Now that the best classics change hands for seven-figure sums, the old car world has become the almost exclusive domain of the wealthy – and since it’s also a truism that automobiles and horology go hand in hand, it’s no surprise that plenty of luxury watch brands have become involved in events dedicated to ‘historics’.

But few have established such active ties with the classic car world as Chopard, which marks 31 years as lead sponsor of Italy’s Mille Miglia in May, further cementing the world’s longest-running partnership between a watch brand and a classic car event.

But for Chopard boss Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, the need to be in and around old motors is inspired by something far greater than just the chance to exploit a marketing opportunity. The fact is, he’s a true enthusiast whose passion for classics can be traced back to his father, Karl, and his father before him (another Karl).

Few luxury watch brands have established such active ties with the classic car world as Chopard

We met last month at the launch of Scheufele’s latest venture: a forward-thinking boutique boasting the decidedly prestigious address of ‘One Monaco’. This will be selling not only watches by Chopard and its ultra-high-end stablemate Ferdinand Berthoud, but also those of several other niche, independent makers including MB&F, Greubel Forsey, Urwerk and Ressence.

‘The idea is to give more of a voice to true, artisan brands because we want to keep alive some of the many traditional watchmaking skills that the use of computer-aided machinery threatens to kill off,’ explains Scheufele.

‘Many of these independents don’t have the means to promote themselves widely, so we thought it was a good idea to found the Art in Time boutique in order to improve their exposure and to celebrate the mechanical arts,’ he explained.

But Scheufele and I couldn’t be in Monaco for long without the subject turning to our shared love of classic cars, and soon we were discussing some of those in his impressive stable of ‘more than 30’, that range from a 1973 Porsche Carrera 2.7 RS to a 1935 Aston Martin Ulster and, the pride of the fleet, a 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Barchetta.

Scheufele has succeeded in combining business with pleasure by linking Chopard with numerous historic car events, including the biennial Monaco Grand Prix Historique, the British Classic Car Meeting in St Moritz and the Ennstal Classic in Austria – to name but a few. Then, of course, there are the many car watches that Scheufele has instigated. There are the Jacky Ickx editions, which pay tribute to his longstanding racing friend, the avant-garde Engine One, the Chrono One and the driving-inspired ‘Superfast’ and ‘GTS’ models.

Yet ask virtually anyone who’s interested in classic cars to name a particular Chopard model and their immediate response will probably be Mille Miglia, in reference to the watches that, since 1988, have been the official timepieces of the recreated version of the event, which ceased to be a true race back in 1957.

The Mille Miglia began in 1927 after the Italian Grand Prix was moved from Brescia to Monza. Incensed at the situation, a young count called Aymo Maggi and a fellow automobilist Franco Mazzotti decided to stage a road race from Brescia to Rome and back, a route covering a distance of 1,500 kilometres (or 1,000 ‘Roman’ miles).

That first event fielded 77 cars and the winner was Giuseppe Morandi, who completed the course at an average speed of less than 50 mph in 21 hours and five minutes. The Mille Miglia became an annual event that attracted millions of spectators at the roadsides in and around the towns and villages through which it roared.

Its most famous protagonist was Stirling Moss who, driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR set an all-time record of 10 hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds – equating to an average speed of 97.96 mph. That was in 1957, and it proved to be the last time the race was run in its original form following two fatal crashes, one of which involved the aristocratic Spanish driver Alfonso de Portago who was killed, together with his navigator Edmund Nelson and nine spectators, when a worn-out tyre caused his Ferrari 355S to overturn at high speed.

The Mille Miglia thus remained history until 1982 when it was revived as a classic time trial in which, rather than racing, competitors completed sections of the route within specific time frames and undertook special, timed tests. There was, therefore, an obvious link with watches and in 1988 – two years after the Mille Miglia Istorica had become an annual event – Chopard climbed on board as sponsor and has remained there ever since, with Scheufele senior and junior taking part as competitors every other year.

Back in 1927, the entry fee was a token one lira. It’s increased a bit since then – to a basic of €10,000 for a car and crew of two, to €60,000 for the ‘platinum’ package. Within those prices, however, each team gets a special version of the latest Chopard Mille Miglia watch, engraved with the relevant car’s competition number.

This year’s model is the latest in the Mille Miglia GTS collection launched four years ago. Offering a vintage twist and limited to 1,000 examples, the new ‘MM’ model features a 44mm steel case with a chequered flag back engraved with the famous Mille Miglia direction arrow logo, behind which sits a chronometer-certified movement capable of measuring elapsed times down to one-eighth of a second. The bezel is calibrated with a tachymeter scale for speed and distance calculations, the anthracite dial carries three subdials for minutes, hours and seconds and the perforated leather ‘driver’s’ strap is lined with the tread pattern of a 1960s Dunlop race tyre.

Naturally, Scheufele will be wearing one for the Mille Miglia, in which he has competed ‘29 or 30 times’. Look out for him at the wheel of a Porsche 550 Spyder, with his daughter, Caroline-Marie, as co-pilot.

So yes, it really does run in the family…

chopard.com