CHOPARD Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph. 36th Edition = Lucent Steel + Four Beautiful Dials.

#chopard #millemiglia #watchesandwonders ‪@chopard‬ Chopard presents a new design with the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph 2023 model. It adopts a 40.5 mm case made from Chopard’s exclusive Lucent Steel™; an ultra-legible dial in a selection of colours inspired by automotive bodywork and a superb ‘glass box’ crystal for a magnificently retro look. Like a timepiece, a vehicle is a marvel of engineering, as all devotees of watchmaking and automobiles know – and Chopard even more so, since the Maison has been inextricably linked with the automobile world since it became world sponsor and official timekeeper of Italy’s celebrated 1000 Miglia way back in 1988. The partnership – the longest in history between a watchmaker and a motorsports event – has now seen the creation of 35 watches in the Mille Miglia collection, all capturing the essence and spirit of what Enzo Ferrari called ‘the most beautiful race in the world’. One especially significant change from previous editions can be seen in the construction of the case: smaller and thus more aligned with the aesthetic of the historical cars competing in the 1000 Miglia. With its 40.5 mm diameter, the watch is also less intrusive when driving, while looking just as good with evening wear as it does with a race suit. Made from Lucent Steel™, this all-new ‘bodywork’ features all the characteristics associated with Chopard’s exclusive alloy that took a full four years to develop. Named after its luminous, gently reflective appearance that gives it an almost incandescent shimmer, Lucent Steel™ is not only of surgical quality but is 50 percent harder than conventional steel – making it more than capable of handling the knocks, bumps and scrapes of competitive driving. Lucent Steel™ is also REACH-certified as being responsibly produced with 80% recycled content and naturally anti-allergenic, ensuring it is highly dermo-compatible and pleasant to wear. The bezels, crowns and pushers of the three Lucent Steel™ models are in this same material, while those of the bi-material model are made from ethical 18-carat rose gold. Moreover, the pushers are knurled to create a motif recalling brake pedals, while the crown features more notches to enhance the grip. On either end of the case, the lugs are welded – a token of fine craftsmanship sure to be appreciated by devotees of meticulous watchmaking. Finally, the pin buckle has been redesigned compared with previous models, picking up the play on polished/satin-brushed finishes featured on the case. The Lucent Steel™ models feature dials named VERDE CHIARO (light green) and ROSSO AMARENA (cherry red), each with a circular satin-brushed finish, or in NERO CORSA (racing black) with an engine-turned finish. Meanwhile, the bi-material version in Lucent Steel™ and ethical gold has a dial in circular satin-brushed GRIGIO-BLUE (grey blue). All the dials feature prominent white minutes tracks and tachymeter scales – both essential for making speed and distance calculations – while dial markings and hour and minute hands are coated with white Grade XI Super-Luminova® to ensure the high degree of legibility required when navigating after dark. The central sweep-seconds hand is red-tipped both for practical and aesthetic purposes – as well as to complement the famous red ‘1000 Miglia’ logo applied to each dial. A true exercise in ‘practical beauty’, the dial is protected by a deep, glass-box sapphire crystal secured by a slim bezel. Watch glasses of this type procure an obvious aesthetic advantage by giving the dial a sense of perspective. They serve to maximise the depth of the dial opening, as light pours in from above as well as from the sides, creating exquisite shimmering effects. The back of each watch is fitted with a sapphire crystal affording a view of the self-winding chronograph movement certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) and endowed with a 54-hour power reserve. With the new Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph, accurate adjustments are also guaranteed by slip-resistant knurled pushers which, as well as being practical, also add to the aesthetic appeal of the watches. During the heat of competition, racers will appreciate the 4 Hz frequency of the movement, the stop-second function, a tachymeter scale as well as the layout of the three 12-hour, 30-minute and small seconds sub-dials. The Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph model featuring a Nero Corsa dial is teamed with a rubber strap bearing a distinctive pattern based on the tread of 1960s Dunlop racing tyres, while its moisture-wicking lining recalls the black streaks typically left on road surfaces by cars being pushed to their limits. The other three models are fitted with rich brown calfskin leather straps evoking traditional driving gloves. #wherethewatchesarethestars