How Chanel's J12 watch went from fashion statement to serious horological status

Of all the quotes attributed to Gabrielle Chanel, "Fashion changes, but style endures" best encapsulates the house's approach to everything from couture to watchmaking While some might have dismissed the J12 as a 'fashion watch' when it first launched, 20 years later it is just as deserving of the term 'icon' as the house's 2.55 handbag or tweed jacket "If you're talking about something that is trendy and will disappear in six months, then the J12 is absolutely not a fashion watch," says Nicolas Beau, Chanel's global head of watch and fine jewellery business development.

"But it's a Chanel watch, and Chanel is a fashion house Within this house there is a notion of long-term value." At the time, steel and gold dominated the luxury watch world; ceramic was used sparingly, making it a surprising choice for the fashion giant The J12's creator, Chanel's then-artistic director Jacques Helleu, intended to design an automatic watch that could be worn by men and women, and fade-resistant, scratch-resistant, hi-tech ceramic was the only material that could achieve the depth of colour he desired.

The resulting trend for sporty, unisex watches was, says Beau, "Aligned with Chanel's approach of designing with a masculine spirit, using features of a masculine wardrobe such as tweed or jersey". . Source