For the first time, Chopard is translating technologies from motorsport into the world of haute horlogerie. In doing so, the Swiss manufacture shifts up a gear in its close relationship, dating back to 1988, with the legendary Italian Mille Miglia race, for which it serves as official timekeeper.
Text: Anja Van Der Borght
A meeting at the Mille Miglia
When Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Chopard’s co-president, and Andrea Michele Zagato, third-generation Zagato and head of the Milanese coachbuilding house, met during the Mille Miglia in 2012, magic happened. Karl-Friedrich, a passionate collector of classic cars, immediately sensed the passion Andrea had inherited from his grandfather Ugo, the founder of Zagato.
Zagato: beauty and performance in every line
At Zagato, every line serves both beauty and performance. The atelier pioneered the translation of aeronautical techniques to the racing world: lightweight aluminium bodywork combined with a tubular chassis produced sleek, aerodynamic silhouettes that are still coveted today, and helped make Zagato a benchmark in exceptional coachbuilding.
A third collaboration, limited to 19 pieces
Their shared love of engineering and aesthetics had already resulted in two watch collaborations, in 2013 and 2019. Now Chopard and Zagato are writing a new chapter with a third watch, extremely exclusively limited to just 19 pieces, a subtle nod to 19 April 1919, the day the coachbuilder was born. Norihiko Harada, Zagato’s chief designer, emphasized the tubular architecture, so characteristic of Zagato’s chassis constructions, in the design even more.
Watch details
Chopard Zagato Lab One Concept (42 mm), mechanical movement, recommended retail price €142,000. For more information and points of sale: chopard.com
Key features
Hacking seconds for precise setting.
Tubular “chassis” frame: the movement sits in a tube-like structure for added stability and shock resistance.
Ultra-light: 43.20 g with strap (36.5 g without), Chopard’s lightest titanium watch.
Ceramised titanium: hard, scratch-resistant coating.
L.U.C 04.04-L: chronometer precision, finishing inspired by engine cylinder heads.
Crown echoes an automotive differential.
Tourbillon + small seconds at 6; 60-hour power reserve at 12.
