Chanel’s Watches & Wonders 2024 novelties can be appreciated in two main aspects. The first is its headlining Couture O’Clock capsule collection, and the next are its haute horlogerie and classic collections.

Over the past few years the maison has been working tirelessly towards revitalizing and amplifying its watchmaking savoir-faire through highly creative interpretations of time telling while always incorporating elements of the Chanel origin story into the pieces. They could be a whimsical side of Gabrielle Chanel to beautiful objects within her apartment or Aubazine, the place where the Mademoiselle spent her childhood, her favorite things such as the camelia flower, the lion, or the number five, not forgetting as well the craft of haute couture.

Taking these varied elements into the product creation process, Arnaud Chastaingt, who is the director of Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio, arrives at a unique proposition not just for Chanel lovers but also those who appreciate fine watchmaking, jewelry making and métiers d’arts. Indeed, this is especially so for this year’s novelties which offer a glimpse into Mademoiselle Chanel’s very own atelier.

Mannequins, thimbles, pin cushions, spools and buttons lend their physical forms to timepieces that are also jewelry pieces. Chanel fans who fondly remember the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles watches from 2023 will be pleased to revisit the collection this year, and discover variations that can be worn as a sautoir necklace or a ring.

Chanel Couture O’Clock Capsule

Drawing inspiration from the Mademoiselle’s rue Cambon workroom, the Couture O’Clock Capsule collection is a combination of artistry and whimsy. It can be explored across two key areas: Mademoiselle’s Workshop and Mademoiselle’s Sewing Tools.

With Mademoiselle’s Workshop, mannequins and Gabrielle Chanel herself lend their physical presence to the timepieces which are also jewelry pieces. Indeed, mannequins are central to her craft as a couturier but they are also especially meaningful to Gabrielle Chanel’s unique journey as a jeweler, being the first in the world to debut her jewelry collection, Bijoux de Diamants, displayed on mannequins rather than showcases.

Musical Clock Couture Workshop

The main highlight however is neither a watch or a jewelry piece but an astounding table clock automaton called Musical Clock Couture Workshop with a music box that chimes to the rhythm of one of Gabrielle Chanel’s favorite songs, My Woman by Al Bowlly. Under a sumptuous crystal dome, a black chandelier adorned with diamond droplets recall the exact one that hangs from the ceiling of her rue Cambon apartment.

Five mannequins crafted in natural aluminum ceramic trimmed with black leather ribbon are each decorated with a single brooch made in 18K yellow gold and six brilliant-cut diamonds.

Continuing with the dressmaking theme are the measurement tape detailing around the circumference of the platform and a delicate diamond and 18K yellow gold trimming just above the base which is covered in a marquetry of 245 pieces of buff-top black onyx evoking the famous matelassé motif. This unique creation can be wound at the base with a key made of 18K yellow gold and set with 229 diamonds which can be worn like a pendant on a sautoir also made in yellow gold with diamonds.

Bust Long Necklace Couture

Mannequins also take centerstage in the adorable Bust Long Necklace Couture which is — surprise! — not just a jewel but a timepiece as well. Crafted in 18k yellow gold and fully snow-set with diamonds, plus black lacquer trims, the pendant can be extended at the waist to reveal a hidden black lacquer dial with yellow gold hands.

J12 White Star Couture Watch

Also inspired by the mannequin but interpreted with a little more subtlety, the J12 White Star Couture watch expand upon the white and black color palette so beloved by Chanel. Here you see parallels between the watch’s black outlines and the black trims found on Mademoiselle’s mannequins.

But what makes it really outstanding is how Chanel’s Watch Creation Studio achieved the effect — hint, it is very different from the classic white ceramic J12s. The entire structure is crafted in stainless steel with black coating, with cavities hollowed out.

While the dial and bezel are single component made in white ceramic with baguette pattern, the case and bracelet are individually set with trapeze- and baguette-cut white ceramic.

More surprises await when you flip the watch over to its side. Both sides are set on the flanks with baguette-cut diamonds from bracelet, to case, to bracelet. Flip it over to the back and you will be a dramatic shift from bright white to jet black.

Also, a sapphire caseback reveals the Calibre 12.1 COSC certified movement with its beautiful diamond set oscillating rotor.

