Chopard returns to Brescia in Italy for the 36th time in succession as the World Sponsor and Official Timekeeper of the 1000 Miglia, slated to begin June 13.
Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele will compete in the race from Brescia to Rome and back, having first taken part in 1989 with six-times Le Mans 24 Hours winner Jacky Ickx in the navigator’s seat.
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele & Jacky Ickx before departing in 2022.
The pair will team-up again this year (as on more than a dozen previous occasions), once more tackling the gruelling course in the instantly recognizable‘metallic raspberry’ Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing in which they made their 1000 Miglia debut.
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele at the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz 300SL in 2022.
Chopard will continue its tradition of introducing new Mille Miglia timepieces, with four Mille Miglia Classic Chronographs, plus an additional, very special ‘Italian Limited Edition’ of the Mille Miglia GTS Chronograph – some of the proceeds from which will be donated to victims of the recent Emilia-Romagna flood disaster.
—Source: Chopard
We’ll take a closer look at the new Mille Miglia GTS Chronographs in an upcoming post.
Hublot will be sponsoring two teams at the 84th edition of the the Bol d’Or Mirabaud, the world’s largest inland regatta. The brand will accompany its ambassador, Alan Roura, aboard Solano, and the Sailing Squad, an all-female crew of three young international sailors sponsored by Hublot in association with Mirabaud.
Alan Roura – Hublot Ambassador.
The 84th edition of the BOM, which commences June 10, is an opportunity for Hublot to celebrate the return of Alan Roura to Lake Geneva for a race in which he last competed in 2021 and 2017. The offshore sailor will be teaming up with Pascal Feryn, Alberto Corneli, Francesco Bianchi et Francesco Sabatini.
The Sailing Squad
Sailing Squad – Season 3
Created by Mirabaud bank in 2021, the crew, which changes every year, will comprise three sailors working as a team for the first time in this race. A unique human enterprise, the all-female crew is coached by Shirley Robertson, an elite sailor, double Olympic gold medallist and talented commentator for the BBC and CNN. Hublot and the Sailing Squad will be looking to set a good time aboard Christian Wahl’s D35, Double You Team.
For this third season, the Sailing Squad 2023 will feature three promising young sailors who have all competed at an international level and gained world rankings:Anja von Allmen, 20, Switzerland. She is currently preparing for the 2024 Olympics in the ILCA 6 Elite class. Eilidh McIntyre, 29, UK. 470 Olympic Champion at the 2020 Olympics. Silvia Mas, 26, Spain. 470 World Champion.
The event kicks off in front of the Société Nautique de Genève yacht club on Saturday, 10th June at 10 am.
Ulysse Nardin refreshes two of its dive models with eye-catching azure blue dial markers and matching blue rubber straps to mark World Oceans Day (June 8).
The new Ulysse Nardin Diver Net Azure.
One model, the Diver Net Azure, adds the sparkling blue color to the watchmaker’s existing environmentally friendly Diver series. This latest model in the collection (which also includes the Ocean Race diver) utilizes recycled materials within its case, which is made from Carbonium (with a 40% lower environmental impact than other carbon composites), Nylo (recycled polyamide from fishing nets) and 95% recycled steel.
The watchmaker reports that the new model represents a greater use of recycled steel than the first Diver Net concept model in 2020, which contained 80% recycled steel.
The watch remains water-resistant to 300 meters and exhibits its blue hue on the dial’s X accent, the dial markers, the bezel markers and its rubber strap.
Ulysse Nardin fits the watch with its automatic UN-118 movement (above), fitted with a silicon balance spring and a DiamonSil escapement wheel and anchor. Price: $12,600.
The new Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton Azure.
The Diver X Skeleton Azure is a more complex dive watch. As the latest model within the watchmaker’s Diver X Skeleton collection, the skeletonized watch exposes its UN-372 Manufacture caliber, a top-tier in-house automatic movement Ulysse Nardin outfits with an extra-large oscillator and a silicon escapement wheel, anchor and balance-spring.
The movement is exposed within a 44mm titanium DLC case, which is water-resistant to 200 meters. Its components are visible underneath a dramatic black and azure blue X-shaped bridge. Lightweight Carbonium tops the barrel cover at the 12 o’clock position and covers the unidirectional rotating bezel. Price: $26,400.
Ulysse Nardin Caliber UN-372.
(See below for full technical specifications for both new watches).
Specifications: Ulysse Nardin Diver Net Azure
(Ref. 1183-170-2B/3A)
Movement: UN-118 Manufacture caliber, automatic movement displaying
hours, minutes, small seconds, date, power reserve indicator.Silicon balance-spring, DiamonSil escapement wheel and anchor. Frequency 4Hz (28,800 vph).
