The Mille Miglia collection of men’s watches by Chopard is one of the brand’s best known and truly one of the most attractive watches out there.

These days, many luxury watch brands are choosing to enhance current collections rather than invest the time and money into creating and producing completely new ones. This is what Chopard is doing with the Mille Miglia. A split-seconds chronograph complication is the newest addition and will be available in only 500 pieces.

Called the Chopard Mille Miglia GT XL Chrono Split Seconds, this men’s watch offers both the popular chronograph function and comes in a luxurious case crafted from 18k rose gold. Stylistically this newer version is similar to its predecessors, known as the 1000 Miglia collection. The 44 mm sized case gives a feeling on strength, as do the lugs and the engraved tachymeter bezel for the calculation of average speeds. The dial is a bright white with both 12 hour and 30 minute chronograph totalizers that sit on a raised silver subdial which features the date as well as an additional subdial for small seconds. The hour markers are in large, modern looking Arabic numerals, all which sit under the slightly arched scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.

What makes the Chopard 1000 Miglia GT XL Chrono Split Seconds watch special is the “third pusher at the 7 o’clock position, and a second central chronograph hand, which lies superimposed beneath the primary one. These elements are visual hallmarks of the split-seconds chronograph or rattrapante–a brilliant variation of the chronograph which pushes horological technique to its highest point, and allows the timing of two events taking place simultaneously.”

The rattrapante chronograph has complicated inner workings that are controlled by an elaborate version of the ETA-Valjoux 7750 chronograph caliber, a self-winding movement that is considered one of the most precise, strong, and reliable ever made. “Equipped with a smooth balance beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, this movement can record elapsed chronograph time to the nearest 1/8th second.” Despite the demands imposed by the split second function, the power reserve is still 42 hours.

Each of these new 500 Chopard Mille Miglia GT XL Chrono Split Seconds watches come with a crocodile leather strap with white stitching that makes for a handsome contrast.

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Many luxury watch brands have created partnerships with luxury automobile manufactures as well as with car racing events. Chopard is no exception and has been aligned with the Grand Prix de Monaco since 2002 and, as is expected, has a collection of watches called the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique.

However, what is different this year is that Chopard is coming out with a completely new and different looking watch, unlike anything it has produced before; a digital chronograph. The grand name? The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique Time Attack MF Quartz Watch. Being a quartz watch (more accurate than mechanical watches), it requires COSC Chronometer certification.

This design and production of this watch prides itself on the elegance and speed of the cars that race in this event. The Grand Prix de Monaco was supposed to be a single event that took place in 1998, but it has become so popular (mostly with car collectors from the U.S., Germany, France and Italy) that it now takes place every two years and runs the same route as the Monaco Grand Prix.

The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique Time Attack MF Quartz watch can measure short times to within one hundredth of a second. The case is 42.5mm and made from steel. The black dial is open and unobstructed, featuring large white hour hands and a red seconds hand and digital display at the 6 o’clock position. This digital display is actually an LCD screen that includes a chronograph, two alarms, countdown timer, GMT time, date, and a second time zone. All of these functions, which are visible on the LCD display screen, are operated by two pushbuttons, one at 2 and the other at 4 o’clock. An engraving of a tachometric scale decorates the bezel. Straps come in either porthole lined leather or the classic black rubber with tire tread.

This watch is not expected to cost more than a few thousand dollars due to the fact that it’s made from steel and has a quartz movement. So if you can’t afford to show up to the Grand Prix de Monaco in your Aston Martin or Ferrari, at least you can own the watch that commemorates the event.

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