Cover Chanel J12
Chanel J12
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From a flying tourbillon to an automaton, Chanel’s watchmaking ingenuity shines through with the J12
It’s a travesty that Chanel’s brilliance in watchmaking remains underappreciated. From the beginning, the French maison aimed to be a credible player in this arena, eschewing the common practice of outsourcing to third parties and merely slapping a logo on its watches. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the J12 watch, which showcases Chanel’s dedication to aesthetic beauty and precision engineering to remarkable effect.
Since its debut in 2000, the J12 has redefined luxury watchmaking with its distinctive ceramic construction and timeless design. Named after two racing yachts, it was designed by Chanel’s then-artistic director Jacques Helleu and largely credited with catapulting the ceramic watch into the luxury sphere.
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For more than 20 years, the J12 has been a beacon guiding Chanel as it navigates the choppy waters of horology, becoming the most popular watch model in its portfolio. This is unsurprising given that the J12 looks great, is well-crafted, and is amenable to all manner of creative technical expressions, which we will delve into later.
Above J12 Diamond Tourbillon Caliber 5 in all-black ceramic
J12 Diamond Tourbillon Caliber 5 in all-black ceramic
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This year, Chanel updated the J12 with the Caliber 5 flying tourbillon, originally launched in 2022. Chanel’s fifth in-house movement, designed by Arnaud Chastaingt and produced at its manufacture in La-Chaux-de-Fonds, features a solitaire diamond at the centre of the tourbillon cage. It rotates with the seconds to create a dazzling effect like no other tourbillon we’ve ever seen.
The new tourbillon timepiece, available in all-black or all-white ceramic, differs from its predecessor in that it is not set with diamonds on the bezel.
Above The Chanel J12 Diamond Tourbillon Caliber 5 in all-white ceramic
The Chanel J12 Diamond Tourbillon Caliber 5 in all-white ceramic
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MOVING PARTS
The indelible image of Mademoiselle Chanel in her signature tweed is immortalised in the new J12 Couture Workshop Automaton, part of the Chanel O’Clock capsule collection unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2024. 54 It houses Caliber 6, Chanel’s latest in-house movement and the first to feature an automaton.
Through a system of gears and springs, the movement sets Mademoiselle, wielding a pair of scissors like the legendary couturier she was, and the accompanying bust into motion, creating a visual delight on the dial with the backdrop of a couture workshop.
These wondrous creations couldn’t have happened without the ingenuity that Chanel has rigorously applied to the J12 over the years.
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Above The Chanel J12 Automaton Caliber 6 from this year’s Chanel O’clock collection
The Chanel J12 Automaton Caliber 6 from this year’s Chanel O’clock collection
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THE J12 VARIANTS
The original J12 was introduced in white ceramic in 38mm and 33mm sizes, and black ceramic the next year. Two years after its debut, the J12 featured its first chronograph, soon followed by a tourbillon in 2005, created in collaboration with Giulio Papi of Renaud & Papi. The J12 GMT, which included a second time zone and based on a movement by Audemars Piguet, was released in 2007.
Giulio Papi lent his expertise again in 2010 for the J12 Rétrograde Mystérieuse, a complicated watch featuring a tourbillon, retrograde minute hand, and digital minutes. The crown was retractable, allowing it to be “stowed away” when not in use. In 2013, Chanel introduced the J12 Moonphase.
Stylistically, the J12 has set numerous benchmarks, notably in 2009 with the transformation of a block of ceramic into 724 baguettes of varying sizes to create the striking J12 Noir Intense. A world’s first, only five pieces were ever produced.
When the tourbillon was first launched in 2005, Chanel further pushed the envelope with a version where the tourbillon cage was decorated with a comet and set with brilliant-cut diamonds. A skeleton version debuted a decade later.
Above The Chanel J12 Tourbillon from 2005 created in collaboration with Giulio Papi
The Chanel J12 Tourbillon from 2005 created in collaboration with Giulio Papi
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GROWING MOMENTUM
The arrival of Arnaud Chastaingt in 2013 marked a new beginning for Chanel watches. Besides expanding the lineup to include Boy-Friend and Code Coco, he also masterminded the development of in-house movements. It started with Caliber 1, featuring a jumping hour and retrograde minutes that form the heartbeat of the first Monsieur Chanel watch dedicated to a male audience.
A year shy of its 20th anniversary, Chastaingt redesigned the J12, giving it a softer profile and a stronger silhouette. He slimmed down the bezel to open up the dial, added more notches to the bezel, refined the typography of the numerals, reduced the width of the crown, and slightly increased the height of the case.
Above Director of Chanel Watchmaking Studio Arnaud Chastaingt tweaked the original design of J12 in 2019
Director of Chanel Watchmaking Studio Arnaud Chastaingt tweaked the original design of J12 in 2019
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The new look came with a new movement, Caliber 12.1, developed exclusively with Kenissi, a movement maker partly owned by Chanel. The self-winding Caliber 12.1 meets the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) precision standard and boasts a hearty 70-hour power reserve, qualities that led it to victory at GPHG 2019 in the Ladies’ Watch Prize category.
On its 20th anniversary in 2020, the J12 made a groundbreaking leap with the introduction of sapphire crystal. The aptly named J12 X-Ray was crafted in the material not just for its case and strap, but also for the plate, timer bridge, and cog bridge of the Caliber 3.1 movement.
Above A revelation in transparency, the Chanel J12 X-Ray was crafted entirely in sapphire crystal
A revelation in transparency, the Chanel J12 X-Ray was crafted entirely in sapphire crystal
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In 2022, the J12 in 33mm welcomed a new heartbeat designed specifically for its size, the Caliber 12.2. This marked the first time that the 33mm had an automatic movement to call its own.
The J12 is truly a testament to Chanel’s relentless pursuit of excellence in horology. Each iteration, from the original 2000 model to the latest J12 Diamond Tourbillon and the J12 Couture Workshop Automaton, reflects the maison’s dedication to merging sublime aesthetics with advanced engineering. Give credit where it’s due; it’s time to dispel any doubt that Chanel is a force to be reckoned with in haute horlogerie.
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Brian Cheong leads the watch (Tatler GMT) and jewellery content at Tatler Malaysia, combining sharp editorial insight with years of luxury lifestyle experience. A seasoned journalist in luxury watches based in Kuala Lumpur, Brian had previously helmed World of Watches, Men's Folio and Prestige Malaysia.
