A thimble, a bobbin, a pin cushion, a pair of scissors, or a tape measure may be the simple tools of the trade of couture, but in Chanel's Couture O'Clock, they become playful elements in a luxurious capsule collection of watches shimmering with diamonds and alive with whimsical details.
The Couture O'Clock series confirms Chanel's highly distinct and original approach to watchmaking, in line with the house's ethos of embodying the spirit of its founder in everything it creates. Each watch - and a desk clock - is a limited edition and explores various facets of the couture house's craft.
Mademoiselle Chanel was a perfectionist utterly dedicated to her craft. She was known for her hands-on approach in her rue Cambon ateliers, where she brought to life her now legendary haute couture creations. This facet of Gabrielle, with a tape measure around her neck, scissors in hand and a pincushion strapped to her wrist, is celebrated in the capsule collection presented at Watches & Wonders in Geneva 2024. Mechanical wizardry, exquisite jewellery craft, and gem settings create charming and quirky watches.
The most dramatic is the Musical Clock Couture Workshop (above), which comes to life as five bejewelled mannequins twirl around under a chandelier complete with diamond drops and gold candles. Also a music box, this mechanical toy plays 'My Woman' by Al Bowlly, a tune Mademoiselle Chanel would hum while working. Some 510 diamonds, gold, onyx and pearls bring this opulent creation to life.
The ceramic J12 plays a crucial role in this collection, and the most graphic of all is the J12 Couture Workshop automaton (above) with Gabrielle – dressed in her iconic jacket and skirt suit - on the dial. A sophisticated mechanism brings Ms Chanel to life. She wields a pair of scissors and happily jigs around as she snips at the jacket draped on a mannequin. Subtler is the white J12 Couture with scissors for the hour and minute hands, a needle for the sweep seconds and a bezel reminiscent of a tape measure, all against a dial decorated with a dressmaking pattern. The J12 White Star Couture wristwatch contrasts dazzling white ceramic and diamond baguettes and the black link and case edges.
A Mademoiselle Privé Bouton Gabrielle watch features a button on top of the dial that slides away to reveal the time. The button is decorated with a gold profile of her bust on an onyx disc framed with diamonds and gold chain links, which are used in the hems of jackets to create a clean fall of the cloth. The Boyfriend Couture (above) is dressed in a classic Chanel tweed jacket, its outline created in silver braid with diamond buttons. The Première Ruban Couture watch has a black tape measure strap that wraps twice around the wrist. A black lacquer charm of Gabrielle swings from the crown. Similarly, the Première Charms Couture watch has a padlock-style dial securing the gold chain and woven leather bracelet to the wrist. A gold safety pin, thimble, mannequin, spool, and clothing label adorn the bracelet, which itself evokes the famous handbag chains of the house.
The pincushion (main image, top) comes to life in a ring and pendant with generously domed glass—the quilted dial bristles with gold pins tipped in diamonds and pearls that create a dazzling starburst pattern. An everyday spool of thread (above) is elevated to high jewellery, its silhouette transformed into a gold cuff with a pattern of diamond threads running around its circumference. A yellow sapphire conceals a miniature dial.
The Thimble Couture necklace is a charming ode to the craft of dressmaking. The chunky gold thimble hangs from a long gold chain, is set with diamonds, and has a watch dial at its base. The Bust Long Necklace Couture (above) features a miniature dressmaker's mannequin swathed in diamonds suspended from a gold chain. The mannequin slides open at the waist to expose a watch dial.
With the Couture o'clock capsules collection, Chanel has excelled in elevating the common-place tools of Coco's trade into an exciting approach to luxury watches that throws out the rule book and take originality as it starting point.
