Chanel – Experienced in Fashion and Haute Horlogerie
The name of Chanel is internationally synonymous to most elegant style, exquisite taste and timeless appeal of its creations. Besides being a real trend-setter in the world of high fashion, the brand has gained great experience in producing top quality Chanel watches characterized by unique style and technical prowess.
You do not have to be closely related to the realms of high fashion to know a lot of fabled stories about Mademoiselle Chanel. You’ve probably heard she became the first fashion designer who creates ladies’ pants. They say Coco Chanel would wear watches she borrowed from her lovers. The legendary designer must have detested the small-sized illegible jewelery women’s watches of the era – she simply called such watches ‘Microbes’. Mademoiselle Chanel perceived watches as solidly constructed, useful, yet beautiful devices.
Creative Director at Chanel Jacques Helleu followed Coco Chanel’s credo when he designed the first Chanel watch called ‘Premiere’ in 1987. Over time, Chanel timekeeping creations have evolved into a collection of remarkably developed watches based upon true watchmaking legitimacy.
Chanel J12 Watches
The initial model of the Chanel J12 watch was introduced in 2000, having given the promising start to the extraordinary adventure of the unique Chanel watch line. 
The important stage of the Chanel J12 was marked in 2005 when the brand’s designers introduced the line into the realms of Fine Jewelry watches. The amazing fact about the Chanel jewelry watch was that it incorporated the most sophisticated of all watchmaking complications – the tourbillon. Having taken the daunting challenge of producing a fine jewelry watch of complicated nature, Chanel invited the most experienced Swiss watchmakers to develop the exclusive ‘CHANEL O5-T.1′ movement. The mechanism is characterized by a few exceptional features:
- ultra-thin ceramic bottom-plate (just 2mm thick)
- optical glass cage
- 18-K white gold bridge.
The following year, in 2006 the world of watchmaking witnessed the appearance of Chanel J12 Haute Joaillerie. The exceptional new edition enjoyed instant success. It was based upon the well-known Chanel codes – black and white, diamonds and ceramic.
The timepiece reflected Coco Chanel’s believe that colors black and white go with everything, give the feeling of absolute beauty and are just the perfect match. As for the use of ceramic, the Chanel designers opted for the material as for the only one able to provide such brilliant black and white union.
Chanel J12 Haute Joaillerie has mixed exclusive materials: 18K white gold, deep-black scratchproof ceramic and Coco Chanel’s favorite gem, diamond. As Mademoiselle Chanel once said, “If I chose diamonds, it is because these precious stones represent the greatest value in the smallest volume.”
The impressive Chanel watch was adorned with 597 baguette-cut diamonds set in white gold. Chanel specialists required 1 400 hours for cutting the diamonds. The J 12 Haute Joaillerie has been developed in 5 examples, Coco Chanel’s lucky number.
In 2007 Jacques Helleu has revealed a new challenging creation – Chanel J12 Tourbillon Haute Joaillerie. The dial of the watch constitutes two 0,3 mm ceramic plates (exclusive Chanel feature) as well as 9 index diamonds.
The tourbillon fascinates the glance in the head-turning combination of 568 baguette-cut rubies embracing the watch’s bezel, case and bracelet. The white gold, black ceramic and rubies create a breathtaking effect. The unique Chanel watch was unveiled at the Baselworld 2007 show.
In 2007 the Chanel J12 collection was also joined by another premier – the first GMT model in the brand’s watchmaking world. The timepiece created for globetrotters simultaneously displays the time in two different time zones. The main dial displays the local time in the zone visited by the watch’s owner. The 24-hour calibrated bezel shows the home time. The additional chrome-plated hour hand with a distinctive red arrow indicates the hour.
A single crown is used for adjusting all functions of the Chanel J12 GMT. To guarantee extreme comfort of wearing, the case of the Chanel watch is ultra-flat – just 10mm thick. The elegant and practical timepiece is entirely produced from unalterable black ceramic. It is equipped with a Swiss automatic movement that provides 42-hour power reserve.
In 2008, the exclusive partnership between Chanel and Audemars Piguet resulted in the appearance of a new ‘J12′ edition – the ‘J12 calibre 3125′. The timepiece reveals graphic perfection and mechanical excellence. J12 calibre 3125 has been added to Chanel’s Exclusive Edition, a series of refined jeweled watches.
The case of the Chanel ‘J12 calibre 3125′ measures 42-mm in diameter and is crafted in 18K yellow gold and black ceramic. The uni-directional bezel is created in the same combination of materials. The watch’s face is protected by a sapphire crystal. The display case back allows watch aficionados admire the sophisticated beauty of the inside mechanisms. The Chanel J12 Calibre 3125 goes on a black ceramic bracelet equipped with a patented Chanel triple-folding buckle in 18K yellow gold. The timepiece provides 50-meter water-resistance and 60-hour power-reserve.
In the heart of the new Chanel watch there beats an exclusive automatic movement – CHANEL AP – 3125, developed as the fusion of the AP 3120 movement and Chanel ‘J12′ ceramic. Chanel has introduced the new design of the balance bridge and the rotor is crafted in mirror-polished black ceramic and 22K rhodium-plated yellow gold, mounted on ceramic ball bearings.
Chanel Premier Watches
The year 2007 marked the 20-th anniversary of the Chanel Premiere watch. To celebrate the noteworthy event and pay tribute to the huge success of the timepiece, Jacques Helleu has created a new Chanel Premiere watch model.
Now the Chanel watch has become smaller and more precious. The exquisite Chanel lady’s watch has inherited the original model’s dial shape hinting at Place Vendome and the perfume bottle stopper of the ‘N°5′. The new Premiere has also borrowed legendary pearl bracelet from Chanel Mademoiselle watch.
The dial of the Chanel Premiere watch is set with 34 baguette-cut diamonds. Its delicate bracelet is composed of two rows of 194 Akoya pearls carefully mounted on five woven white gold strings.
The new exceptional Chanel watches – Chanel J12 Tourbillon Haute Joaillerie and Chanel Premiere purely express the brand’s spirit and have become the worthy successors of their predecessors.
Interested in Chanel Watches? Look through the catalog
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