ES Special CHANEL Horlogerie - English

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"I want to be part of what is going to happen…" * - Mademoiselle Chanel

* "L’allure de Chanel" de Paul Morand 1996 - p204 © 1976, Éditions Hermann, 6 rue de la Sorbonne, 75005 Paris. France www.editions-hermann.fr

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THE ALLURE OF TIME How Chanel redefined watchmaking codes

Man Ray "Portrait de Gabrielle Chanel" (1935) - Š Man Ray Trust / ADAGP, Paris 2012

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The French word allure means more than just style; it is a token of particular distinction. Allure is style in motion. And by definition, allure is unique. CHANEL stands for allure.

comfort on the wrist, operational simplicity, superlative surface treatment, and a clever play on polishing.

In 2005, it approached the rarefied spheres of Fine Watchmaking, taking aboard dedicated self-winding movements, welcoming a tourbillon, and even offering new ways of reading time with the innovative J12 Rétrograde Mystérieuse.

It was Gabrielle Chanel who laid the daring stylistic foundations of this allure from the start: simple shapes, strict colors, authentic materials.

These aesthetic codes are associated with a genuine approach to materials and require close attention to factors such as comfort, ease and quality craftsmanship.

Quintessentially CHANEL, the J12 was preceded several years earlier by the Première watch. In 1987, Première heralded CHANEL’s watchmaking debut. Its rectangular shape featuring cut-off corners was directly inspired by the Place Vendôme, which beginning in 1934 was the backdrop for a substantial part of Mademoiselle Chanel’s life, when she had taken up residence in a suite at the Ritz Hotel on the famous square.

Now also made in ceramic and fitted with exquisitely flowing Triple Row pearl bracelets, it appears in a whole new light: with the Première Tourbillon Volant. This begins an exploration of Fine Watchmaking in the feminine mode with a decidedly horological and yet delightfully poetic Première!

In 2000, CHANEL had the audacity to turn the watchmaking world upside down by presenting the J12, the first sports watch in high-tech ceramic.

The J12 was entirely in line with the codes established by Gabrielle Chanel, and thus in tune with the allure instilled in the Chanel DNA. Simple shapes? The vigorous purity of its design, the balance of its proportions, and the timelessly self-evident nature of its appearance generated an immediate appeal.

Strict colors? Making its first appearance in all-black, it dared to proclaim a decidedly original and rapidly envied breed of chic. Three years later, it imposed white in the field of Fine Watchmaking. In 2011, it invented a new color, Chromatic, with its stormy reflections.

Authentic materials? J12 has given the age-old art of ceramic a true pedigree and transformed it into a precious material, adorning timepieces with an amazing allure.

The new Mademoiselle Privé collection with its perfect and essential circle provides a pure and splendid showcase for the artistic crafts and for the expression of CHANEL’s creative symbols. Miniature painting, engraving, sculpture and mother-of-pearl marquetry, gemsetting and other symbols all come to life and revolve around this timeless circle. A unique allure.

Moreover, the J12 is a vivid demonstration of the authentic approach to objects cherished by Gabrielle Chanel and epitomized by peerless

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J12 THE FIRST 21ST CENTURY WATCHMAKING ICON

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Like all of the Chanel icons, the J12 is absolutely timeless. Indelibly imprinted on the collective consciousness as an absolute classic, it has the radiance of true legends. It embodies the essence of the values instilled by Gabrielle Chanel: style, innovation, purity, androgynous charm, elegance, and an anthem to chic style in all circumstances.

Raised to the peak of the brand’s most famous numbers, the J12 did not merely revolutionize watchmaking at Chanel. It also sparked a trend.

High-tech ceramic now inspires a number of watch industry stakeholders.

In 2000, the year of its launch, the J12 watch was the first to dare to transform this material. At the time, its designer Jacques Helleu was impelled by a single-minded obsession: how could one best sublimate black, make its light shine through, and pay tribute to it? Inspired by the nautical world and the sleek design of competitive sailboats, the Maison Chanel discovered the virtues of a unique earth composed of zirconium dioxide powder and yttrium, along with natural minerals, pigments and a binding substrate. This ceramic heated to over 1,000 degrees calls for total mastery of each stage in order to be meticulously polished at length by several machines and then by hand. This radiant black shade, captured in the mass and resolutely unalterable, caused a real sensation upon reaching the Place Vendôme. This was a mesh creating an undeniably virile close-fitting effect and which, contrary to metal, naturally adjusts to skin temperature. An unprecedented level of refinement was achieved with ceramic.

A symbol of horological excellence, the number 12 certainly brought luck, as it entered the hall of fame of the golden numbers of the House, taking its place in a proud lineage featuring the glittering destiny of N°5 and other magical combinations.

Right from the start, the J12 was a phenomenon. The international press even granted it the unique status of “21st century watchmaking icon” – an unexpected success that provided the impetus for future bold additions. In 2003, Chanel treated the J12 to an immaculate variation by launching it in white – the intense color so dear to Mademoiselle that she absorbed its reflections by wearing camellias on her buttonholes.

Like the black J12, the white version was so successful that it again opened up a new watch segment. In 2011, Chanel innovated once more by creating Chromatic ceramic, a subtle association of earth and titanium that infuses the bracelet with the color of a stormy sky. A unique and constantly changing color capable of capturing the luminosity of its environment and of diffusing it with impressive precision.

Today, 12 years after its creation, Chanel honors this watchmaking icon by introducing a wealth of refined interpretations, while respecting its inner nature, daring to adopt a matte appearance and issuing limited series and exceptional editions. Chanel watchmakers lavish the same degree of attention on each J12 as they did from the start – an unparalleled devotion that has earned it cult status within just a decade.

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Black splendor ageing render this black truly long-lasting. Even more fundamental is the black ceramic of the J12, which intensifies the firmly designed structure of the watch, accentuating and amplifying the vigorous strength of its sporty lines.