J12 Couture Workshop Automaton Caliber 6 Watch

Since the introduction of Chanel’s J12 La Pausa, the maison has struck creativity gold and this year we see another interpretation of the concept in the J12 Couture Workshop Automaton Caliber 6 Watch. This time the dial features a cheerful Gabrielle Chanel in her atelier, holding a pair of scissors and she’s probably thinking, “Hmm what outfit should I create today?”

At the push of a button at 8 o’clock, she begins to do a little jig while her mannequin bobs up and down thanks to the automaton function in the Caliber 6 Chanel manufacture movement which comprises over 355 individual components. The matte black ceramic case and bracelet is elegantly juxtaposed with a steel bezel set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds.

Mademoiselle J12 Couture Watch

Rounding off the Mademoiselle’s Workshop series are two J12 models once again featuring Gabrielle Chanel, but with a decidedly more dramatic allure. Here the Mademoiselle’s smoldering glance peeks just from under a wide-rimmed hat as she relaxed upon on a chaise longue.

Behind her, capturing everything she needs to conjure up the dreamiest designs is a rotating backdrop that moves at a leisurely pace of one rotation per five minutes. Inside, the Chanel Caliber 12.1 provides approximately 70 hours of power reserve.

Mademoiselle Privé Pincushion Couture

comprising a cuff, ring, and a long necklace

Transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, the Mademoiselle’s Sewing Tools series is where Chanel applies its deft artistry to the workroom of Mademoiselle Chanel, specifically all the tools of the trade. Every piece is evocative of the world of haute couture, and every piece is equal parts horology and jewelry.

Beginning with a revisit of a familiar design from 2023, the collection unveils a new interpretation of the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles line inspired by the tailor’s trusty pin-cushion. Last year the maison dressed the timepieces with five couture-inspired motifs, from the classic Chanel tweed jacket to hand-stitched lace.

This time, the pin-cushion takes a more literal form as the expansive dial now features a starburst of 18K gold pins each adorned with a single cultured pearl. The quilted motif dial is circled by a row of 120 brilliant cut diamonds along with 234 18K yellow gold beads. This exquisite dial is produced for Chanel by the FP Journe-owned Les Cadraniers de Genève.

Mademoiselle Privé Bouton Gabrielle Watch

Among the maison’s many favored couture-inspired motifs, the bouton resurfaces this year in the form of the Bouton Gabrielle Watch, featuring an elegant profile of Gabrielle Chanel on its swivel cover. The chain-motif bezel is crafted in 18K yellow gold and it surrounds a diamond framed round dial finished in black lacquer.

Bobbin Cuff Couture

Inspired by a spool of thread, the Bobbin Cuff Couture is a vision crafted entirely in 18K yellow gold and festooned with brilliant cut diamonds emulating the interlocking lines of thread. This is also a secret watch where the dial, covered in baguette diamonds, can be revealed by lifting the catch set with a fabulous 17.51-carat emerald cut yellow sapphire.

Safety Pin and Thimble Long Necklace Couture

Two sautoir necklaces join the Chanel jewelry timepiece collection this year, each evoking something from couture workroom. Both the Safety Pin Long Necklace Couture and the Thimble Long Necklace Couture feature 18K yellow gold and full diamond pavé, with an adorable miniature dial hidden away only for the wearer’s eyes.

J12 Couture 33mm and 38mm Watch

The J12 Couture models combine the J12’s familiar form and silhouette with adorable motifs taken from the couturier’s workroom. Hour and minute hands in the form of a pair of scissors. Bezels crafted in black-coated steel are reminiscent of a measuring tape — with one model featuring full baguette diamond setting — and options in either black or white highly resistant ceramic.

Première Charms Couture Watch

The Première Charms Couture Watch is such a fun timepiece, and it combines the beloved Chanel leather woven metal chain with the Première case as a charm, along with six others featuring adorable motifs such as a thimble, a mannequin, safety pin and even Gabrielle Chanel herself blowing a kiss. All crafted in 18K yellow gold-coated steel and black lacquer.

Première Ruban Couture Watch

The Première Ruban Couture Watch features the familiar Première case crafted in titanium, now worn on a measuring tape-inspired double loop black and gold leather strap. There is also a figurine of Mademoiselle Chanel adorning the crown.

