Watches & Wonders 2026: Chanel – Where Haute Couture Meets Haute Horlogerie

Were you also among those who felt a touch of disappointment that Chanel’s spectacular chessboard could not be admired in the flesh at Watches & Wonders 2026? This was because an anonymous buyer was quite simply faster: they had already acquired the unique piece before the event, meaning the global watch community was deprived of a glimpse of the 32 extraordinary figures – including Coco Chanel herself. Instead, visitors had to make do with viewing ceramic prototypes.

Nonetheless, we still wish to explore Chanel’s magnificent chessboard, even though it is no longer available as a unique piece already spoken for – and given the price tag of around 3.6 million euros, it would have been well beyond the reach of most of us anyway.

The chessboard has sparked an immense media buzz – one that would have also sat well with the brand’s mechanical watches. There is a sense that the latter have now been somewhat overshadowed by the 32 pieces on the black-and-white board – and unjustly so.

Chanel has long since evolved from a design brand producing pretty timepieces into a house with genuine horological expertise. This is evidenced by the wearable – and relatively affordable – novelties presented by Chanel at Watches & Wonders 2026. Tudor also plays a role in this, but more on that later.

First, let us take a look at the Chanel chessboard, where none other than Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel herself is poised for a brilliant checkmate.

Chanel and the Game of Kings

Or better still: the queens. For it is as such that fashion designer and Chanel founder Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel becomes the central figure of the opulent chess set – appearing in duplicate.

Or rather: at the same time, numerous symbols from the Chanel universe have woven their way in. Alongside the Vendôme Column as a rook, the lion as a king, and a dressmaker’s mannequin as a bishop, Mademoiselle Chanel appears as the black and white queen. Dressed in a tweed suit of diamonds and black-coated white gold respectively, she hides a functional secret beneath her iconic slingbacks in the base of the figurine: time itself.

The dial, available either diamond-set or in black lacquer, measures 25 millimetres in diameter, with a quartz movement ensuring the precise display of hours and minutes. The highlight: the queens are the only pieces in this chess set that can be worn as pendants on a specially crafted 18-carat white gold necklace – opulently adorned with 268 brilliant-cut diamonds, 40 onyx beads, two onyx cylinders, and a central diamond.

Thus, the necklace reflects the full splendour of the Chanel chess set. The board measures 37.9 × 37.9 centimetres, featuring an obsidian frame and 64 squares of black and white ceramic, bordered by 268 brilliant-cut diamonds.

The 32 chess pieces are crafted from white gold and black ceramic and are set with a total of 9,236 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 110.94 carats) – 1,351 of these alone are featured on the two queens.

The Chanel J12 – Variety in Ceramic

In 2000, the J12 was first unveiled – clad in ceramic, a material that was still in its infancy within the luxury watch sector at the time. With a 38-millimetre diameter and a sporty design, it was originally conceived primarily as a men’s watch. However, the brand’s confident female clientele refused to be deterred – and Chanel responded.

In 2003, the white J12 followed in 38 and 33-millimetre sizes. Whether it was a ladies’ or men’s watch was deliberately left open – an unusual step for the watch world at the time, which was still heavily influenced by the gender binary. Both quartz and mechanical movements have been part of the J12 universe from the very beginning – and remain so to this day.

Since then, Chanel has continuously demonstrated its watchmaking creativity and affirmed its Haute Horlogerie ambitions: from quartz and automatic to manual-winding movements; from three-hand timepieces to tourbillons; and from pure ceramic to elaborate diamond settings and the all-over use of sapphires. In 2025, blue was introduced as a ceramic colour alongside black and white.

The creative spirit of the Chanel Watch Creation Studio at Place Vendôme in Paris is strikingly mirrored in the latest collection. We highlight three exemplary timepieces – each crafted and perfected at the company’s own manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, one of Switzerland’s most famous watchmaking hubs.

Incidentally, the name J12 is a nod to the J Class yachts, a category of high-performance sailing boats from the 1930s. Jacques Helleu, Chanel’s Artistic Director at the time, drew inspiration from them, seeking to create a timepiece that was technically precise, sporty, and elegant all at once.

J12 Golden Black Caliber 12.1 (42 mm)

This new, limited-edition three-hand model with date showcases an elegant contrast between the matte black ceramic and black-coated stainless steel of the case (42 × 12.5 mm), unidirectional rotating bezel, bracelet and crown, and the yellow gold-plated numerals and gold-coloured accents on the matte black dial.

Housed within the case, which is water-resistant to 20 bar, the COSC-certified automatic Calibre 12.1 operates with a power reserve of approximately 70 hours. It is manufactured by the Swiss movement specialist Kenissi, in which Chanel holds a 20 per cent stake. On the wrist, the J12 Golden Black Calibre 12.1 is secured by a three-link bracelet crafted from matt black ceramic. The price is €11,400.

