Chopard introduces limited edition Mille Miglia timepiece
Last year, four Filipino veteran long-distance classic car drivers took part at the famed Mille Miglia race. It was the first time Filipinos have ever joined this prestigious and historic race. Jan Vincent Kierulf and Jorge See took part using an open top 1953 Maserati Osca race car with a 1100cc four-cylinder engine. “It has always been my dream to run the Mille Miglia,” Kierulf shared through an interview with the Inquirer.
Held last June, it was supposed to be Kierulf and his wife Aileen but she called in sick just days before the event. This was the time Kierulf asked his friend See, to replace her and as a truly seasoned long-distance classic car driver, he became the most logical choice. The two gentlemen were veterans in long-distance classic car runs joining many races here in the country, having driven up and down and across the islands from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The other Filipino team was a father and son tandem driven by Ismael Guerrero Cruz and his son Ismael Jaime Ocampo Cruz with a 1957 Porsche 356A.Chopard’s passion for motorsport has been emblematic as seen through the Mille Miglia collection. This year, it welcomes a new model issued as a numbered 100-piece limited edition. The Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph French Limited Edition was be unveiled at the Salon Rétromobile held last February in Paris. It comes with a 40.5 mm-diameter case made from Lucent Steel, Chopard’s exclusive high-quality alloy made with a recycling rate of at least 80%. Its chronograph movement is chronometer-certified and this model comes with an ultra-legible tri-color dial and a ‘glass box’ crystal that gave it a certain retro vibe.
The famous Italian 1000 Miglia classic car race has been sponsored by Chopard since 1988 and is dubbed as ‘The most beautiful race in the world’ as Enzo Ferrari was famously quoted. Reflecting his family’s passion for competition, the Maison’s Co-President, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, has personally taken part in the race every year since, covering more than 30,000 competition miles since 1989. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele was an avid amateur himself, and saw the value of the timekeeping virtues of a chronograph in motorsports.
Lucent Steel was an alloy took a full four years by Chopard to develop. It was named so because its gently reflective appearance that gives it an almost incandescent shimmer according to Chopard. It is not only of surgical quality but it is 50 % harder than conventional steel, perfectly suited for motorsports which sometimes have to endure rough handling in competitive racing.
The bezels, crowns and pushers of this model are made in this same material with contrasting polished and satin-brushed finishes. The pushers are knurled to create a motif recalling brake pedals, while the crown features more notches to enhance the grip. Looking at the dial, its chronograph seconds hand is colored red for legibility and also was a tribute to the famous red 1000 Miglia logo applied to the dial. It comes with a perforated calfskin strap matching the blue hues of the dial and reminiscent of traditional driving gloves.
