Paris-Beijing

From July to September 2007, the Wyler Genève chronograph was put to the test on the wrists of Luciano Marengo and Rocco Errico, the two intrepid drivers on the 2007 Paris-Beijing expedition who remained exposed to the elements for two months as they crossed Europe and Asia in an open, hundred-year old motor car.

The aim of this adventure was to commemorate the centenary of the daring 1907 race from Peking to Paris. Back then, 25 hopefuls registered an interest in taking part, but only 5 made it to the starting line. Italian prince Scipione Borghese won the race with his Itala car, arriving in Paris 20 days ahead of his nearest rival in an historic victory for Italy’s nascent automobile industry.

Whilst the original race provided numerous challenges, such as the prior dispatch of fuel reserves and a complete absence of asphalt roads between Peking and Europe, the return journey was not without its difficulties either. Scipione Borghese would certainly not have had to face inconveniences such as traffic lights and traffic jams. And although the 2007 journey could be closely followed via Internet and will be the subject of an eight-part television documentary, followers one hundred years ago were kept up-to-date with the journey through the regular dispatches of on-board journalist Luigi Barzini. These were sent across the telegraph lines which, for a great part of the journey through China and Mongolia, marked out the route towards Europe across open country.

Luciano and Rocco tested the triple protection of the Wyler Genève Chronograph to the limit on their 16,000 kilometre journey across Europe and Asia, along the harsh routes through Siberia and the Gobi desert in Mongolia. On their arrival in Beijing 62 days, 1 hour, 41 minutes and 37 seconds after leaving Paris on 20th July, the visibly weathered drivers were pleased to report that their chronographs had withstood the severe conditions without any problems. The 100 year-old Itala had remained as faithful to the drivers as they themselves had been to Borghese’s original route, with the only major problem being a broken leaf spring in the Gobi desert.

In celebration of this centenary, Wyler Genève produced a limited edition of 8 special Paris-Beijing tourbillon models , each individually numbered and with a special inscription on its power reserve and trust index.

For more information on the Paris-Beijing centenary, please visit the official website and for an overview of the historical race, click here .

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