Future With Two New Mille Miglia Styled Watches

The Mille Miglia line of watches is likely to be Chopard's best selling men's line. The broad model line continues to evolve over the years, but maintains a wonderful following due to highly recognizable looks. A few years ago, beginning with the XL line of models, the Mille Miglia line began to grow up, literally and stylistically. The XL line is bigger and more futuristic in its representation of racing watches. Regardless, Chopard has always been dedicated to classic looks, and maintains a strong foothold in tradition. Two new watches point in both chronological directions. The first is not technically part of the Mille Miglia line, but aesthetically it cannot be removed. The Chopard Grad Prix de Monaco Historique 2008 watch in steel is a new production watch, with a rose gold limited edition of 500 pieces, and is an homage to the Monaco Automobile Club. Looking at the watch, one can immediately recognize the Mille Miglia underneath the classically styled watch. Use of dark circles in the upper and lower registers give the watch a bicompax look, which preserving the functionality of the watch's Valjoux 7750 movement inside by maintaining the third register (which keeps color of the rest of the dial). The watch is a comfortable everyday wear, having good legibility and chronometer accuracy. While difficult to tell in the picture, the leather strap features a porthole design placing large open circles in the strap. This is mostly stylistic, but helps reduce sweat a bit. Sized at 42.5mm, the case is acceptably large, without going in to XL territory. Around the bezel lays the necessary tachometer (also spelled tachymeter; and is for a racing watch), but here it is largely decorative. While it can easily be used with the chronograph, in my opinion it is placed a bit too far from the chronograph seconds hand to be read easily; minor quibble. Aside from that, the large red arrow at the tip of the chronograph seconds hand is a delight. Adding a nice sense of color to the otherwise sober looking watch. I think you will agree that this is a purely classic racing watch. Perhaps not innovative in its interpretation of the past, but it really does not need to be. The audience this watch is aimed for will appreciate its nice lines, and historic appeal. I imagine pricing to be in the $3000 range for the steel version.