Until the first black-clad appearance of the J12, black had yet to firmly establish itself in the world of watchmaking. There is no naturally occurring black metal, and to acquire this appearance, such a material must undergo surface treatments. However, nothing is more fragile and less durable than fine layers of black applied to a metal of any kind. Upon making its first appearance in the year 2000 clothed in splendid black high-tech ceramic, the J12 generated an authentic style revolution, a paradigm shift. Since the intense black of ceramic does not stem from a surface treatment, but is instead incorporated into the mass of the material itself, it becomes consubstantial with the latter. Its incomparable resistance and insensitivity to scratching and

Embodying a noble new material, the black high-tech ceramic developed by CHANEL for the J12 asserted itself as part of an exclusive circle of favorite watchmaking materials. Better still, by progressively adopting gold inserts, diamonds and other precious stones – and even the ultimate intensity of a black baguette-cut ceramic pavÊ motif – the J12 charted new creative horizons.

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Immaculate

white

White, which Coco Chanel used to say, “white, like black, has it all”, underscored the vigorous architecture of the J12, by focusing on the essence of its formal structure. Its natural radiance, so distinctive that it could be described as inner radiance, and the silky sheen of its polish, endow it with a remarkable magic. Its propensity to mingle harmoniously with precious metals, gold and diamonds, creates astonishing associations of materials and peerless light effects.

As is the case with black, no mineral or alloy in nature is inherently white, intensely white – which explains why white had become almost a taboo in watchmaking. It was associated with commonplace materials and appeared only on ephemeral timepieces. Until 2003, when CHANEL announced the introduction of a splendid whiteattired version of its already famous J12, born in black in the year 2000. Against all odds, the J12 by CHANEL in immaculately pure white high-tech ceramic instantly became a new aesthetic benchmark in the watch industry. White then became one of the major colors in watchmaking.

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CHROMATIC A UNIQUE COLOR

Presented in 2011, the J12 Chromatic was born from CHANEL’s determination to invent a new color, to give ceramic an unprecedented shade and endow it with an exclusive radiance.

The Chromatic color is a glistening hue that varies in intensity and density depending on the surrounding light. To do justice to this amazing color, the watch must be worn, experienced, and allowed to change in step with movements. With its inextricably entwined material, color and radiance, it goes from stormy sky to shimmering ocean, becoming a mirror, a reflection, an expression of unfathomable depth. A color as intense as it is ever-changing, vibrant, warm, and poetic.

The Chromatic color harbors a mystery and embodies a distinctive dual nature: “At once a color and a non-color, it is a pure material-moment”, it transforms the surrounding light into a special radiance; it highlights all the subtle nuances of life’s successive moments and circumstances. Its designers say they in fact sought to “give time a color”.

Such an unprecedented color took over six years of research and development to achieve. Not to mention the extremely special techniques that had to be applied, alternating between brushed and satin-brushed surfaces, to create the unique radiance of chromatic ceramic.

In addition to the more “classically” Chromatic versions, which subtly play on the many sensitive and deep reflections of the Chromatic color, CHANEL created the watch in exquisitely feminine versions with silver-toned or powder-pink dials featuring unusual combinations of shades and colors.

Rich jewelry variations, composed of finely set round and baguette-cut diamonds accentuating the perfect circular shape of the bezel and even spilling over onto the bracelets, further enrich the chromatic palette of these precious timepieces. A colorist’s palette that is further intensified by stunning versions set with pink or cognac-colored baguette-cut sapphires.

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The art and mastery of ceramic The new Chromatic raises watchmaking ceramic to unprecedented heights

Ceramic is the oldest of the fire art forms. Beginning in the Paleolithic period, nearly 30,000 years BC, humans had mastered the firing of clay at high temperatures, which allowed them to create and conserve objects for worship or for domestic use. Throughout its history, which accompanied that of humanity, ceramic took on a thousand faces depending on the particular civilization. It became an extremely refined art, enabling the creation of the most elaborate forms and lending itself to the most sophisticated and elegant decorations.

the antique earthen clays and were combined to create high-tech ceramic with specific physical properties intended for advanced industrial, aerospace, and medical uses. These high-tech ceramics displayed truly remarkable properties: impressive mechanical resistance, combining low density with extreme hardness, comparable to that of sapphire crystal and thus far superior to that of steel. They are resistant to thermal shocks (ceramic tiles protect the space shuttle during its re-entry into the atmosphere), to chemical attacks, and to aging. They are perfect electrical insulators, and above all, they are totally biocompatible, which means that they pose no threat to people or the environment.

A noble and universal art, mastered by all peoples of the earth, ceramic was used from the beginning for construction. Gradually, new applications were found as its methods of fabrication improved and became more sophisticated.

These qualities make high-tech ceramic an outstanding material for watches, providing cases that are timeless because of the material’s hardness and its exceptional resistance to scratching and aging.

High-tech ceramic also has other characteristics that make it a remarkable material for use in timekeeping: its light weight provides

In the 20th century, a new branch of the ceramic art, “technical ceramics� was created. Oxides, powders, and granules replaced

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incomparable comfort to the wearer; in contact with the skin, its conductivity allows it to absorb and exactly maintain the body’s temperature; and finally, its particular brilliance – that might be defined as an inner glow – together with the silkiness of its polishing confer upon this ceramic an extraordinary and magical allure. All of these qualities fulfill watchmakers’ eternal quest to find the perfect watch exterior: timelessness, resistance, comfort, and radiance.

research. It features a new color that is similar to titanium or white gold, and has a unique radiance.

Lighter than black or white ceramics (titanium is one of the lightest metals known, with approximately 60 percent of the density of steel), but 25 percent harder, it is still biocompatible. The Chromatic ceramic exemplifies the technologies and know-how acquired by CHANEL in this advanced, precise, and specific domain.