J12 Superleggera Caliber 12.1 (42 mm)

The second 42-millimetre addition to the J12 collection boasts a significantly sportier aesthetic. First launched in 2005, the Superleggera version now appears in its slimmest iteration to date – finished in matt black ceramic and stainless steel.

A signature feature is the unidirectional rotating bezel, which consists of a satin-finished, hardened steel top ring and a black-coated steel base. The date is indicated at the 4 o’clock position by a red arrow within an aperture.

Within the case, which is water-resistant to 20 bar (42 × 12.5 mm), the automatic calibre 12.1 ensures the precision of the displays on the black lacquered dial. The watch is fitted with a matte black ceramic bracelet featuring polished and satin-finished elements. The price is 12,900 euros.

J12 Caliber 12.1 (38 mm) and J12 Caliber 12.2 (33 mm)

‘Black has it all. White too. Both possess an absolute beauty. It is the perfect harmony.’ This quote is attributed to Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel.

Nevertheless, blue was also an early addition to the House’s colour palette, featuring in the jersey collections as far back as the 1910s. Unlike the dramatic flair of black, blue at Chanel represents modern wearability. In 2025, this colour first made its debut in the ceramic J12 world as a limited edition, before now becoming a permanent fixture of the collection with the latest novelties.

I dreamed of giving black a colour, of lightening it with blue – a strictly elegant blue, a blue that is not quite black or a black that is not quite blue,“ explains Arnaud Chastaingt, Director of the Chanel Watch Creation Studio. „It took five years of research to develop a ceramic in an entirely new colour, and the final choice of this specific shade was guided by emotion alone.

Chanel utilises matt blue ceramic – in line with its black and white counterparts – for the 38mm and 33mm cases, the unidirectional rotating bezel, the cabochon on the screw-down crown, and the bracelet. Silver-toned markings and numerals provide a striking contrast.

Equipped with the Calibre 12.1 (38mm, 70-hour power reserve) and the COSC-certified Calibre 12.2 (33mm, 50-hour power reserve) respectively, both automatic movements originate from the Kenissi movement manufacture. Prices are set at €7,650 for the 33mm version and €8,000 for the 38mm variant.

Monsieur Lion Tourbillon Black Edition

The defining feature of the Monsieur Lion Tourbillon Black Edition—limited to just 55 pieces—is its movement, which is crafted at Chanel’s own central manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The hand-wound Calibre 5.1 features a flying tourbillon with a three-dimensional lion’s head – Gabrielle Chanel’s star sign was Leo – which rotates to the rhythm of the seconds.

The contemporary movement with twin barrels offers a 72-hour power reserve and can be viewed through the skeletonised dial and the sapphire crystal case back of the 42-millimetre matt black ceramic case, which is water-resistant to three bar.

The ceramic bezel, stainless-steel crown, and nylon strap with black calfskin trim ensure a consistently monochrome look. The Monsieur Lion Tourbillon Black Edition is priced at €115,000.

Chanel: Collaborations and stakes in watchmaking

For some time now, Chanel has been strategically building its own watchmaking ecosystem. This comprises the production facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds, founded in 1987, the G&F Châtelain manufacture acquired in 1993, as well as several strategic partnerships and minority stakes. Consequently, Chanel’s horological ambitions are closely linked, above all, with those of Tudor. In 2010, the brand launched its project to establish its own production capacities for mechanical movements and, five years later, presented its first manufacture calibre, the MT5621, at Baselworld. In 2016, Tudor finally founded the movement manufacture Kenissi to manage the development and production of its own movements while simultaneously making this expertise available to third-party brands. In the course of this, industrial alliances were formed – including one with Chanel.

Since 2019, Chanel has held a stake of approximately 20 per cent in Kenissi, securing technical independence for high-volume collections such as the J12. In contrast, a dedicated department within the production facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds is responsible for the development and assembly of Haute Horlogerie movements – such as the Calibre 5. Earlier high-end calibres were also created in collaboration with Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi. Founded in 1986 by Giulio Papi and Dominique Renaud, the movement specialist was majority-acquired by Audemars Piguet in 1992 and is today considered the brand’s high-complication laboratory.

As early as 2018, Chanel also acquired a minority stake of around 20 per cent in F.P.Journe. Furthermore, it has held an interest in Bell & Ross since 1998. In 2024, Chanel also announced a 25 per cent stake in the independent watch brand MB&F. The partnership is part of a long-term strategy to ‘continue to preserve, develop and invest in expertise and specialist knowledge, thereby strengthening our position in high-end watchmaking,’ said Frédéric Grangié, President of Chanel Watches & Fine Jewellery, at the time. One can therefore look forward to seeing how Chanel’s Haute Horlogerie continues to evolve.

chanel.com