Along with the new L.U. Chopard Perpetual Chrono we brought you here yesterday. Chopard presented a wide array of novelties at Baselworld 2016 from which the new Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Speed Black Limited Edition ref. 168565-3002 stands out as one of our favorite releases this year. The new Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Speed Black, born of its passion for classic motor racing is cloaked in a 43 mm DLC coated deep black stainless steel case. Its short, streamlined lugs —designed to mold to the curves of the wrist to perfection— ensure optimal comfort and a unique style. Inspired by the legendary Italian race 'Mille Miglia' for which Chopard has been the official timekeeper since 1988, the new Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Speed Black is sexy, unconventional and quite eye-catching with its red gasket ring under the crystal and its bright red seconds sweeping hand.
With its velvet finished matte black dial with red “Rossa Corsa” detailing, applied markers with superluminova, oversized numerals at 12 and 9 o'clock recalling the car dashboards from the 50s. At 3 o'clock, you can't miss the date aperture framed by the 'Rossa Corsa' detailing with the '1000 Miglia' iconic arrow logo. Easy to read but not intrusive with the overall simplistic design of this new watch.
Its aluminum bezel insert, graduated in increments of 5 minutes with a glossy touch, adds yet another dimension to the overall look and feel of this new watch. The crown, also DLC coated in black, rises on the caseband embraced by thick crown guards just as a prominent gear does inside a car engine monobloc. The winding crown also features the three spoke steering wheel motif on it.
Its engine-style finishing and its strap featuring the now well-known vintage Dunlop racing tire-tread motif, the new Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Speed Black is issued in a 1,000-piece limited edition for vintage car racing lovers. The strap is fastened by a DLC-coated stainless steel folding clasp.
The now inseparable ties between Chopard and classic racing stemmed from the personal passion for collector’s cars nurtured by Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. This strong attachment was manifested in 1988 when the Manufacture became partner and official timekeeper of the famous Mille Miglia, an endurance competition that sees more than 400 classic cars facing off each spring on a thousand-mile loop-style course between Brescia and Rome that winds its way through some magnificent Italian scenery. Referred to by Enzo Ferrari as the “world’s most beautiful race”, it inspired an eponymous watch collection created by Chopard in 1988 and which since 2015 is equipped with Manufacture movements. Therefore, the beating heart inside the new Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Speed Black Limited Edition is the in-house automatic COSC Chopard Calibre 01.01-M, entirely conceived, developed and assembled in the Chopard workshops. This movement with 31 jewels, provides a power reserve of 60 hours when fully wound while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph.
Protected by a screw-in case back with smoked sapphire crystal, the watch is water resistant to a 100 meters. Underneath the smoked tinted crystal, another red gasket provides fascinating glimpses of the Chopard movement its engine-style finishes and its openworked oscillating weight. The case back is also DLC treated and the fastening screws on it are PVD coated.
On the wrist, the watch wears true to its 43 mm size and extremely sexy. Masculine, rugged, virile and exquisite are some of the adjectives that come to mind when strapping this sexy piece on the wrist. Next time you find yourself in Bologna as you are following the 1,000 miles of the Mille Miglia race from Brescia to Rome, make sure the new Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Speed Black Limited Edition is on your wrist as you sip that last espresso at the da Nello al Montegrappa restaurant. The new Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Speed Black is available in a limited edition of only 1,000 pieces.
Sticker Price $6,900 USD. For more info on Chopard click here.