The new Chromatic ceramic developed by CHANEL pushes the limits of watchmaking ceramic technology. The fabrication processes are even more complex than those of the black or white ceramics, and more than two years of research and development were necessary to adapt them to industrial-scale production. The polishing times for this unusual ceramic are twice as long, and the techniques used in polishing sapphire crystal were adapted in order to obtain this new ceramic’s particular sparkle.

Chromatic ceramic

After creating the most intensely black ceramic in existence, followed by the clearest and purest white ceramic, CHANEL introduced the Chromatic ceramic.

This totally new type of high-tech ceramic, a titanium ceramic exclusive to CHANEL, was the result of lengthy technological

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The Art and Mastery of ceramic Creating a J12 involves a number of stages, some of which are confidential because of the manufacturing secrets involved.

A lengthy process Whether black, white or Chromatic, the making of a J12 ceramic watch case involves the same rigorous steps, a lengthy process that CHANEL has totally mastered. As with all ceramics, everything begins with the ‘earth’. But, in this case, the ‘earth’ is made up of a powder of zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide, natural minerals that are mixed with pigments to give the color, along with a binder substrate. This ‘earth’ is then placed into molds whose shapes vary according to the pieces that are to be fabricated: for the J12, the links of its bracelet (20 types and shapes of links), and other elements of the case, bezel, crown, and push-pieces depending on the model.

It is even sometimes used for movement components on certain Haute Horlogerie J12 versions.

Once this ‘earth’ is molded, it is removed from its binding substrate, which has the particularity of being both strong enough to maintain the zirconium granules together but sufficiently soluble to be able to dissolve in water. The piece then becomes an extremely fragile and porous form, a little like a sand castle that could collapse at any moment. It is then placed in an oven that reaches more than 1,000°C, which will harden the ceramic to its point of highest resistance. (obviously certain secrets of CHANEL’s innovative and

exclusive methods of fabrication cannot be revealed in detail).

One of the greatest difficulties in this process lies in piercing the pieces before firing them and in mastering the phenomena of retraction of ceramic that occurs during the firing process.

The second essential step is polishing, which will give the ceramic its brilliance, softness, and that special shimmer. Specific techniques had to be developed, similar to those used in polishing sapphire crystal (in decreasing order, the hardest materials are diamond, sapphire, and then ceramic). For the polishing stage, the ceramic elements are subjected to a veritable ordeal, conducted in several stages.

They are placed in satellites, which orbit for a long time between two millstones coated with diamond powder, oriented along the contours to be polished. They then pass into drums and are mixed with abrasive stones, which gives them the final brilliance and the desired inalterable polish. This sophisticated technology involves mathematics and intuition, production secrets and hand-crafted skills, along with manual expertise and genuine audacity.

Once they are polished, the ceramic elements then pass to the

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as are the turning, milling, tapping, and fluting of all the parts that make up the watch exteriors. All these mechanical operations are performed either by hand or by an impressive array of multi-axis computer controlled machines.

assembly stage. Putting together the J12’s very flexible ceramic bracelet is especially meticulous since the shape is tapered both laterally and in its thickness. The various links therefore have to be hand-assembled one by one, and glued (a glue robot dispenses the exact micro-metrical quantity needed), and then dried under ultra-violet light before putting them into the oven. Each piece is individually inspected in keeping with very strict protocols.

Before being assembled and gem-set, the elements of the J12 pass through the polishing center. The first phase is automated. It is the pre-grinding step that ensures the geometric uniformity of the piece.

After this initial preparation, the pieces all undergo individual hand polishing. At each of these stages, they are inspected. A finished and cased-up timepiece will have been subjected to 1,000 visual checks before being declared in conformity with CHANEL’s very stringent quality criteria.

In addition to the ceramic elements of the J12, the metallic components – steel, titanium, gold, and aluminum are also made in Chanel owned workshops. Design, planning, production, polishing, and decoration are carried out at the same time in the same manufacturing facility that CHANEL owns in the heart of the Swiss watchmaking valleys. The facility, Châtelain, created in 1947, currently employs 300 people, and creates the exterior elements for CHANEL’s watches. Here, everything is organized according to the production flow chart that, from planning to prototype to finished watch, involves a continuous sequence of processes, operations, and quality controls. The machining of case backs, bezels, the small bars that hold the links, and the fold-over clasps that are so simple yet elegant and hardwearing, is done for CHANEL in this location,

Before their final assembly, some of the watches will pass through the gemsetting atelier, which is another major innovation resulting from the J12: the art of combining ceramic with diamonds. This opened up new aesthetic vistas for watchmaking. CHANEL’s horological innovation in the field of ceramic did not stop there, since the brand has taken ceramic from the exterior of the watch through to its interior, placing it right at the heart of its movement.

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INNOVATION AT THE HEART Of wATChmAkINg HOROlOGICAl INNOVATION ACCORdING TO CHANEl lies at the crossroads between the case and the movement, where the allure of a design is most fully expressed.

The second innovation, after the intense black of the first J12, was the introduction of a white watch, thus inaugurating a new trend, one that is often copied but never equaled. The third innovation was the creation, with the J12 Chromatic, of a totally new and unique color that once again transformed the art of ceramic.

It was Gabrielle Chanel who set the tone of innovation, and since then, it has been at the heart of everything CHANEL undertakes. This guiding principle of innovation is always the same: swim against the tide, reverse the roles of the objects created, divert them from their normal functions to give them a use that was hitherto unknown. An example of this principle was the use of tweed or jersey, which were transformed into choice materials to create a new elegance, one that is modern, practical, comfortable, and liberating. Another example is the legendary handbag, the 2.55 (a quilted handbag created in February 1955), which, by the simple addition of a small chain, freed up a woman’s movements.

But there is another innovation that, while it may be less visible, is certainly not any less striking: the use of ceramic in the actual watch functions.