Case: 44mm by 14.81 mm with central case, bezel, case back and movement mount in 95% recycled stainless steel. Side case and case back ring: 60% Nylo recycled fishing nets and 40% Carbonium up-cycled carbon fiber from the aeronautic industry. Open sapphire crystal case back.Concave unidirectional rotating bezel in 100% upcycled Carbonium with domed sapphire crystal.Water resistance to 300 meters.
Dial: Sandblasted black with an embossed and satin X Power-reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, date and small seconds at 6 o’clock, hour-markers and hands with Super-LumiNova.
Strap: Azure-colored rubber with black “Ulysse Nardin” ceramic element at 6 o’clock
Black ceramic pin buckle.
Price: $12,600.
Specifications: Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton Azure
(Ref. 3723-170-2B/3A)
Movement: UN-372 Manufacture caliber, self-winding skeleton movement
Hours, minutes, seconds. Oversized silicon balance wheel, silicon escapement wheel, anchor and balance-spring. Frequency 3Hz (21,600 vph).
Case: Polished and satin finished 44mm by 15.7mm black DLC titanium case,
concave unidirectional rotating bezel in Carbonium with domed sapphire crystal,
open sapphire crystal caseback in black DLC titanium. Water resistant to 200 meters.
Dial: X-shaped skeleton dial in polished and satin-finished black PVD Carbonium barrel cover, black hour-markers and hands with Super-LumiNova.
Strap:Azure-colored rubber strap with black “Ulysse Nardin” ceramic element at 6 o’clock, compatible with R-STRAP, folding clasp in black ceramic and black PVD titanium.
Maurice Lacroix revisits its Pontos S Diver, revamping the dive watch with a sharp-looking new dial sporting bolder indexes and minute markings, improved luminosity and a raised date frame. In addition, Maurice Lacroix offers a bronze-cased edition, a first for the collection.
One of three new Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Divers.
The Swiss watchmaker released its first-generation Pontos S Diver in 2013 but halted it a few years later as it increased production of its hot Aikon collection to meet demand.
With the updated 42mm watch, Maurice Lacroix enhances dial visibility with newly facettedhour and minute hands, both of which glow with SuperlumiNova. On the minute hand you’ll now see a border colored to contrast with the dial. The hour indexes retain their generous luminescent treatment.
Maurice Lacroix also retains the watch’s useful internal rotating bezel to indicate elapsed time, adjusted using the crown at the 2 o’clock position. The second crown at the 3 o’clock position is used to adjust the time, date and to wind the automatic ML115 movement. All models are water resistant to 300 meters.
Maurice Lacroix debuts its first bronze-cased Pontos S Diver.
Bronze too
As noted, Maurice Lacroix is offering a bronze edition of the watch in addition to the steel models.
While the regular production steel models are available with black grained or white lacquered dial options, the bronze model is limited to 500 pieces and is paired with a blue grained dial.
The bronze version comes supplied with two straps, one in dark blue leather and the other in dark blue rubber. Maurice Lacroix supplies the steel models with three matching straps: an M-branded fabric strap and two rubber straps.
Finally, Maurice Lacroix equips the new Pontos S Diver with the company’s Easy Strap Exchange System that allows the wearer to quickly swap straps without the need for tools.
Zenith donates a pink El Primero Chronomaster for a June 10-11 Phillips auction in support of the Susan G. Komen breast cancer awareness organization.
The Zenith Chronomaster Original Pink, Unique Piece for Susan G. Komen.
The auction will be held in person in New York City or online, with 100 percent of the proceeds donated to Susan G. Komen to help fight breast cancer and raise awareness. Komen advocates for patients, drives research breakthroughs, improves access to high-quality care and offers direct patient support and information.
The upcoming auction continues Zenith’s advocacy for breast cancer awareness. It follows the launch of the Chronomaster Original Pink edition in October 2022, which raised funds for Susan G. Komen, and enhances awareness to the cause also championed at the recent Zenith Meet the DreamHers event held in Singapore.
“Supporting Komen, with its rapport and incredible impact, is a partnership of great significance for Zenith,” notes Zenith CEO Julien Tornare.
“The Chronomaster Original Pink unique piece will help fund impactful research and support for patients undergoing treatment, a cause we are proud and eager to be a part of over the coming years.”
The Zenith Chronomaster Original Pink, Unique Piece for Susan G. Komen watch is a one-of-a-kind 38mm steel edition of the famed El Primero-set watch and includes diamond-set lugs similar to the Zenith A386. Inside Zenith fits itsAutomatic El Primero 3600, with the unusual 1/10th-of-a-second chronograph function.
The watch’s metallic pink dial honors the color globally associated with breast cancer awareness. Zenith will add an additional strap (of the winner’s choice) to the package and will supply a certificate stating the watch’s uniqueness.
Phillips is estimating an $8,000 to $16,000 auction price.