The Chopard Mille Miglia GMT Chrono 2012

What makes the Chopard Mille Miglia collection special? Is it the dashboard styling, the vivid emblematic Miglia arrow, or perhaps the super cool Dunlop tire tread strap?  All are important.

A well sketched chronograph will always be a desirable acquisition and it is the details that make the design – chrono counters perfectly sized and positioned and a 42-ish mm case made to hug the wrist.  This is a competitive genre, but a few stand out from the rest – Zenith nailed it with their El Primero Foudroyante, TAG Heuer did it with their Carreras and so did Omega with their range of Speed masters.  All are readable, usable and covetable.  If you use your chrono to time a lap or simply to boil an egg, it matters not – a well laid out chronograph is a fine and dapper addition to any watch collection and Chopard’s Mille Miglia limited edition annual releases equipped with COSC certified calibers are up there with the best.

For 2012, Chopard have once again released a Chronograph + GMT complication, not this time with a pristine white dial, but with a rather handsome black dial/bezel combination.  The red tipped hand is for the central seconds, the white tipped hand indicates the second time-zone with its 24 hour scale located on the bezel.  The counters are snailed with the 30-min and 12-hour positioned top and bottom and the 60 seconds counter slipped in at 9 o’clock.  The date window and branding are neatly aligned to the left with further branding and fancy work reserved for the case back.

The Chopard Mille Miglia Chrono GMT 2012 will be available with a steel case – 2012 pieces, or with a rose gold case – 250 pieces.  Naturally both editions come presented on the iconic chunky, tactile rubber strap – there would be rumblings if they weren’t.