CHANEL’s first incursion into this new domain dates back to 2005 with the presentation of the J12 Tourbillon, the first ceramic Grand Complication in watch history. For the first time, the movement plate was made in ceramic. The plate is the support base of the movement on which all of the delicate mechanical architecture is based. The precision of its machining is fundamental as the entire construction of

The same is true in the watch world.

The first innovation by CHANEL was to transform ceramic into a precious material and, in passing, overturn the codes of timekeeping.

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mechanical movement, is the J12 Calibre 3125. This haute horlogerie automatic watch with three hands was produced in close collaboration between CHANEL and the Swiss watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet. This caliber combines design perfection, traditional artisanal timekeeping, and exemplary finishing. Made with 18-carat yellow gold and black ceramic, the J12 Calibre 3125 is equipped with an automatic movement that is a fusion between the Audemars Piguet Calibre 3120 and the ceramic of the J12. The rotor of the J12 Calibre 3125, mounted on ceramic ball bearings, is composed of an oscillating weight in 22-carat yellow gold, rhodium-plated and polished to a mirror finish, and black ceramic spokes. This high-precision movement with exceptional finishing has all the attributes of an haute horlogerie timepiece: cross-through balance bridge, variable inertia balance, precision automatic winding, rapid date adjustment mechanism, an over 60-hour power reserve. It is a prestigious movement, allied with the design of the J12 to create a truly exceptional timepiece.

the movement depends on the plate. Another first, the ceramic was machined to tolerances of the order of 1/100th, which in itself is quite a feat.

Visible through the sapphire crystal case back, the ceramic plate, pure and pared down to essentials, is also a first in design terms since it gives the J12 Tourbillon a very unique allure. Moreover, the upper bridge of the tourbillon carriage is made in optical glass, which gives unexpected depth to the tourbillon movement. In addition, the tourbillon’s bridge is made of white gold, evoking the pure lines of the watch’s hands.

This original association of ceramic, optical glass, and white gold in the J12, a watch as profoundly implanted in the art of timekeeping as it is a sports piece, creates an ultra-contemporary design.

CHANEL’s second venture, integrating ceramic into the heart of the

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Pusher at 2 o’clock that activates the setting of the time 10-day power reserve indication

Retractable vertical crown Tourbillon

Pusher at 4 o’clock that activates the winding of the movement

Digital minutes disc (11 to 19 minutes)

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For the first ten minutes, the hours and minutes are read off in a classical manner in the center of the watch. But at the 10th minute of each hour, the minutes hand reaches the “obstacle” formed by vertical crown, reverses its rotation and begins turning counterclockwise. For ten full minutes, it thus travels backwards (at a rate of five minutes on the dial per actual minute elapsed) to take up its classic position on the other side of the vertical crown, whence it will resume its normal running.

Having ventured into the realms of Fine Watchmaking and building on its experience in the field of the tourbillon, CHANEL wished to go a step further in pursuing its singular approach to watchmaking by introducing an exclusive, sophisticated and highly complex model that was both technically innovative and stylistically original: the J12 Rétrograde Mystérieuse.

All the innovations of the J12 Rétrograde Mystérieuse are thereby dedicated to serving an overarching stylistic demand: to offer a perfectly round 47mm-diameter watch with no lateral crown – not only for the absolute purity of its design, but also for its perfectly comfortable feel on the wrist. This combination of aesthetic and ergonomic concerns has always been the core of CHANEL’s creative approach, as confirmed by each iconic creation of the House.

During the ten minutes of this retrograding episode, the exact minute display is not lost, since each elapsed minute can be read off on a disc numbered from 11’ to 19’ and visible through a magnified window. This digital disk operates only during this period when the minutes hand is moving backwards. During the 50 minutes when the hand is rotating normally, it remains in neutral position (displaying no numerals). After the ten minutes of the retrograding episode, time is once again read in the normal way.

Created and developed in collaboration with top-notch and resolutely avant-garde watch movement design and construction engineers Renaud et Papi (APRP SA), the J12 Rétrograde Mystérieuse represents a concentrated blend of innovations combining horological complications and world firsts.

Thanks to this entirely original arrangement, the J12 Rétrograde Mystérieuse features a face unlike any other watch. A broad opening hollowed in the dial at 9 o’clock reveals the rotation of the extremely slender tourbillon carriage that regulates the watch movement. Performing one complete revolution every 60 seconds, the tourbillon also thereby indicates the passing seconds. A small pointer at 11 o’clock indicates the movement’s exceptional reserve designed to enable it to run independently and with optimal accuracy for around ten days (meaning 237 hours, once the two parallel-mounted barrels are fully rewound).

But it is above all the manner in which it pushes the envelope in achieving aesthetic integration of the watch’s mechanisms that makes CHANEL’s approach so globally innovative. The desire to create a watch with no visible crown and thus perfectly round in shape called for the development of a new and unique device in the form of a vertical crown. The latter is retractable at a press and has been placed on the dial at 3 o’clock. This ceramic crown thus protrudes vertically through the sapphire crystal and its functions (winding or time-setting) are controlled by two ceramic pushers that are invisible because they are perfectly integrated into the bezel décor.

Nonetheless, the presence of this vertical crown prevents the minutes hand from pursuing its path around the dial – an obstacle that has given rise to an entirely unprecedented time display.

Far from ceasing with the creation of this exceptional model, the fruitful collaboration between CHANEL and Renaud et Papi now continues as they jointly explore new technical and aesthetic paths dedicated to the cause of Haute Horlogerie. This year, the delightful benefits of merging this expertise has created a feminine expression with the Premier Tourbillon Volant (see pages 32 and 33).

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J12 INTENSELY mASCULINE “First and foremost for me” was how Jacques Helleu, who designed the J12 in 2001, liked to put it. It was first and foremost for himself that he dreamt up and then created the J12. He drew inspiration from his own obsession with the flowing, sleek and powerful lines of automobile masterpieces; as well as from his fascination for the nautical world and the streamlined ergonomic designs of the finest competitive sailboats. He also naturally thought of the avant-garde materials from which boat hulls and car bodywork are crafted: materials that are remarkable not only for their contemporary beauty, but also for their inherent lightness, resistance, and exceptional physical characteristics.

