In this feature from our July-August 2017 issue, we test the legendary Chopard Mille Miglia chronograph, which is powered for the first time, in this new limited-edition version, by a Chopard manufacture caliber. Read on to see the results and enjoy original photos of the watch by OK-Photography.
The Mille Miglia ranks among Chopard?s most popular watch collections and owes its existence to co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele?s enthusiasm for classic race cars and sporting achievements. The Swiss brand has accompanied the famous annual event for classic motorcars as its official timekeeper and a partner since 1988 and has released a new limited-edition Mille Miglia watch collection each year. The Mille Miglia 2016 XL Race Edition premiered in a limited series of 1,000 stainless-steel models and 100 watches with rose-gold cases. All of these timepieces share one important detail: For the first time, each watch encases a self-winding manufacture chronograph movement. Caliber 03.05-C replaces the ETA movements that had been used in the past. It simultaneously makes a long-cherished wish come true for Chopard: to gradually achieve independence from calibers provided by third-party suppliers.
At 46 mm in diameter, the 2016 XL Race Edition is the largest watch yet in the Mille Miglia collection.
After haute horlogerie chronograph Caliber L.U.C 03.03-L debuted 10 years ago, Fleurier Ebauches used this elite movement as the basis for a version that could be produced industrially ...