Fourteen models with a distinct retro twist, alongside a unique chess set, a true collector’s piece valued at 4,000,000 and already acquired by a London-based collector.
The Director of the Watchmaking Creation Studio at Chanel, Arnaud Chastaingt, drew inspiration from Coco Chanel’s signature black-and-white aesthetic and the graphic simplicity of vintage video games to bring the collection to life.
In the J12, for example, Mademoiselle appears as a pixelated game character, suspended as a charm from the watch or reinterpreted as a seconds indicator on the dial. To achieve the necessary lightness for this function, the teams at Chanel’s manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds laser-cut the figure from a thin carbon plate, allowing it to operate seamlessly as a seconds hand.
In the Boy.Friend model, Gabrielle Chanel takes on the role of a queen of hearts, depicted in her iconic tweed suit, complete with hat and layered pearl necklaces. Meanwhile, the Noeud de Camélia capsule, comprising four intricate jewellery watches, draws on one of Chanel’s most enduring symbols, the camellia. Here, the flower is reimagined as a couture-inspired bow that doubles as a “secret” cover, concealing the dial beneath.
Frédéric Grangié, President of Watches and Fine Jewellery at Chanel, expects these pieces to resonate particularly with clients in their forties, noting that they reference some of the most iconic video games in history. “I like the fact that there is a sense of nostalgia for the 1990s, especially when it comes to these games,” he says. “At the same time, I find it fascinating to revisit them through a purely mechanical creation.”
The Collector’s Chess Set
The chess set, however, proved to be the greatest technical challenge, with Frédéric Grangié describing it as “by far the most complex piece we have ever undertaken from a manufacturing perspective”. The set took around three years to develop and, according to him, was sold ahead of the exhibition to a UK-based client who regarded it as a work of art.
Each piece in this remarkable set is a recognisable Chanel symbol. Mademoiselle herself takes the place of the queen and, when lifted, reveals a hidden watch concealed within its base. Her tweed suit is set with diamonds, while the figure can also be worn as a necklace. The king is represented by a lion, the bishops take the form of haute couture dolls, and the knights are depicted as horses.
The entire chess set functions as a reflection of the Chanel universe, with each piece crafted from gold, diamonds and ceramic. Chanel has been working with ceramic in its watchmaking for over two decades, since 2000, yet this particular set required an entirely new level of precision, including the creation of individual moulds for each piece within the ceramic squares of the board.
The diamonds set into Mademoiselle’s jacket are arranged to evoke the texture of tweed, and for this unique setting technique, the house is seeking a patent.
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