Chopard Gives the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Three Historic Racing Colours

Chopard’s long-running relationship with the Mille Miglia has produced some of the brand’s most recognisable sport watches, and the latest trio leans directly into motor racing history.

The new Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph editions translate Britain’s green, France’s blue and Germany’s silver racing identities into a familiar 40.5mm chronograph format.

Each version is limited to 100 numbered pieces and sold exclusively in its respective country.

At a glance

Racing colours return to the Mille Miglia

Chopard has been World Sponsor and Official Timekeeper of the Mille Miglia since 1988, giving the collection a stronger motorsport connection than most retro chronographs can claim.

This new set builds on the redesigned Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph case introduced in 2023, keeping the more compact proportions while adding a neat historical angle.

National racing colours go back to the early 20th century, when countries used distinctive liveries to identify their cars in international competition.

France became associated with blue, Britain with green and Germany with white before the bare-metal silver of the Silver Arrows era became its most famous visual signature.

Chopard has chosen those three references for this release, making the watches feel less like simple dial variants and more like small tributes to pre-war and post-war racing culture.

Three dials with distinct national character

The British Racing Green edition is the most restrained of the three, pairing a galvanic green dial with a circular satin finish, white transfers and rhodium-plated hands.

A red-tipped central chronograph hand and the Mille Miglia arrow add the only flashes of contrast, while the dark green rubber strap uses a tyre-tread pattern inspired by 1960s Dunlop racing tyres.

The French Limited Edition takes a brighter route with a varnished blue dial, silver-toned counters and red and white accents that nod to the tricolour.

Its red chronograph hands give the dial a livelier rhythm, while a blue rubber tyre-tread strap completes the palette.

The Speed Silver edition for Germany is the most monochrome of the set, using a silver opaline dial with grey and black markings.

It’s worn on a perforated black calfskin strap with grey stitching rather than rubber, a choice that suits the Silver Arrows mood without leaning too heavily into nostalgia.

Automotive details in a compact chronograph case

All three watches share the same 40.5mm Lucent Steel case, measuring 12.88mm thick and finished with alternating satin-brushed and polished surfaces.

Lucent Steel is Chopard’s proprietary alloy, used here for its brighter appearance and greater hardness compared with conventional steel.

The pushers are knurled in a detail meant to recall brake pedals, while the notched crown carries an engraved steering-wheel motif and is shaped for better grip.

A box-shaped glare-proofed sapphire crystal reinforces the vintage profile, and the case is water-resistant to 50 metres.

The dial layout stays faithful to the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph format, with small seconds at 3 o’clock, a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, a 30-minute counter at 9 o’clock and a date between 4 and 5 o’clock.

Turn the watch over and each sapphire caseback shows a crossed-flag motif, pairing a chequered racing flag with the relevant national flag.

The automatic chronograph movement is visible through the crystal and is COSC-certified, running at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 54-hour power reserve.

Details & Specifications

These are focused additions rather than a reinvention of the Mille Miglia formula, which is precisely their appeal.

For collectors who like Chopard’s motorsport line at its most literal, the combination of compact proportions, numbered production and country-specific racing colours gives each watch a clear identity without overcomplicating the design.