Its designer wanted it to be “timeless, shiny, black and indestructible”. An intensely masculine watch. As sporty and robust as one would expect from a truly immutable form of elegance. A unique allure, to echo the word that so aptly sums up CHANEL. until the J12 made its appearance, CHANEL was closely associated with a distinctive approach to femininity. With the J12, an equally distinctive approach to masculinity found its way into the CHANEL universe.

The use of ceramic in creating a sports watch was a technical and stylistic first, a dazzling demonstration of an avant-garde and decidedly modern attitude.

Technically, the high-tech ceramic developed for the J12 calls for cuttingedge expertise, to offer authentic professional instruments boasting tried and trusted sturdiness, guaranteed reliability, and proven performance!

Ceramic is a material that is exceptionally hard and resistant to the effects of time. It is also a material with an ideal weight which adjusts to body temperature, thus ensuring unique comfort on the wrist. With the J12, these intrinsic values are ideally highlighted by a design that places ergonomic concerns in the forefront of aesthetic preoccupations.

The bold, distinctive lines of the case, the extremely supple and flowing design of the bracelets, composed of independent links also made from ceramic, raise this sense of ergonomics and comfort to their highest level.

Ergonomics and performance, avant-gardism and professionalism, elegance and formal strength: these are the qualities that make the J12 such an authentically masculine timepiece.

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A pLAY ON mATTE BLACk ShAdES

Since its launch in the year 2000, the J12 has earned cult object status by displaying its astonishing ability to be transformed and interpreted while maintaining its strong identity.

with a deep black shade that has been specially treated to achieve a highly contemporary and intensely virile matte appearance.

This original matte approach to ceramic is equally well suited to an Haute Horlogerie model such as the J12 Calibre 3125, as to the extremely classic and timeless J12 in a 42 mm version, or the new matte black J12 GMT.

Witness the matte black J12 models. A new ceramic treatment further accentuates their masculinity. The shiny black, gleaming like the bodywork on a prestigious car, is now complemented by new models

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J12 MARINE ThE ELEgANCE Of AN INSTRUmENT

The J12 Marine recaptures the sense of its natural milieu: the vast expanse of the sea, the strength of the oceans. The J12 Marine is an authentic diver’s watch and asserts itself thanks to its sophisticated personality based on uncompromising aesthetics. While preserving the stylistic codes that have forged its success, the J12 Marine sets out to conquer the depths.

lock steel crown and a ceramic cabochon. The J12 Marine naturally reflects the DNA of the original design that has earned the J12 its status as a 21st century watchmaking icon. The amphibious sturdiness of its composite rubber strap that is highly resistant to water, shocks, scratching and ultra-violet rays is reminiscent of the undeniably rugged nature of the ceramic dial of the classic version. Featuring a black lacquered dial and equipped with a mechanical self-winding Swiss made movement, the J12 remains very much a J12: practical, precise, and exuding unmistakable aesthetic simplicity.

out of the water, it retains its sporting chic nature thanks to a sandblasted high-tech ceramic case. under the water, it adapts to the elements and becomes every inch the diver’s model. Water-resistant to pressures equivalent to 300 meters, it is equipped with a screw-

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J12 GMT J12 TIME AROUND THE WORLD

definitely different, the J12 GMT is nonetheless an authentic J12.

The 24 numerals on the display of the time zone one has just left, are no longer arranged around the now slimmer dial, but on the inner bezel ring framing the dial. They are indicated by a pointer tipped with a cut-out red arrow for enhanced readability. The reference time is displayed in the center of the dial in the standard 12-hour mode.

Reading J12 time anywhere in the world, elegantly accompanying travelers wherever they roam, jumping from one time zone to the next while losing none of its inimitable allure, combining elegance with user-friendliness: such are the keynote features of the new J12 GMT. Its design has been profoundly modified to provide optimal reading of the reference time – that of the country being visited – and of the precious home time. The bezel of the J12 GMT has been spectacularly slimmed down to ensure optimal displays and perfect readability. The J12 GMT creates the astonishing impression of spatial openness, and at 10.38 mm thick, appears ever slimmer. This supremely elegant and classic model thus acquires an even more modern aura that further accentuates its iconic character. While

With its 42-hour power reserve guaranteed by a Swiss mechanical self-winding movement beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, its extremely simple adjustment which is governed by a single crown (for the hours, minutes, GMT and date) is now available in two new intensely masculine variations: matte black high-tech ceramic and Chromatic.

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PremièrE The quintessence of CHANEL femininity, style and history.

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CHANEL, with its link to important numbers – such as the N°5 fragrance, the 2.55 handbag and the J12 – named its first watch born in 1987 “Première”.

In tribute to its birthplace, it features the geometry where it was conceived, the legendary Place Vendôme in Paris. A place that played a central role in the history of Chanel, since it is there that the company headquarters and its most prestigious boutique have found their home. A place that also, from 1934, was the backdrop for a substantial part of the life of Mademoiselle Chanel, who resided in a suite of the Ritz Hotel on that very same square.

A pure, essential style, the “Première” that was to give rise to a long line of watches featuring all manner of materials has been constantly transformed, while preserving its initial shape.

Rarely has such a slender and delicate watch case been transfigured to such a dramatic extent. Never has a watch so vividly expressed the broad creative potential of a bracelet: ranging from a supple strip much like the fine and delicate ribbons favored by Mademoiselle Chanel, to a cascade of Akoya cultured pearls mounted on a white gold thread, a tapering flow of diamonds, a succession of white or black high-tech ceramic alternating with gold or steel links, a leather and steel mesh chain, or a rubber wristlet…

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pREmIèRE The Première Triple Row further exalts this inherently flowing nature.

