Going the Distance

The 2022 Chopard Mille Miglia Race Edition continues to perfectly preserve the vintage racing aesthetic.

- PARTH CHARAN

KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE is, at his core, a traditionalist. The copresident of Chopard and the man behind the brand's in-house L.U.C manufacture, Scheufele cut his teeth in the watch business in the roaring '80s, with the Swiss watch industry in the grips of a turbulent quartz crisis. But the man's fondness for the golden age of motor racing, so clearly reflected in Chopard's watchmaking aesthetic, gives away his yearning for a glorious bygone era. An era defined by perforated gloves, gated shifters, and knurled steel pedals.

"My father instilled in me his own fascination for classic sports cars," says Scheufele, who is more likely to be found wielding a wrench in his downtime than a gardening tool or a glass of wine. "There are a lot of classic cars that I've restored in the past 20 years," says Scheufele, notorious for his discretion, not giving me any details as to the make of the cars. Scheufele's greatest professional achievement may have been helping bring the Fleurier manufacture into existence 26 years ago-arguably the biggest milestone in Chopard's history ever since his father, Karl Scheufele Sr., acquired the brand from its founder's grandson in 1963. But if there's one thing he truly cherishes in his half-century-long career, it's when the brand became the official timekeeper and world sponsor of the Mille Miglia races-officially the 1000 Miglia in 1988.