Jacky Ickx and Chopard co-president Karl-Friedirch Scheufele have been friends for 27 years.

In 1989 Scheufele and Ickx drove the Mille Miglia together. “We got to know each other there,” Scheufele told me during the 2015 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. “He turned up and said, ‘Well, I have no intention of driving. You’re driving; I’m going to watch the scenery’.”

That particular week spent touring the Italian countryside at high speeds in an historic vehicle turned out well, Scheufele laughed as he remembered, though he did admit to being a tad nervous. “My driving must have been okay, he fell asleep after half the Mille Miglia.”

Chopard’s Karl-Friedrich Scheufele (left) and Jacky Ickx wearing matching Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx models

Jacques Bernard Ickx, better known to his many fans as Jacky Ickx, was a highly acclaimed Belgian race car driver for more than 30 years. The very young 70-year-old no longer competes professionally, though in recent years he has at times joined his daughter Vanina Ickx, also a race car driver, notably in the Paris-Dakar rally.

Motor racing must run in the family’s blood, for Ickx’s father, Jacques, was a famous automobile journalist.

Occasionally, too, Ickx will still take part in events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed, a hill climb featuring historic cars, motorbikes and drivers (for more on that see The Goodwood Festival Of Speed 2015: A Celebration Of Cars, Watches, And Beauty) generally on behalf of either Porsche or Ferrari as he spent long stretches of his career driving for these two legends.

Living at least some of the time in Monaco since 1983, Ickx continues to be active when it comes to Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix: he not only acts as the clerk of the course but also directs the event.

His achievements, though far too many to list entirely, most notably include six victories at the renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Known at the circuit as “Monsieur Le Mans,” in 2000 Ickx was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Le Mans.

He can also count eight Formula 1 victories and 25 podium finishes from 116 races completed between 1966 and 1979, as well as winning the 1983 Paris-Dakar Rally with French actor Claude Brasseur.

Scheufele, now a close personal friend to the very charismatic Ickx – they even vacation together every year – reminded me that, “He’s one of the few racing drivers who was successful in so many different fields.”

Jacky Ickx examining the Chopard Superfast movement

A second career inspiring timepieces

It is such achievements that have inspired Chopard to continue to dedicate timepieces to Ickx, honoring the man who can certainly be called one of the world’s very best racecar drivers.

“There’s enough reason to be reminiscent about this, you know, to design watches,” said Scheufele, who seems to personally enjoy creating these watches, calling the continued series “a nice tradition.”

Success, however, was pre-programmed.

Here we present six different Jacky Ickx watch editions, including the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition introduced at the 2015 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (see Porsche Wins 24 Hours Of Le Mans 2015 And Chopard Presents Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition).

The watches are all robust and specifically designed to be clearly legible so that it is possible to see the time even while racing cars – though most of us will just be driving them (we can dream).

Fleurier Ebauche Caliber 03.05 powering the new Chopard Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition

Based at first upon the Mille Miglia series, then later developing a special Jacky Ickx series, and finally dedicating a Superfast model, the watches’ movements were chosen for their reliability, automatic winding, and lengthy power reserves.

Edition 1: Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition

The first edition of the Jacky Ickx watches was released in 1999 – the same year that Ickx became an official ambassador for Chopard. “I suggested to him that we could actually make a watch with his name. And he said to me, ‘Who would want to buy a watch with my name on it?’”

Chopard Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition No. 1 from 1999

Like those that followed, the first Jacky Ickx edition was based on the Chopard Mille Miglia line. Naturally, it features a chronograph with flyback function, which means that the chronograph can be reset without having to first be stopped and restarted.

The flyback feature was relatively new for this era, making this a quite impressive timepiece. Not many brands were using it and it was a relative rarity.

Quick Facts Edition 1: Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition
Case: 39.1 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic ETA Caliber 2894-1 with 40-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date, flyback chronograph
Strap: rubber with tire tread design
Limitation: 1,000 pieces
Price in 1999: approx. $2,650

Edition 2: Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx

The second edition of the watches dedicated to Jacky Ickx – also based on the existing Mille Miglia line – was released in 2001. “Every two years or so we made another series,” Scheufele commented during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. “And he [Ickx] was always making these jokes about it himself, you know?”

Chopard Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition No. 2

Once again it boasted the flyback chronograph function and the small, red Mille Miglia logo placed within the running seconds register. One quite special feature was the light titanium case as this material was not yet in regular use in horology.

Again, the dial displays three chronograph counters, just like the rest of the collection. The case back boasts Ickx’s signature on the sapphire crystal.

Quick Facts Edition 2: Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx
Case: 39 mm, titanium with Jacky Ickx signature on sapphire crystal on case back
Movement: automatic ETA Caliber 2894-1 with 40-hour power reserve and C.O.S.C. certification
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date, flyback chronograph
Limitation: 1,000 pieces
Price in 2001: approx. €2,810

Edition 3: Jacky Ickx 6/24 Chronograph

The third edition of Chopard’s Jacky Ickx series came out in 2002 and, distinguishing it from previous Jacky Ickx (and Mille Miglia) designs, it displays a large, easily visible date at 12 o’clock and luminous hands.

We find Jacky Ickx’s signature and two checkered racing flags symbolizing Ickx’s six victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the case back. The leather strap has three holes to resemble racing gloves.