Composed of supple alternating ceramic and steel links, it coils its way around the wrist, creating the impression of a watch fitted on two separate bracelets.

This wealth of distinct facets, embodied in countless different ways and portraying the many faces of feminine watchmaking, make the Première, whether in the single-bracelet or Triple Row versions, an exclusive creation graced with clear-cut, distinctive and genuinely timeless lines.

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pREmIèRE TOuRBIllON VOlANT A mysterious, BEAuTIFul and poetic feminine complication

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of its Première watch in the most delicate and purest way. The carriage of this flying tourbillon has been transformed into a camellia, the favorite flower of Mademoiselle Chanel, which revolves as if by magic above a pure ceramic dial.

Between the soft fluttering petals of the flower, the eye perceives the complexity of the elements composing the mechanism of the flying tourbillon. The interlacing pattern of camellia petals is made from metal and the heart of the petals is filled with an extremely fine and semi-transparent mesh that gives the flower its delicate texture. At the center of the layered flower sits a cabochon adorned with a brilliant-cut diamond.

This camellia performs one rotation per minute, enabling its petals to indicate the passing seconds. The slender baton-shaped hour and minute hands are off-centered and shine higher up on the dial. They have been slightly raised because they have to glide over the camellia. They are also set with diamonds, a significant feat in itself given their tiny size and the meticulous care required to assemble them.

The depth effect on this model is further enhanced by the shadow cast by the CHANEL signature which is not placed on the dial as usual, but instead metallised directly beneath the sapphire crystal.

This signature, which also appears to be suspended in mid-air, creates a drop shadow that moves across the surface of the dial depending on the motion of the watch due to wrist movements.

lIGHT RulES SupREME In 2012, steadily building on its patiently acquired horological expertise, CHANEL offered women an opportunity to enter the extraordinary world of sophisticated mechanical complications. This first venture into the field of horological complexity naturally had to be as mysterious as it was beautiful and poetic. As pure and essential in appearance as it was complex and brilliant in construction.

All eyes thus turned to the tourbillon: not to the traditional type, but to the flying tourbillon.

Inside the cage of a traditional tourbillon, the regulating mechanism of the watch is comprised of the balance and hairspring, as well as the escapement. This mechanism rotates between the base of the movement, the mainplate, and the upper bridge that serves to keep this carriage spinning on its axis. It is this rotation which, by varying the positions of the regulating organ, serves to compensate for the effects of gravity which exercises its force in a vertical direction.

The Tourbillon Volant or flying tourbillon is more complex, since it has no upper bridge. This absence magnifies its aesthetic effect, making the carriage appear to be rotating in a weightless state. Even without the upper bridge, the flying tourbillon must be able to withstand shocks just as well as a traditional tourbillon. The construction of the carriage thus becomes a micromechanical marvel composed of a three-dimensional assembly of slender elements.

A MOBIlE FlORAl CARRIAGE

CHANEL has decided to introduce the flying tourbillon into the heart

This beautiful vision deserved to be as luminous as possible. The case of the Première Tourbillon Volant comprises of two different levels with the middle level topped by a bezel surrounding its entire circumference. The corners have been cut to give an additional touch of dynamic energy and enable the light to highlight this authentic kinetic floral sculpture rotating around the dial.

This stepped case design also provides scope for countless gemsetting combinations: the base of the case may be set with vertical rectangular baguette-cut diamonds, the cut corners highlighted by square diamonds, the side of the bezel set with brilliant-cut diamonds, or the bezel adorned with baguette-cut diamonds or a combination of the fire of diamonds and other precious stones. The variations and the associations are virtually infinite.

A large crown also set with baguette-cut or round diamonds or other precious stones ensures easy winding of the mechanical hand-wound rectangular-shaped movement featuring superlative finishes, with its parts chamfered, straight-grained and circular satin-brushed by hand in keeping with the finest traditions.

Finally, setting the perfect finishing touch for its comfort, the Première Tourbillon Volant is fitted with an alligator or satin strap that is perfectly integrated with the case, thereby making it remarkably supple. Available in three different lengths, this bracelet is also equipped with a folding clasp featuring a cover set with brilliant-cut diamonds.

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High Jewelry The association between a high-tech composite material and a diamond dates back to the dawn of time and has produced exceptional effects.

extent of its versatility. Always different, but always itself, it is totally impressive. The very balanced design of its case and bracelet marvelously lend themselves to prolific juxtapositions of ceramic white or yellow gold, and round or baguette-cut diamonds. These encounters also spectacularly enhance the intense red of a ruby, the deep green of an emerald or the subtle play of pink, blue or cognaccolored sapphires.

Diamonds and ceramic. One is the hardest substance to come out of the earth. The other is the strongest material made by man. Both have their origins in fire. The black and the white. The black of the ceramic, the white of the diamond. An intense and somber shimmer absorbed in the material for one, the fire of light that escapes from the other.

These strong contrasts between the two extremes of the color range have always been part of the CHANEL design concept. It began with the creative imagination of Mademoiselle Chanel who, in establishing her rigorous design codes, broke with tradition and created a stylistic legend.

Diamonds and precious stones further accentuate the beautifully balanced architecture of the J12. With the J12 Noir Intense, this fusion of form and material reaches perhaps its point of incandescence or, more precisely, its point of light absorption. This is because the J12 Noir Intense is all-ceramic: black ceramic set in and entirely covering the white gold beneath. The effect is striking. The hundreds of facets of its 724 ceramic baguettes cut and faceted by hand, like the diamond baguettes, capture the light in a most amazing way, first absorbing and then reflecting it in a very subtle manner. The effect is unlike any other and quite different than anything that can be produced with a similar setting composed of black diamonds. The shimmer is both subdued and intense, producing a particular quality of light comparable to no other. Audacity and innovation are not mere vain words to describe this absolute world’s first. Requiring more than 200 hours of stone-setting, the J12 Noir Intense is equipped with the CHANEL-AP 3125 automatic mechanical movement, personalized exclusively for CHANEL by Audemars Piguet. The rotor is made in gold but has ceramic spokes. More than ever, with the series of the J12 Noir Intense limited to only five watches, the J12 deserves its status as an icon.

