Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph – American Racing Stripes
Blue with Dual Stripes
The Chopard Mille Miglia collection was launched in 1988, coinciding with the brand’s partnership with the legendary Italian race, the Mille Miglia. The latest iteration, the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph "American Racing Stripes," draws inspiration from the race cars—featuring blue bodies with white stripes—driven by Dan Gurney’s "All-American Racers" team in the 1960s. The blue dial is accented by two white lacquered stripes on the left side. Housed in a 40.5mm Lucent Steel™ case, this model is limited to just 50 pieces, exclusively for the U.S. market. It is powered by a COSC-certified self-winding movement with a 54-hour power reserve. As a long-time admirer of the Mille Miglia collection, I find the striking white stripes particularly compelling—they lend the watch a truly unique charm.
Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph American Racing Stripes 168619-3021
the Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph "American Racing Stripes" takes its design cues from classic American racing liveries. It also serves as a prelude to the upcoming centenary of the Mille Miglia, which Chopard will celebrate in 2027. Key features include the aforementioned lacquered stripes, a sapphire crystal case back adorned with the American flag and a checkered flag, a 40.5mm Lucent Steel™ case, and a COSC-certified self-winding chronograph movement.
This color scheme is rooted in history. Traditionally, American race cars were finished in white with blue accents. In the early 1950s, the Le Mans race cars entered by Briggs Cunningham—featuring white bodies with blue stripes—established this combination as the iconic livery for American motorsport. By the 1960s, Dan Gurney’s "All-American Racers" team took a different approach, featuring white stripes on blue race cars. This design served as the inspiration for this timepiece, where the racing stripe is positioned not directly beneath the hands, but rather toward the left side of the dial. Chopard’s association with Italy’s Mille Miglia race began in 1988, when the brand became a global sponsor and official timekeeper of the event, subsequently launching the Mille Miglia watch collection. Since 1989, Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has attended the race in person every year. In addition to special editions created for the annual event, the collection includes models themed around racing colors, iconic circuits, legendary drivers, and historic coachbuilders. The "American Racing Stripes" edition continues this tradition.
Case and Dial
The case, crown, and pushers are crafted from Lucent Steel™. This proprietary Chopard alloy is composed of 80% recycled material that has been remelted; its high hardness ensures exceptional wear resistance. First introduced in 2019 with the Alpine Eagle collection, this material has been used for all Chopard steel cases and bracelets since 2023. The polished surfaces of the bezel and the welded lugs contrast beautifully with the satin-brushed sides of the case, creating a striking interplay of finishes on the round silhouette—all while utilizing a single, consistent material.
The watch features a diameter of 40.50 mm and a thickness of 12.88 mm. The sapphire crystal rises above the polished bezel rather than sitting flush with it, lending the timepiece a distinctive, elevated profile. Its curved edges frame the outer scale, and an anti-reflective coating ensures excellent legibility by minimizing glare. With a water resistance of 50 meters, this rating is somewhat modest for a sports watch.
The 7.50 mm crown features an engraved steering wheel motif and deep fluting along its edge. Positioned above and below the crown are the chronograph pushers; their polished, cylindrical sides complement textured, pedal-inspired contact surfaces—a design detail that extends the racing theme from the dial to the watch’s controls. The case back, secured by screws, features a metal frame surrounding a sapphire crystal window adorned with a crossed-flags emblem.
Beneath a blue lacquer finish lies a circular satin-brushed texture, with two white lacquered stripes running vertically across the left side of the dial. These stripes are interrupted by a 30-minute chronograph sub-dial at 9 o'clock, with white sections extending above and below it. Arabic numeral hour markers are superimposed over this striped area; where the light-colored numerals meet the white background, they are accentuated by a distinct gray outline. A navy blue minute track, featuring contrasting markings, encircles the dial’s periphery, with a tachymeter scale positioned further outward.
The three sub-dials feature a blue, snailed (spiraled) center surrounded by a light-colored ring. The running seconds sub-dial is located at 3 o'clock, the 12-hour chronograph counter at 6 o'clock, and the minute counter at 9 o'clock. Their placement partially obscures some of the hour markers, while the date window is positioned diagonally between 4 and 5 o'clock. The hands on two of the chronograph sub-dials feature red tips; the running seconds hand is rhodium-plated with a red tip, a color-coding choice that distinguishes it from the chronograph seconds hand.
