run relatively rare and presumably the cachet of having an event participant example
may well make them more appealing to a collector. .Is there any production statistic which indicates how many of this edition were allocated to the MM in that year ?
ps -no such Porsche as a 955 .It must have been a 1955 car.I still have the entry list for that year and will look up number 215
Anything more you can tell will be appreciated
Fred Hampton