The same CHANEL independent styling and the iconic codes are at work in this innovative encounter where diamonds meet ceramic in the same timepiece. This clash of materials produces a harmony that is as inventive as it is fascinating. It also creates a new dialogue between complementary skills, between watchmaking and jewelry, between the case and the gemsetting. It represents a new equilibrium between the technological mastery of the ceramic and the meticulous artisanal selection of the most beautiful stones, whose purity and quality are of the highest standards.

The pairing of the diamond with the ceramic of the J12 has opened up new creative vistas. The marriage between this composite material stemming from high technology and carbon dating back to the dawn of time has produced exceptional effects. Whether it is discreetly set with pavĂŠ diamonds around the bezel or completely radiant covered with baguette diamonds, the J12 demonstrates the

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HIGH JEwELRY

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This incredible and prestigious achievement, involving astonishing complexity in terms of cutting, polishing, and setting, would never have happened if CHANEL did not have its own gemsetting workshop, located in the heart of its watch exterior production facility, Châtelain. It is here that the high-tech ceramic baguettes, diamonds, and other precious stones are patiently selected using a watchmaker’s loupe.

They are checked, sorted, and arranged in view to being set, according to whether they will decorate the bezel, case, bracelet, dial, or crown of a J12 or the Première timepiece.

The work of the artisan is precise and perfectly meticulous as the precision of a perfect setting demands tolerances of only a few microns. The physical proximity between the gemsetting workshop and those of watch design and production reinforces even more the interpenetration between cases and timekeeping. This is one of the major characteristics of CHANEL’s watch production. This cross-fertilization results in jewelry timepieces that are undeniably consistent in terms of design, decoration, style, and technique.

This consistency and expertise lie at the crossroads of two complementary traditions: the tradition of Swiss jewelry watches and the tradition of haute joaillerie from CHANEL, Place Vendôme.

The first collection of fine jewelry launched by Mademoiselle Chanel under the name ‘Bijoux de Diamants’ (Diamond Jewelry) dates back to 1932.

Since then, CHANEL has created a large number of haute joaillerie pieces, which are often unique pieces or very limited series. Among them, each year, are high jewelry watches inspired by themes that Mademoiselle Chanel held dear: ribbons, bows, tweed, and even camellias, her favorite flower. With a sense of freedom, high jewelry breaks free of the stricter forms of traditional watchmaking, leaving the doors of imagination wide open to create prestigious and legendary timepieces, patiently fashioned by the true artists, the master jewelers.

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MAdEMOISEllE pRIVÉ COROMANdEl : spotlight on artistic crafts

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The name of this new watch collection, evoking both femininity and exclusivity, carries a very distinctive significance. MADEMOISELLE PRIVÉ: these two mysterious words appeared on the door of Gabrielle Chanel’s workshop on Rue Cambon in Paris. They have been carefully preserved and still mark the entrance to the CHANEL Studio today.

Away from prying eyes, the entire creative imagination is at work in this cradle of know-how... Like a magic formula, MADEMOISELLE PRIVÉ opens the door to the imagination of the Maison, rich in symbolism and enchanting decoration.

Ever since the birth of the House, exceptional forms of expertise have been at the heart of its creative approach. Today, CHANEL pays tribute to the artistic crafts of watchmaking, such as enameling, engraving and gemsetting, through a collection composed of unique and exclusive models.

These jewelry watches, inspired by the Coromandel lacquered panels cherished by Gabrielle Chanel, faithfully echo their splendid motifs.

“I’ve loved Chinese folding screens since I was 18 years old. I thought I would swoon with happiness when, for the very first time, I saw a Coromandel in a Chinese shop… Folding screens were the first thing I bought”, she liked to explain when evoking these objets d’art.

These extremely refined folding screens, covering the walls of her apartment on the Rue Cambon, have since been a part of the CHANEL universe, from its boutiques through its haute couture collections.

The pure, elegant design of these precious watches highlights the unique painting adorning each model. The rounded curve of the case, embellished with an extremely delicate snow setting, beautifully sets off the grand feu enameled dial, while the finely openworked hands reveal a wealth of admirable motifs.

In the same spirit and tone, the black alligator leather is punctuated by a diamond-set white gold folding clasp.

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MADEMOISELLE PRIVÉ Coromandel : spotlight on artistic crafts

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To sublimate these exceptional watch creations, CHANEL has called upon the talents of the finest artisans, custodians of rare and precious skills.

harmonious overall effect. Patience, rigorous procedures as well as intuition are all required to create dials that can take up to three weeks of work to complete.

Grand feu enamel miniature The motifs of the Coromandel panels are reproduced in miniature enamel, in keeping with the finest Genevan historical techniques.

Anita Porchet, a highly renowned independent Swiss enamel artist, was entrusted with the decoration of the various dials, each of which is unique.

Engraving Each creation is made even more unique by the hand engraving work performed prior to enameling the dial. The artisan uses a burin to make a light engraving suited to the motif and which will subsequently endow the dĂŠcor with extreme refinement and distinctive vibrancy.

To achieve this, she used the particularly demanding technique of miniature painting. On a deep black enamel base with shimmering blue reflections, the paint (composed of rushed enamel mixed with oil) is applied with a brush in meticulous individual touches, in order to depict the scene in all its smallest details. As the various layers are applied and the firing operations are performed, the colors gradually reveal their subtle nuances and compose an aesthetically

Snow setting Only the most experienced gemsetters master this technique that conceals the metal beneath the sparkle of the stones, which shine like snow flakes. Diamonds of varying diameters are randomly positioned next to each other until they entirely cover the gold surface beneath.

Each jewelry watch features a different number of stones set on the bezel, ranging from around 600 to 650.

