Collaborating once more with the motorsports world, Chopard have teamed up with Zagato Milano for a stunning ultra-light timepiece!
For most watch enthusiasts, there are a select few brands that come to mind when you think of watches and motorsport. TAG Heuer is perhaps the most relevant, followed by Rolex and, more recently, Breitling. However, the independent jeweller-watchmaker Chopard has long been involved in a more niche corner of the automotive universe.
Since 1988, the brand has served as the official timekeeper of the Mille Miglia. Dubbed ‘the most beautiful race in the world’, the Mille Miglia, or ‘Thousand Miles’ in Italian, is a historic endurance rally run by vintage cars.
While races like NASCAR and Formula One operate on fierce competition and cutting-edge technology, the Mille Miglia is more a celebration of motoring history. Stretching from Brescia to Rome and back again, it allows heritage collectors to brush the dust off their automobiles, racing them in their original context.
But while the Mille Miglia celebrates the past, the present moves ever forward. As such, Chopard has forged ahead with a hyper-modern collaboration with the Milanese car brand Zagato. With an extensive history of innovation alongside Italy’s premier automotive marques, Zagato makes for a natural partner to the ever-disruptive Chopard.
Though they have teamed up before in 2013 and 2019, the new Chopard Zagato Lab One Concept is unlike any watch that came before it. On the bleeding edge of what is technologically possible in horology, the Zagato Lab One Concept is as close as you will get to a concept car on the wrist.
Measuring 42mm in diameter with a wearable 11.5mm thickness, the Chopard Zagato Lab One Concept is perhaps the most technologically masterful watch the brand has ever made. For a start, it is already the lightest. Weighing just 43.2g including the strap, it combines durability and a feather-light wearing experience.
It is encased entirely in grey ceramicised titanium, enhanced by the Zagato Lab One Concept’s tubular loop lugs. Replacing the traditional solid lugs, they incorporate a pivoting system with approximately ±45 degrees of articulation.
The design and craftsmanship draw heavily from Zagato’s century-old ethos: eliminate excess weight, preserve structural rigidity, and allow form to follow function without sacrificing aesthetic impact. With a space-age frame reminiscent of a vehicle chassis, the structural tubes of the case support the overall architecture while reducing mass.
The movement’s mainplate doubles as the dial, eliminating unnecessary layers and reinforcing the watch’s mechanical honesty. Zagato’s signature ‘Z’ motif is machined into the mainplate in positive relief, complemented by rhodium-plated chamfers and applied Chopard and Zagato logos. Other details, such as the steering wheel-signed crown and the power reserve indicator, nod to the automotive world.
While Zagato played a significant role in the design, the movement remains Chopard’s domain. The beating heart of the watch is the Calibre L.U.C 04.04-L, a manual-wind movement beating at 4Hz (28,800VpH) with 60 hours of power reserve. As is standard with most L.U.C movements, the watch is COSC chronometer certified, ensuring accuracy within -4/+6 seconds per day.
If you thought that was accurate enough, think again. At the six o’clock position sits a tourbillon, slightly tucked beneath two bridges at the front of the watch. Not only does it help reduce strain on the escapement, it is also constructed from lightweight aluminium. By reducing inertia within the tourbillon and further lowering overall weight, it demonstrates just how methodical both Chopard and Zagato have been in their approach.
My Thoughts
Because it is not plastered across every website, social media app and billboard around the world, the Mille Miglia attracts a certain kind of attention. You will not see many ‘casual’ passers-by as you might with widely popular motorsports like F1 or NASCAR, but you are guaranteed to find a similar, if not greater, level of passion.
In much the same way, Chopard and Zagato are brands built for enthusiasts. Will the Lab One Concept appeal to everyone? No, but neither does the Mille Miglia. Like a true concept piece, it eschews convention in favour of exploration.
Like racing classic cars, it is unapologetic in both presentation and performance, showcasing the shared values and skillsets of the two brands. Though their names are not always up in lights, more people should be paying attention to how Chopard treats the world of motorsport. Because with friends like Zagato and the Mille Miglia, how could you possibly have enemies?
Reference: 168636-3001
Specifications
- Dimensions: 42mm case diameter x 11.5mm thickness
- Case Material: Ceramicised titanium with articulating lugs
- Dial: N/A; Grey titanium mainplate with stamped Zagato ‘Z’ motif
- Movement: Manual wind Cal. L.U.C 04.04-L with COSC Chronometer certification, power reserve indicator, & tourbillon complications
- Power Reserve: 60h
- Beat Rate: 4Hz (28,800VpH)
- Water Resistance: 50m (5bar)
- Strap: Black fabric strap with hook-and-loop fastener OR black calfskin leather with titanium pin buckle