Chanel is known for haute couture refinement, for jewelry-making enchantment and for super chic watch designs… The Parisian-based Maison now also reveals its talent for mechanical artistry with a second skeleton-work in-house caliber shaped like a camellia. Dainty, exquisite… so intensely Chanel !
Coco Chanel loved pearls, strict cuts, tweed, black and white, the Place Vendôme, the majestic figure of the lion and the fragrant petals of the camellia. Repeatedly interpreted in the jewelry collections of the Maison, gracefully stylized to adorn the dials of its watches for three decades, Coco Chanel’s favorite flower once again displays its dainty outliens by entwining itself with the very heart of time measurement. With the Première Camellia Skeleton watch, Chanel provides a stunning demonstration of its expertise, tinged with a precious touch of poetry.
The second Chanel movement, duly named Calibre 2, stems from fruitful exchanges between the design studio in Paris and the Châtelain watch Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Based on the style codes of the Maison – the camellia, as well as the famous trim on its skirt suits, black and white, the geometry of the Première watch inspired by the shape of Place Vendôme and the bottle stopper of the No.5 fragrance – stylists first defined the details and the overall visual appearance of the movement. Based on the brand motto “Technique dedicated to serving creativity”, watchmakers adjusted their approach in order to give life to a skeleton-work caliber featuring layered bridges shaped like camellia petals and supporting the various gear trains. The resulting interwoven design resembles delicate gold lacework that keeps time with metronome-like precision.
On a technical level, a few figures set the overall tone : 107 components, 21 jewels, a 48-hour power reserve, a frequency of 28,800 vibrations/hour. Behind the scenes, the tempo is set by the lever, the escape-wheel and the double roller developed by Renaud & Papi for the skeleton movement of the J12. The movement’s wheels and pinions were machined in the Manufacture Romain Gauthier. On the stage itself, 30 years after its first entrance onto the watchmaking scene, the Chanel style is more vibrantly alive than ever. The Première Camellia Skeleton watch with its fascinating light and shade effects comes in three versions set with brilliant- or baguette-cut diamonds – including a 12-piece limited edition – that draw all eyes. Chanel’s new technical signature is flamboyant and perfectly mastered.
