The Art of Craft: How Chanel Refined One of Its Most Beloved Watches to Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Its Release

The Art of Craft is a new series in which Artnet News shares
the story behind the making of a special design object.

Chanel may be revered the world
over for its fashions, but unbeknownst to some, it has also long
maintained a serious watchmaking initiative as well.

In 2000, the French luxury house
introduced a new concept to the conservative world of timepieces
with its J12 watch, a model swathed in monochromatic ceramic that
was conceived by its then-artistic director, Jacques Helleu.
With a distinctly graphic, sporty sensibility, combined with
a link-bracelet-style strap, it was perfect for women on the
go.

Making a departure from the more
traditional styles of the ‘90s, the J12—produced first in black,
and then more memorably in white—brought a sense of modern luxury
to the market and spurred on a series of similar styles that
collectively became known in watch circles as “the ceramic
boom.”

The watch became one of the
house’s best-selling items in 2000, and was photographed on the
wrists of celebrities and power players including Naomi Campbell
and Hillary Clinton.

Twenty years later, it retains
its loyal following, and Chanel has slowly introduced new editions
with increasingly innovative movements and design features. Last
summer, for example, Chanel celebrated the release of a stainless
steel version on a boat in Shelter Island (the J12 series takes its
name from a class of racing yachts). Among the attendees at the
event were young fashion icons like Billie Eilish and Maude
Apatow.

Its most recent edition, the J12
X-Ray, released in March, is
nothing less than a work of art.

Crafted almost entirely from
sapphire crystal (including the watch strap, with each link carved
meticulously from individual precious stones), the model was
conceived to provide a clear-eyed view into the movements of
Chanel’s new Caliber 3.1, a hand-wound movement base plate beneath
the sapphire dial, which allows its inner workings to be seen from
both the front and the back. The plate, timer bridge, and cog bridge are
additionally made from sapphire, and fade away to reveal a
delicately embroidered latticework of cogs. 

Each component of the movement plate is painstakingly rendered
with exacting patience and skill, and is crafted over the course of
an entire week. Additionally, the 38mm case includes a white-gold
bezel encrusted with 46 lustrous baguette-cut diamonds, bringing
the carat count to a grand total of 5.46.

The design process, spearheaded by Arnaud Chastaingt, the
director of the Chanel Watch Creation Studio, took months to plan
and about four years to execute. While the sapphire casing and
jewels dramatically transformed the watch’s appearance, Chastaingt
was conservative in his alterations to the movements, incorporating
slight but important changes, like narrowing the bezel and hewing
the noble hands in white gold. Its lettering also now features
Chanel’s sleek typeface, pulling the design together more
cohesively. Overall, the watch takes a total of four months to
assemble.

Considering how much care and time goes into the creation of
each timepiece, it’s not surprising to learn that the model will be
limited to just 12 pieces worldwide, clocking in at a cool $626,000
apiece. It’s a worthy item, in other words, for a 20th-anniversary
celebration.

See more images of the J-12 model below.

The post The Art of Craft: How Chanel Refined One of Its
Most Beloved Watches to Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Its
Release appeared first on artnet News.