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MAdEMOISEllE pRIVÉ A splendid showcase for the ChANEL creative symbols

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interpretation of the House emblems. Camellias, comets and stars appear in understated splendor against the black backgrounds that lend an astonishing sense of depth. Embraced by the rounded curves of the white gold cases measuring 37.5 mm in diameter, and accentuated by a bezel set with a row of brilliant-cut diamonds, these CHANEL symbols take on a new sense of timeless appeal.

The new MADEMoISELLE PRIVé ladies’ collection, featuring watches shaped like a perfect circle and exuding quintessential purity, artfully interpret CHANEL’s most iconic symbols: the camellia and the comet.

Midway between watchmaking and jewelry, the four new creations of this precious collection offer an original, pure and essential

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MAdEMOISEllE pRIVÉ

as light as possible and thus was made from diamond-set titanium.

This symbol revolves in an enchanting dance and its incomparable radiance lights up the intense black of the dial.

COMETS ANd CAMEllIAS on two self-winding watches, the camellia, Gabrielle Chanel’s favorite flower, and the comet, which she sublimated as of 1932 in her Bijoux de Diamants collection, gracefully take the place of the seconds hand.

In cooperation with Dubois-Dépraz, the leading Swiss specialist of “offset seconds”, CHANEL has developed a dedicated mechanical module which, in association with the movement, serves to offset the small seconds to 5 o’clock. This mechanism, rotating in 60 seconds, is enlivened by an animated motif, which had to be

The camellia is also featured in another creation elegantly combining gemsetting and sculpture on mother-of-pearl.

This splendid camellia appears to have alighted gently on an onyx dial. Comprised of about ten different elements, it constitutes a beautifully sculpted mother-of pearl fl ower, with each hand-cut petal in a different shape. Assembled

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into an exquisite marquetry motif, these petals compose a camellia with gentle reliefs that shimmer in the light.

Gabrielle’s favorite flower and the volume of its petals appears to blossom on the dial, adorned with subtle refl ections that infuse life and femininity into this diamond-studded watch.

Two entirely open-worked leaf-shaped hands with a fl oral design set the finishing touch to this exquisitely refined picture.

Infused with an equally poetic spirit, the fourth model sparkles like a star-lit sky. Set against an intense black background, tiny diamond

stars are sprinkled at various heights so as to give even greater depth to this precious and delicate cosmos wrapped around the wrist.

Standing out brightly against this night sky, the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock numerals, recomposed to form brilliant comets with curving tails radiating from the center of a star are set with tiny brilliant-cut diamonds.

With the new MADEMoISELLE PRIVé, CHANEL offers a profoundly meaningful expression of its horological mastery by providing time measurement with a new field of expression in the shape of this pure, timeless decor.

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2005 2006

J12 HAuTE JOAIllERIE (limited edition of 5 pieces) 604 baguette diamonds (~31 carats).

The first J12 in HIGHTECH white ceramic: an immaculate and pure white.

A world-first timepiece that imposes the color white on watchmaking.

2007

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the pREMIERE timepiece is created in a pearl version that is smaller and even more precious.

2008

1987 2000

Launch of the J12, the first sports watch by CHANEl in HIGH-TECH CERAMIC for men and women.

2004

launch of CHANEl horology. The PREMIERE timepiece is inspired by the shape of the Place Vendôme and the stopper of the No. 5 perfume bottle.

J12 TOURBILLON (limited edition of 12 pieces) CHANEL enters the Haute Horlogerie arena with a mechanical hand-wound tourbillon movement. The base plate of this movement is made out of ceramic for the first time: a technical revolution!

2003

kEY dATES

launch of the J12 Exceptional Pieces collection. Limited editions set with the most beautiful baguette gemstones.

New pREMIÈRE collection fitted with a HIGH-TECH ceramic bracelet in white gold or steel.

J12 CALIBRE 3125: The J12 is equipped with an exclusive new Audemars piguet mechanical self-winding movement personalized for CHANEL.

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2010

J12 RÉTROGRAdE MYSTÉRIEUSE: A myriad of innovations coupling complications and world firsts: tourbillon, digital minute reading, retrograde minute hand, 10-day power reserve and retractable vertical crown.

The work for this complication was trusted to one of the most ‘state-ofthe-art’ conception/construction workshops, that of Giulio papi (APRP SA).

J12 MARINE: An authentic and professional diving watch, the J12 Marine sets out to conquer new territories – those of the depths of the sea.

2011

J12 NOIR INTENSE: White gold set with 724 black ceramic baguettes, a technical and

aesthetic feat: the ceramic is cut and faceted like the most beautiful precious stones. This exceptional piece is equipped with the Chanel AP-3125 movement and is issued in a five-piece limited series.

CHANEl brings a new color to watchmaking with the J12 Chromatic. A model made of titanium ceramic, a new highly scratch-resistant material. A

unique color and shimmer are obtained through the combination of titanium and ceramic and polishing with diamond.

2012

2009

PREMIÈRE in white gold and set with diamonds (~ 3.09 carats).

pREMIERE TOuRBIllON VOLANT. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its first horological creation, CHANEl offers women a chance to enter the world of mechanical Grandes complications.

This stylized flying tourbillon model shaped like a camellia, Mademoiselle Chanel’s favorite flower, beats discreetly and almost in secret at the heart of the Première watch.

MAdEMOISEllE pRIVE An original interpretation of CHANEl’s powerful symbols, combining jewelry and watchmaking skills as well as the artistic crafts cherished by the House.

J12 29MM: The newest member of the J12 family is created with a mini case measuring 29mm in diameter. A petite model especially for women.

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CHANEL - S.A.S. 135 avenue Charles de Gaulle 92200 Neuilly sur Seine. Capital social : 80.200.000 € - 542 052 766 R.C.S. Nanterre - 05/2012. Réf. : H8732 FRA www.chanel.com

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