The idea of a watch being associated with a major sporting event is not a fresh one but it is intriguing nonetheless. There is not a single mega sporting event left with a watch brand endorsing it. The Wimbledon has the ‘Crown’, football is taken by Hublot, and TAG Heuer has the F1. Among these is the world of racing and one of these racing events is the Mille Miglia.
The Mille Miglia and Chopard: A Brilliant Partnership
The Mille Miglia, or a ‘1000 Miles’ in Italian, was a high-speed endurance race that started in the year 1927. The race was born in the town of Brescia, Italy. It was created by Italian aristocrats in order to compensate for their loss at the Italian Grand Prix. The idea behind the race was to make the racers drive on roads instead of race tracks.
A History Lesson on the Mille Miglia
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The participants had to start from Brescia and travel through beautiful places such as Ferrara, Cervia, San Marino, Sienna, and Parma. The racing event was eventually discontinued in 1957 due to an accident that claimed eleven lives. The driver and his navigator, Alfonso de Portago and Edmund Nelson, respectively, and nine spectators.
The concept of the race was so intriguing that it was once again revived in 1982 under the name Mille Miglia. The high-speed endurance race turned into a road rally event in which only the cars that had participated, or were registered, to drive in the original races from 1927 to 1957 were allowed to participate.
Chopard became the official sponsor of the legendary racing event in 1988.
A Partnership That Became a Cornerstone for Chopard’s Success
Chopard is an excellent watch brand and its timepiece catalogue is evidence of that. The Swiss watch manufacturer is a master of its craft and there is no doubt about it. Like any other sponsor, Chopard took all over the event and put its name everywhere it could. However, this is where it gets different. Chopard not only utilised this opportunity for its benefit, i.e., advertisement, exposure, and attracting potential buyers, it also used this event to enrich its DNA in the watchmaking game.
Chopard launched the Mille Miglia collection in the honor of its association with the iconic racing event. Juts like the event, the watches in the collection are timeless, classy, and full of thrill. These high precision chronographs are simple, elegant, and functional. They display a seamless design that offers a easy to use interface, as opposed to some of the other popular luxury chronographs opt for intimidating interfaces.
The Chopard Mille Miglia – A Successful Sports Watch in Non-Precious Metal
There are a few things that make the Chopard Mille Miglia stand out in the watchmaking business. These factors have played a major role in making the watch an icon among icons.
- A commitment
The Chopard Mille Miglia is a not a limited edition. Brands are used to release limited editions in the name of popular sporting events. Chopard had a different idea about the Mille Miglia. The brand made it a point to make a solid watch collection around the mega race event. The Mille Miglia is part of the Swiss watchmaker’s ‘entry level’ range to this day.
- A stainless-steel achievement
The Mille Miglia is an icon in the world of watchmaking and there is a reason behind it. Chopard never made the watch in precious metal. All the timepieces from Chopard that carry the Mille Miglia emblem have been made in stainless steel. Chopard tried to make a good watch and instead it achieved something that only a few brands have been able to do. It created a watch that gained international fame in a non-precious metal case.
- A timeless design
The design of the Chopard Mille Miglia is truly timeless. It has been a fabulous journey for the timepiece over the course of three decades. The watch has mostly retained its seamless aesthetic. Not only that but Chopard also made sure that the collection remains consistent in its delivery.
Major credit goes to none other than Karl Friedrich Sheufele. The man used his passion for watchmaking and racing, and combined the two to make something that is truly worth appreciating.
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