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F O C U S
To mark the 25th anniversary of the J12,
Chanel has reimagined this most emblem-
atic watch design with a new matte blue
ceramic skin. Offered in nine variations,
this new release is accompanied by a strik-
ing Chanel Blush capsule collection and a
new Première Galon.
At Chanel, no new chapter begins without meticulous
planning, every parameter being considered and ana-
lysed with the thoroughness that defines the maison.
Colour, for example, is treated with the same reverence
as a watch complication or a stone setting. Nothing is left
to chance, and everything is in service of creativity. For
the 25th anniversary of the J12, often hailed as the first
true horological icon of the 21st century, Chanel unveils
a fresh chromatic expression in matte blue ceramic, a
tone that the Maison characterises as “deep, intense
and unique.”
As Arnaud Chastaingt, Director of the Chanel Watch
Creation Studio, elaborates: “In 25 years, Chanel has
elevated ceramic to the status of a precious material.
The art of ceramic has become a signature of Chanel
watchmaking, a material that has inspired our engi-
neers, firing up their abilities and offering a vast canvas
for their creativity.”
After launching the original J12 in black ceramic, fol-
lowed three years later by white, the time has come
for what Chastaingt calls “a rigorously elegant blue —
almost black, or perhaps a black that’s almost blue.”
Getting there, however, was no short journey. “It took
us five years,” says Frédéric Grangié, President of Chanel
Watches & Fine Jewellery. “Because we control every
stage of ceramic production, we could take all the time
we needed. Still, this matte blue hue is the outcome of
around 150 lighting tests, both indoors and out, across
24 shades of blue. It was a true marathon.” The result:
Chanel offering nine new J12 Bleu references in four
sizes — from 28 mm to 42 mm — including a J12 Bleu
Tourbillon Diamant. Are more colours coming down
the line? “In the process, we’ve already created dozens
of new ceramic colours,” Grangié hints. “It would be a
shame not to reveal them someday or other.”
No limits watchmaking
In the meantime, Chanel continues to explore the full
breadth of its savoir-faire. It’s a watchmaking journey
that began nearly 40 years ago, in 1987, with the Première.
Since then, the brand has continually surprised, chal-
lenged the codes of haute horlogerie, and invested exten-
sively in doing so. Through acquiring manufacturing
capabilities, partnering with leading complication spe-
cialists, taking stakes in new industrial ventures and
committing to develop innovation internally, Chanel
now ranks among the few maisons bringing genuinely
fresh energy to watchmaking, all backed by technical
and artistic mastery that’s rare.
Its new Chanel Blush capsule collection is proof.
Inspired by the “energy of colour” found in Chanel’s
makeup universe, these watches showcase “the full cre-
ative force of exceptional colour and exceptional crafts-
manship”. And in this ‘capsule’? Soft pink tones, bold reds,
dramatic eyeshadow, random colour splashes — all ren-
dered using Grand Feu enamel, transfers, dial pad print-
ing, open setting, miniature painting and gold sculpt-
ing. “This collection, so full of surprises, leads us into
the world of Pop Art and Dripping Art,” says Chastaingt.
This spirit of innovation also extends to Chanel’s his-
toric designs. At Watches & Wonders Geneva 2025, the
brand introduced a new Première Galon. The galon, one
of Chanel’s most emblematic fashion elements, tradi-
tionally highlights contours, adorns pockets and cuffs,
and gives shape and structure to the maison’s signature
tailoring. Chanel now offers three Première Galon mod-
els, each with a rigid bracelet formed from twisted galon,
with or without gem-setting. “With the Première, we
created a watch for women incorporating all the codes
of the Maison — Place Vendôme, the leather strap, the
N°5 bottle…” says Grangié. In this anniversary year for
the J12, it’s Chanel’s Première that once again affirms
the maison’s ceaseless quest towards a style of watch-
making that is both inspired and free. ■ Éric Dumatin
1. CHANEL J12 Blue Diamond Tourbillon. Powered by the Cali-
bre 5 – a hand-wound mechanical movement developed in-house
and visible through a sapphire crystal back – the most sophisti-
cated of the J12 Blue models radiates with the brilliance of a unique
diamond set into its flying tourbillon cage: a 65-facet solitaire of
approximately 0.18 carat. As it rotates, it sparkles across the deep
blue dial, matched to a new ceramic hue, and over the bezel set
with 34 baguette-cut blue sapphires totalling around 4 carats.
The 38 mm J12 Blue Diamond Tourbillon is limited to 55 pieces.
2. CHANEL Première Galon. The iconic Première returns with a
reinterpretation of one of Chanel’s signature codes, the couture
braid, reimagined as a rigid bangle bracelet that gives the watch
a new wearing style. For its debut, the quartz-powered Première
Galon, measuring 19.7 x 15.2 mm, is crafted in yellow gold and
available in three versions, two of which are set with diamonds:
52 brilliant-cut stones on the bezel and 80 more on the bracelet
in the version shown here.
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FRÉDÉRIC GRANGIÉ | PRESIDENT OF CHANEL WATCHES & FINE JEWELLERY