Chopard partners with the 32nd California Mille

For a 5^th consecutive edition, Chopard proudly served as the “Official Timekeeper” of the 32^nd annual California Mille which ran from April 23^rd to April 27^th. Drawing upon the original Italian 1000 Miglia open road race from Brescia to Rome (of which Chopard has also been world sponsor since 1988), the California Mille is a 1,000-mile, four-day excursion through California’s best scenic driving roads.

This year, the event featured 67 classic cars manufactured on or before the original 1000 Miglia’s final running in 1957. Spectators from the community waved the flag of Italy to signify the official start of the California Mille with participants departing from its starting line in Berkeley which took them on a new scenic route through majestic mountain destinations finishing in California’s beautiful wine country.

The close ties between luxury watch and jewellery Maison Chopard and the original 1000 Miglia stem from a now-inseparable shared history. The initial connection was born from a personal passion for classic cars nurtured by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Chopard Co-President. Under his leadership, Chopard became the world partner and official timekeeper of the 1000 Miglia in 1988 and one of the first Maisons to associate its name with the automobile world.

For Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, the links are entirely natural: “Lovers of fine cars often have a great weakness for precious timepieces and vice versa.  Extreme precision and sporting elegance are important in both these fields.”

Joining Chopard for the excursion was World Champion race car Justin Bell, who drove a 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster.

The Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Chrono California Mille 32^nd Edition

For the 5^th consecutive edition, Chopard proudly presents a new Mille Miglia timepiece in honor of the annual California Mille. The new 30-piece limited edition Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Chrono California Mille 32^nd Edition is attired in grey featuring black and blue racing stripes on the dial paying tribute to the most prestigious of the classic open-road races and echoing the official colors of Hagerty. Featuring a 44 mm case in Lucent Steel™, this chronometer-certified chronograph picks up all the codes that Chopard instils into the identity of this sporting collection: masculine elegance, mechanical precision, watchmaking performance, racing ergonomics – all dedicated to the beauty of driving.