In 2017, Italy’s Mille Miglia, today a rally race for vintage and classic sports cars, celebrates 90 years since its inception in 1927 as an open-road endurance race. Fittingly, Chopard ? which has been a timekeeping partner of the Mille Miglia since 1988 ? marks the milestone with the release of a very special timepiece, the Chopard Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary Limited Edition.
Chopard Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary – front
Described by Chopard as “the most prestigious Mille Miglia watch” it has ever introduced, the Mille Miglia Classic XL is limited to just 90 pieces ? one for each year since the first race ? and is the first watch in the Mille Miglia collection to be awarded the prestigious poinçon de Genève, or Geneva hallmark, a certification for aesthetic and technical excellence by an independent authority in the Canton of Geneva. It joins a slew of new Mille Miglia watches launched by Chopard at Baselworld this year, including another limited edition, the 2017 Race Edition, which we cover here. Its 18k rose-gold case measures a generous 46 mm in diameter and 13 mm thick, with a softly polished bezel and short dipping lugs designed for an ideal wrist feel. Also in rose gold are the chronograph pushers, whose shape is inspired by a car engine’s pistons; and the crown, which is reminiscent of a vintage gas-tank cap and whose large, notched design makes it easy to handle even while wearing leather driving gloves...