Chanel J12

Chanel first stepped onto the horology scene in 1987 with the launch of its octagonal-case Première cocktail watch, created by Jacques Hélleu, who at that point had been the house's artistic director for nearly three decades. But it was the all-ceramic J12, released in 1999 and also designed by Hélleu, that saw Chanel firmly earn its seat at the table. Arnaud Chastaingt, who became director of Chanel's Watchmaking Creation Studio in 2013, calls the J12 "the first revolution of the watch world in the 21st century."

The J12 became the first timepiece that featured a unification of the masculine and feminine and defied gender norms when it comes to watchmaking. Traditionally, men's watches were bigger in size, more mechanically complex and held a more robust and sturdy appearance. Watches designed for women, however, fell more into the jewellery category – they were dainty, delicate and adorned in things that shimmer. The J12, however, was robust and versatile and suitable for so-called masculine activities, yet was still aesthetically pleasing. As it grew in popularity, Chanel horologists added more features typically reserved for male designs such as moon phases and chronographs. The release also marked the successful merging of high fashion and serious horology. When fashion brands tried to tap into the art previously, it had been more about mode than mechanics. With brands like Vacheron Constantin having centuries worth of a headstart in the trade, it was hard for other fashion-led brands to keep up.

In 2019, Chanel announced that the company purchased a 20% stake in Kenissi, a recently formed watch movement and component manufacturer, and around the same time Chanel also took a stake in F.P. Journe. The J12 is the first wristwatch equipped with the new Calibre 12.1 manufactured by Kenissi. The J12 was redesigned to celebrate its 20-year anniversary and was launched at Baselworld in March 2019.

Notable models

In 2008, Chanel and Audemars Piguet developed the ceramic Chanel AP-3125 clockwork, exclusive to Chanel, taken from the AP-3120 movement used in the Royal Oak Offshore and other Royal Oak models. The Chanel reference model was H2129. The pair teamed up to create a very special limited-edition version of the Chanel J12 watch that contained an Audemars Piguet made movement called the Calibre 3125. Rather than being in black ceramic with steel, the watch was in polished black ceramic with 18k rose gold and a rear sapphire crystal window showcasing the in-house made AP automatic movement. The watch features a black sand-blasted high-tech ceramic and 18K yellow gold with a 60 hour power reserve. The rotor in black sand-blasted high-tech ceramic and 22K rhodium-plated yellow gold mounted on high-tech ceramic ball bearings and the case is a 42 mm diameter in black sand-blasted high-tech ceramic. The bezel is made of 18K yellow gold and black sand-blasted high-tech ceramic unidirectional with a Sapphire watch crystal and caseback. The bracelet is also made of black sand-blasted high-tech ceramic bracelet with 18K yellow gold triple-folding buckle clasp patented by CHANEL. It has a screw-down crown with a water-resistance 50 meters.

The J12 Chromatic dive watch is available in 33mm quartz, and 38 and 41mm automatic. The movement of the J12 Chromatic is the tracteur ETA 2892, a resilient, accurate, easy to service, and thin watch movement which is the base for watches of other brands such as the Omega 1120 and IWC 30110. The titanium-infused ceramic is extremely strong and scratch-resistant. The hands are rhodium-plated for finish and corrosion resistance. It is dive rated to a 200m rating, meaning it is suitable for professional marine activity and skin diving, but not rated for scuba diving.

The J12 Ganse has a white gold 38mm case and bracelet set with baguette-cut diamonds and rubies. The crown is topped with one round diamond.

In 2017, the limited edition Mademoiselle J12 was launched at Baselworld. The watch is a tribute to Coco Chanel as she is featured in an animated version of herself wearing her synonymous jacket, skirt, two-toned pumps, a hat and finished with pearl earrings, which was her uniform for most of her life. Only 1,100 pieces were made (555 in black, 555 in white). The timepiece tells time by the way of her arms.