There are only 70 Mille Miglia Classic Chronographs in the world

The Mille Miglia was more than just a race‭. ‬It was a national obsession‭, ‬a moving theatre of speed and resolve that unfolded across 1,000‭ ‬miles of Italy’s towns and countryside‭, ‬from Brescia to Rome and back‭. ‬Between 1927‭ ‬and 1957‭, ‬it played out on public roads with little more than bravery and precision keeping cars and their drivers on course‭. ‬It lured the finest drivers and manufacturers of the day‭, ‬but‭ ‬its true allure lay in its unforgiving nature‭. ‬With no barriers between racers and the cheering crowds‭, ‬and no margin for error‭ ‬on narrow‭, ‬twisting roads‭, ‬it was as much a battle of nerve as it was of horsepower‭. ‬La corsa più bella del mondo‭, ‬they called it‭. ‬The most beautiful race in the world‭.‬

On a sun-soaked day in May 1955‭, ‬the legendary Sir Stirling Moss‭ ‬—‭ ‬arguably the greatest driver never to win a Formula One championship‭ ‬—‭ ‬and his bearded navigator‭, ‬motorsport journalist Denis Jenkinson‭, ‬etched their names into racing folklore‭. ‬Behind the wheel of‭ ‬a Mercedes-Benz 300‭ ‬SLR‭, ‬the duo blazed through the 22nd edition of the Mille Miglia at a staggering average speed of 98‭ ‬miles per hour‭. ‬Their final time‭? ‬Ten hours‭, ‬seven minutes‭, ‬and 48‭ ‬seconds‭. ‬Seventy years on‭, ‬that record remains untouched‭.‬

To mark that remarkable feat‭, ‬Chopard has unveiled a timepiece that captures both the spirit of the race and the elegance of its‭ ‬most famous champion‭. ‬The Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Tribute to Moss is limited to just 70‭ ‬pieces‭ ‬—‭ ‬one for each year since the historic victory‭.‬

The watch is housed in a 40.5mm case made from Lucent Steel‭, ‬Chopard’s proprietary alloy known for its ethical sourcing and remarkable durability‭. ‬The material‭, ‬like the man it honours‭, ‬is understated yet quietly enduring‭. ‬Vintage design details are thoughtfully woven throughout‭ ‬—‭ ‬piston-style pushers evoke classic engine components‭, ‬while the screw-down crown recalls the shape of a fuel tank cap‭. ‬The case‭ ‬curves with a purposeful fluidity‭, ‬echoing an era when form gracefully followed function‭. ‬

The opaline silver dial is a clear nod to the 300‭ ‬SLR that Moss drove‭. ‬Around the dial’s edge‭, ‬a peripheral tachymeter scale frames the scene‭, ‬with a red-tipped chronograph seconds hand nodding to the signature 1000‭ ‬Miglia arrow just beneath 12‭ ‬o’clock‭. ‬With its tricompax chronograph layout‭ ‬—‭ ‬counters at three‭, ‬six‭, ‬and nine o’clock‭ ‬—‭ ‬and luminous Arabic numerals and baton hands‭, ‬the dial blends legibility with period character‭. ‬It’s handsome in that effortlessly utilitarian way vintage racing instruments tend to be‭.‬

Inside beats a COSC-certified self-winding chronograph movement‭, ‬offering a 54-hour power reserve and ticking at a crisp 28,800‭ ‬vibrations per hour‭. ‬It’s a workhorse with pedigree‭ ‬—‭ ‬just what you’d expect in a Mille Miglia edition‭. ‬Turn the watch over and the sapphire crystal caseback reveals both the calibre and a finely‭ ‬etched tribute‭: ‬race date‭, ‬time taken‭, ‬and the national emblem of Moss’s homeland‭ ‬—‭ ‬the Union Jack‭ ‬—‭ ‬and a chequered flag intertwined‭.‬

The brown calfskin strap‭, ‬with its tone-on-tone stitching and pin buckle‭, ‬looks ready for a spirited drive in a classic open-top‭.‬

The Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Tribute to Moss is no showy anniversary piece‭. ‬It’s a measured and meaningful homage to a man‭, ‬a machine‭, ‬and a moment in motorsport that still stirs the soul seven decades on‭. ‬For those drawn to the crossroads of racing and fine watchmaking‭, ‬Chopard’s latest creation is a gritty nod to greatness worth considering‭.‬

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