Boy.Friend Couture Watch

The Boy.Friend Couture Watch meets the iconic Chanel tweed jacket and features a bezel embellished with a gold chain motif, recalling the chains which are famously sewn into the hems of Chanel tweed jackets.

Code Coco Couture Watch

Chanel’s one and only Code Coco timepiece features the Sewing Room aesthetic, covered entirely in thematic motifs crafted in black and gold leather set on black-coated steel.

Pink Edition

Even though much of Chanel’s creations are perceived in black and white, pink is also known as a very special color to the maison. This capsule line proffers four limited edition pieces including a J12 X-Ray Pink Edition Watch made in full sapphire hence the name X-Ray.

And it is set with baguette cut pink sapphires for the bezel and hour markers, with Beige Gold trimmings to go along. Caliber 3.1 powers this exquisite timepiece.

Finally we have two Boy.Friend Skeleton Pink Edition Watches. One features a pink sapphire crystal case and the other, a Beige Gold case set with baguette cut pink sapphires.

Both models run on the Caliber 3 Chanel movement, worn on a lovely pink quilted pattern calfskin strap with Beige Gold triple folding clasp.

Finally we have two Boy.Friend Skeleton Pink Edition Watches. One features a pink sapphire crystal case and the other, a Beige Gold case set with baguette cut pink sapphires. Both models run on the Caliber 3 Chanel movement, worn on a lovely pink quilted pattern calfskin strap with Beige Gold triple folding clasp.

The Time of the Lion

Leo is Mademoiselle Chanel’s zodiac sign and ever a believer in astrology and superstition, she’s been known to draw strength and design inspiration from it. As such the lion appears as a design motif in Chanel creations past and present.

This year, the majestic feline takes the form of a sautoir secret watch necklace and a beautiful Secret Cuff timepiece composed of gold, onyx and diamonds. The maison also promises more creations to follow in the months to come.

J12 Diamond Tourbillon Calibre 5

As we know well by now, fine watchmaking at Chanel sees technicity serving aesthetics and nowhere is this creative ethos more apparent than with its mechanical in-house movements. Introduced in 2002, the Caliber 5 for instance, the House’s first in-house flying tourbillon movement, was designed in Paris and then developed and assembled at the Chanel Swiss manufacture.

Featuring a solitaire diamond at the center of the tourbillon carriage, this sumptuously cut stone rotates with the seconds to a truly hypnotic effect. In 2024, we see a new interpretation of this movement encased in matte black ceramic or white ceramic evoking the essence of modern masculinity as defined by Chanel.

Monsieur Superleggera Intense Black Edition

Channeling the vibrant spirit of automobile racing and the sleek elegance of racing cars, the new Monsieur Superleggera Intense Black Edition proposes technical finesse expressed through fine detailing all over the case, dial and even the strap. Matte black ceramic meets black-coated stainless steel for the exterior, while the matte black guilloche-type dial continues the monochromatic theme.

Caliber 1 powers this sporty chic timepiece designed especially for men who will doubtlessly appreciate the jump hour and retrograde minute time display. Worn on a nylon strap with black calfskin leather trim and lining.

Première

Since the return of the Première Édition Originale in 2023, Chanel lovers and fashion mavens have looked at this simple classic piece with refreshed perspective. Now, the maison pushes further the boundaries of creativity with this icon, crafting novel ways to express its appreciation for the Première.

The Première Cuff Watch is a bold statement for the wrist and the Première Sautoir-Belt Watch would give its wearer endless hours of joy to explore all the different styling possibilities.

J12

For 2024, the classic J12 embraces the opulence of 18K yellow gold and diamonds while expertly managing to remain elegant and discreet. In either black or white ceramic the 38mm models come with a yellow gold bezel set with brilliant cut diamonds and diamond indexes as well, powered by Caliber 12.1 visible through a sapphire caseback.

Further additions to the 33mm line include stylish daily wear models with diamond set bezels and indexes, or just the indexes for a more understated look. But while diamonds are always fabulous, the star in this range would most certainly be the 33mm matte white ceramic model featuring a white mother-of-pearl dial and diamond indexes.

All 33mm models are powered by Caliber 12.2.