The Mille Miglia Zagato chronograph – A Shared passion
The Mille Miglia Zagato chronograph – A Shared passion
Zagato, a name eponymous with ultimate driving machines is a direct evocation of style and performance. This first collaboration between Zagato and Chopard fuses Italian racing design DNA with Swiss mechanical perfection, conjuring up an incredibly desirable limited-edition of the iconic Mille Miglia. The result is an exclusive yet authentic watch, the marriage of Italian passion and Swiss know-how, bound together by the love of classic motorsports.
This limited edition Mille Miglia benefits from the respective skills of these two prestigious Houses that both nurture a passion for cars. We handle the execution, the ‘engine’ part and the chassis, while Zagato participates in creating the bodywork, the ‘passenger compartment’ and the upholstery.
The Mille Miglia Zagato is issued in a 500-piece limited series for the black DLC-coated steel version and the same number for the two-tone version with an 18-carat rose gold finish. It is available in Chopard boutiques around the world.
The ‘engine’ is a self-winding chronograph movement also offering the useful date and dual-time complications. This calibre, which generally drives the Mille Miglia watches, is officially certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, the COSC, a sure token of its high-precision rating.
With its 42.5 mm steel case using DLC coating treatment – chosen for its extreme scratch-resistance- the watch comes in two variations: one all-black and the other fitted with a rose gold bezel featuring a red insert bearing the 24-hour dual-time graduation.
Whether you opt for the steel or the all-black version, the watch is infused with classic Zagato signature features.
The start/stop chronograph pusher matches the colour of the bezel – either black or in rose gold. It both versions, it has a red-lacquered tip, a nod to the symbolic colour of both Zagato and the Mille Miglia. The upholstery (the strap) echoes the architecture of the ‘double bubble’ roof, while the bright red stitching on the leather is another classic Zagato signature feature.
The Milanese automotive designer’s triumphant Z logo composes the motif adorning the crown and also forms the fine grey technical grid pattern occupying the entire surface of the ‘passenger compartment’ – meaning the dial. The fonts on the latter as well as on the bezel were also specially designed for the occasion. Visible sharper and more angular, they epitomise the sporting and design-focused spirit of this cooperative effort.
It is safe to say that Zagato’s name has long entered the Hall of Fame of mechanical sports and its mere evocation will fill car enthusiasts elicits irrepressible desirability. Since 1919, the atelier founded by Ugo Zagato in Milan has created some of the most applauded and iconic automotive bodyworks. Zagato’s name is associated with the greatest car manufacturers including Italian legends Ferrari, Lancia and Maserati, but also Aston Martin and Bentley. Classic car specialists will also recall that Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeos won 4 Mille Miglias in 1928, 1929, 1930 and 1933.
Chopard timepieces are intimately bound up with the field of motorsports. Its enduring commitment as sponsor and official timekeeper of the Mille Miglia is now into its 25th year and is underwritten by the actual participation in the race of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, co-president of the Geneva-based firm and himself a keen driver and collector of classic cars. It was along the route of the legendary Italian car rally that he met Andrea Zagato, who heads the family company.
United in the same passion for classic cars and the Mille Miglia, while sharing the same values, Chopard and Zagato have come together to deliver an intensely desirable technical object crafted by qualified artisans, the entire process being governed by a constant concern for detail and the pursuit of excellence.
The result? A stunning collector’s watch with a modern, sporty and refined spirit.