mille miglia

Here is a watch that for some is the holy grail of Chopard Mille Miglia watches. It combines just about everything that people like from the timepiece collection, and is a limited edition on top of that - of only 500 pieces. I am pretty psyched about this watch, and look forward to spending some time with one, you know... alone. The case is the GT XL style, meaning it is 44mm wide, and has those cool integrated chronograph pushers and crown guards. The watch case is super tough being steel coated with DLC (diamond like carbon). It is also luxurious having an 18k rose gold bezel, chronograph pushers, hands on the dial, and crown. Like the other Mille Miglia GT watches, Chopard applied some of that white, outlined numeral work on under the sapphire crystal, but made it subtle by just doing the 12 and 6 o'clock indicators that way.

The dial has some three dimensional qualities with the applied chronograph subdial rings and hour indicators painted with SuperLumiNova. The hands stand out super well for intense legibility. The dial doesn't however lose any of its racing character. You can see the reserve mounted magnifier placed under the crystal for the date window as well.

Movement is a Chronometer certified chronograph automatic, decorated and viewable through the watch's sapphire caseback. I love the traditional 1960s Dunlop tire tread pattern rubber strap that completes the look of one of the nicest racing themed watch collections of all time. Certain a start of Chopard's line up, and again, this Mille Miglia GT XL Chronograph is part of a limited edition only. Price for this Chopard Ref. 168459-6001 is $10,580.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Jaguar holds dear one of the richest of heritages in the automotive industry, and a not insignificant part of that history was forged at the Mille Miglia, one of the most grueling of races that took place between 1927 to 1957 through the Italian countryside between Brescia and Rome. Today the event is a revival of the iconic race of yore, and to celebrate its role in the original Mille Miglia, Jaguar is returning to the event with a convoy of some of its most treasured classics.

Included among the Jaguar factory team will be a long-nose D-Type, four C-Types and an original Mark VII sedan, some of which contested the race in the 50's. Jaguar's legendary test driver Norman Dewis, now in his 80's, will be participating, along with a fleet of modern XKRs and XFRs which Jaguar is sending along as support vehicles for the event, which takes place next month from May 13-17.

2009 has been mostly about "tradition" in new watch releases - at least from most of the major brands. Thus, in a definite departure from the "modernization" of the Mille Miglia watch over the past few years, Chopard has released this more classic looking model of their best selling men's line of watch. This is the Chopard Mille Miglia Chrono Limited Edition 2009 watch, and will come in a 42mm wide steel case with an automatic COSC certified Chronometer chronograph movement. The limited edition will have 2009 pieces available, and I am sure you can figure out where that number came from.

For me, aside from the handsome race inspired face, it is the tire tread inspired rubber strap that has always appealed to be in the Mille Miglia watch series. Modeled after Dunlop tires from the 1960s, the strap says "racing" almost too well. Despite the iconic look, the Mille Miglia is still an understated sports watch. It has everything in the right place, but is not a "loud" design. It is for the enthusiast who wants a heritage rich sport watch that has a subtle, lasting quality to it. Updated numerals on the dial are lume filled and easy to read in their no nonsense retro appeal. The dial of the watch is made from ruthenium, for the glossy gray look (which also has a hard to see sunburst finishing). Look for the watch soon at prices that I predict will be between $4,000 - $7000 .

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.