Chopard Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition No. 3

Still going with the overall racing theme, there is a small steering wheel engraved on the crown and the numerals have taken on more of a countdown clock typography. This model also marks the entrance of a bigger case exceeding the 40 mm mark that reflects the evolving times.

Quick Facts Edition 3: Jacky Ickx 6/24 Chronograph
Case: 40.5 mm, stainless steel with Jacky Ickx signature on sapphire crystal on case back and tachymeteric scale on bezel
Movement: automatic Dubois Dépraz Caliber 44560 (based on the ETA 2894-2) with 42-hour power reserve and C.O.S.C. certification
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; large date, chronograph; 24-hour/second time zone display
Limitation: 1,000 pieces in stainless steel and 250 pieces in pink gold
Price in 2002: approx. $3,500 (stainless steel)

Edition 4: Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition 4

There were two releases of the fourth edition watch in tribute to Jacky Ickx: the stainless steel variation came out in 2005, while the pink gold-encased version was released in 2007.

In terms of style and mechanics, this edition varies little from the previous one, with many of the same characteristics from the third edition such as the chronograph function and the 24-hour counter. It also boasts a large date display at 12 o’clock and luminous hands.

Chopard Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition No. 4 in pink gold

One major difference, though, is the steadily increasing case size: it is now at 42 mm, which catapults it firmly out of the realm of dress watch. This fourth edition also boasts screw-down chronograph pushers and crown.

Chopard designed this timepiece according to elements Ickx had requested. “For this watch, I challenged Chopard to bring together three elements to which I am extremely attached: the flyback function (which allows you to launch a new timing operation without needing to stop and reset the hands); a large date display; and, of course, the unique 24-hour counter,” Ickx said at the time. “Mission accomplished. The mastery, know-how, and professionalism of this prestigious brand once again command my respect and admiration.”

Chopard Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition No. 4 in stainless steel

Quick Facts Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition 4
Case: 42.55 x 14.9 mm, stainless steel or pink gold
Movement: automatic Dubois Dépraz Caliber 44560 (based on the ETA 2894-2) with 40-hour power reserve and C.O.S.C. certification
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; large date, flyback chronograph; 24-hour/second time zone display; tachymetric scale on the bezel
Variations: pink gold case introduced in 2007
Limitation: 1,000 pieces
Price in 2005: approx. €5,700

Edition 5: Jacky Ickx 6/24 Edition V

The fifth Jacky Ickx watch was created with more input from Ickx as Scheufele recently said during the 2015 edition of 24 Hours of Le Mans. “He likes to design a little bit sometimes.”

While it is based on the same movement that powered the original 6/24 chronograph from 2002, making its functions the same, its look is a much different one – and this is likely due to Ickx’s input.

Chopard Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition V with black dial

There are no numerals to mark off the hours on this more elegant edition, but rather wedge-shaped markers. The typography in the large date looks more and more like an LED timer.

The biggest difference in design, though, is constituted by the registers, which are now very different in color combinations. On the stainless steel edition with black dial, two of the registers are silver-colored. On the very elegant pink gold version with rhodium-plated dial, two of the registers are black (for a panda-like look), while the third for the running seconds is in the same color combination as the rest of the dial.

The two colored subdials on both of these models contain the chronograph totalizers.

This one, again, features luminous hands and hour markers. The case backs boast an engraved “6/24,” standing for Ickx’s six 24 Hours of Le Mans victories.

Chopard Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition V with white dial

Quick Facts Jacky Ickx 6/24 Edition V
Case: 42.4 mm, stainless steel or pink gold
Movement: automatic Dubois Dépraz Caliber 44560 (based on the ETA 2894-2) with 42-hour power reserve and C.O.S.C. certification
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; large date, flyback chronograph; 24-hour/second time zone display
Limitation: 2,000 pieces in stainless steel and 500 pieces in pink gold
Price: approx. $11,140 (stainless steel) and approx. $28,500 (pink gold)

Chopard’s Karl-Friedrich Scheufele (left) and Jacky Ickx_wearing matching Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx models

Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition

In June 2015, Chopard released its newest Jacky Ickx model, which is based on the latest line of sports chronographs at Chopard: the Superfast.

Thanks to the fact that Chopard became the official timing partner of Porsche in 2014, it was a no-brainer that this edition would also honor the automaker in addition to Ickx. The two shared an epic joint career in endurance racing.

Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition

As opposed to the regular collection edition of the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919, which looks basically black and white, the limited edition Jacky Ickx variation was designed in the colors of his racing helmet: dark blue and white.

The case back is inscribed with “Official Timing Partner Porsche Motorsport” as well as “Jacky Ickx Limited Edition.”

The inspiration for this watch lies, in part, with Scheufele’s love of Porsche. Reminiscing about the reasons for making it, he stated, “[Jacky and I] shared a lot of driving at the Mille Miglia for many years, and many times in a Porsche.”

For more on this watch, please see Porsche Wins 24 Hours Of Le Mans 2015 and Chopard Presents Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition.

Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition

Quick Facts Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition
Case: 45 x 15.08 mm, stainless steel, case back stamped with Jacky Ickx’s signature
Movement: in-house automatic Chopard Caliber 03.05-M (Fleurier Ebauches) with official C.O.S.C. chronometer certification and 60 hours power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date, flyback chronograph
Limitation: 100 pieces
Price: €11,570

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