Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Grigio Speciale
Racing-inspired all the way!
To celebrate 30 years of partnership between Chopard and the Mille Miglia – the famous Italian open-road endurance race for classic and vintage cars which kicks off today – the Geneva-based manufacturer is presenting its latest version of the watch dedicated to this race from its Mille Miglia collection. And as you can see, this new Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Grigio Speciale is racing-inspired all the way.
It is no surprise to see Chopard introduce a new racing-inspired watch given the brand’s solid links to the world of motorsport – Le Mans with Porsche, Monaco Historic Grand Prix, Mille Miglia, Jacky Icks as ambassador. For 30 years now (since 1988), Chopard has been the official timekeeper and sponsor of the classic car version of the Italian race Mille Miglia and since then has created watches under its eponymous watch collection. Also, the personal passion for collector’s cars nurtured by Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele is well-known by collectors. All of this explains the legitimate racing context behind Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Grigio Speciale.
This new model is based on the Mille Miglia GTS watches launched at Baselworld 2015 – and reviewed here. These timepieces showed a more modern design and were mainly equipped with in-house movements, bringing the Mille Miglia collection (which usually relied on ETA-based ébauches) into another league. With their black dials, their “Rosso Corsa” accents and their design inspired by dashboard instruments, the link with classic cars was easily identifiable. The new Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Grigio Speciale exalts and emphasises this racing connection.
Sporty and robust, this new piece plays on shades of grey for a more modern and stealthier style. The 43mm case of the Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Grigio Speciale is made of shot-blasted titanium for a matte, dark result. It is topped by a bezel with a graduated black aluminium inlay and a 60-minute (or 60-second, depending on which hand you use) track. The case retains its short, streamlined lugs that offer great comfort despite the relatively large case diameter. It is complemented by an integrated strap in Cordura, a high-performance fabric used for driver race suits and a shot-blasted stainless steel folding clasp.
The stealth, all-grey style doesn’t stop here as the dial also plays with the same design codes. The matte, grained anthracite dial features several Rosso Corsa accents (on the tip of the seconds hand, around the date window and for the power reserve gauge) and the broad facetted sword-shaped hands and the metallic applied hour-markers are painted with a black luminescent material. The power reserve indicator, shaped like a fuel gauge, is a nod to the racing world.
Under a tinted sapphire crystal hood framed by a bright red gasket, we find in-house Calibre 01.08-C. Chronometer-certified by the COSC, this movement guarantees great precision as well as a comfortable power reserve of 60 hours. The decoration is pleasant, yet in a rather industrial/functional style without the usual Geneva Stripes and gold-plated engravings.
The Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Grigio Speciale will be a 1000-piece limited edition – price is EUR 7,560. More details on chopard.com.