Three hands share the central axis: rhodium-plated hour and minute hands, and a slender red chronograph seconds hand. The primary chronograph hand and the gray-outlined hour markers are coated with X1-grade Super-LumiNova. The red central hand extends to the chronograph track at the dial’s outer edge, while the broader, luminescent hour and minute hands remain clearly visible as they sweep over the sub-dials. Beneath the "Chopard" and "Chronometer" inscriptions, a small red arrow—a nod to the Mille Miglia race—introduces an additional splash of red without requiring a dedicated sub-dial.
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Movement
This automatic chronograph features a 54-hour power reserve and operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz). The small seconds hand functions independently of the central chronograph hand, allowing for the simultaneous tracking of current time and elapsed time. With 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers, the chronograph’s capacity extends well beyond the single rotation of the central seconds hand. Furthermore, the tachymeter scale on the outer bezel enables the calculation of average speed over a given distance.
A stop-seconds (hacking) function allows the seconds hand to be halted for precise time-setting. This is distinct from the chronograph’s stop function: the former is for synchronizing the watch, while the latter is for recording elapsed intervals. The automatic winding system replenishes the power reserve while the watch is being worn. When fully wound, the 54-hour power reserve lasts for more than two days, though it is not sufficient to keep the watch running through a third day of inactivity.
Before being cased, the movement receives official Swiss chronometer certification (COSC). This rigorous 15-day testing process—conducted across five positions and three different temperatures—ensures a daily precision tolerance of -4 to +6 seconds. It is important to note that this certification pertains to timekeeping accuracy, not the performance of the chronograph function itself. The movement measures 28.60 mm in diameter and contains 37 jewels.
Through the sapphire crystal case back, one can observe broad, decorative stripes across the automatic rotor, while the underlying movement components are finished with a circular-grained pattern (perlage). The balance wheel is visible through an aperture near the edge of the movement. Below this opening, a crossed-flags motif reinforces the American racing theme. Surrounding the aperture are the iconic Mille Miglia arrow and the inscription "Racing Stripes USA," identifying both the collection and this specific limited edition.
Strap
A navy blue rubber strap extends the color palette of the dial beyond the lugs. The outer side of the strap features a raised tread pattern inspired by classic 1960s Dunlop racing tires, providing a texture that contrasts with the lacquered dial and polished steel. The inner side of the strap is detailed with longitudinal grooves and the molded Chopard Mille Miglia brand logo.
A Lucent Steel™ pin buckle complements the material of the case. The end of the strap sits between the individual lugs, leaving the polished surfaces of the lugs exposed on either side.
Technical Specifications
Case
Lucent Steel™; diameter 40.50 mm; thickness 12.88 mm; polished bezel and welded lugs; satin-brushed case sides; 7.50 mm Lucent Steel™ crown engraved with a steering wheel motif; knurled Lucent Steel™ pushers; anti-reflective sapphire crystal; sapphire crystal case back featuring a design of crossed American and checkered flags along with the Mille Miglia logo; water-resistant to 50 meters.
Movement
Mechanical self-winding chronograph; diameter 28.60 mm; 37 jewels; frequency 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz); 54-hour power reserve; COSC-certified chronometer; central hour and minute hands; small seconds at 3 o'clock; central chronograph seconds hand; 30-minute counter at 9 o'clock; 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock; date display between 4 and 5 o'clock; stop-seconds function. Dial
Blue circular satin-brushed finish with two white lacquered stripes; navy blue track with white markings; tachymeter scale; red Mille Miglia arrow; Arabic numerals with grey outlines, filled with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova; rhodium-plated baton-style hour and minute hands, filled with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova; snailed chronograph counters with rhodium-plated hands (featuring red tips); red central baton-style chronograph seconds hand.
Strap
Navy blue rubber, featuring the tread pattern of classic 1960s Dunlop racing tires; Lucent Steel™ pin buckle.
Reference Number
168619-3021.
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