At Watches and Wonders 2026, Chanel doesn’t simply present watches, it reframes what a watch can be. Across high jewellery, technical innovation and design-led storytelling, the House moves fluidly between object and idea, treating time as something to be worn, concealed, played with and, at times, completely reimagined.
From a chessboard that hides time within its pieces to sculptural camellias and reworked icons like the J12 and Première, Chanel’s latest releases sit somewhere between horology and narrative design. Each creation carries the imprint of Gabrielle Chanel, not as reference, but as presence.
The Chessboard: Time as Play
One of Chanel’s most remarkable creations is the Coco Game Chessboard, a singular piece that turns watchmaking into performance. Here, Gabrielle Chanel becomes the Queen, both symbolically and literally in black and white, with time hidden beneath her figure.
Crafted from ceramic, gold and diamonds, each chess piece reflects the House’s universe, from the lion to the Vendôme column. The board itself, set in black and white ceramic and framed with diamonds, moves beyond utility into something closer to art. It’s not just about telling time, it’s about controlling it.
Première: Rewriting an Icon
The Première continues to evolve without losing its identity. Originally launched in 1987, its octagonal dial still echoes the N°5 bottle and Place Vendôme, while its absence of numerals keeps things deliberately minimal.
In 2026, the collection expands across three distinct directions. The Ribbon Diamonds edition transforms the watch into a monochrome field of light, fully set with diamonds. The Iconic Chain Golden Brown introduces a warmer palette, with a lacquered dial that reflects Chanel’s long-standing use of golden tones. And the Ribbon Red version leans into colour, with a vivid red dial and velvet-touch strap, turning the watch into something more emotive, almost cinematic.
Alongside these, the Première Galon introduces a braided bangle inspired by Chanel’s couture trims, translating tailoring into form through a rigid, sculptural bracelet.
Nœud de Camélia: Couture in Motion
With Nœud de Camélia, Chanel moves deeper into the space between jewellery and watchmaking. The camellia, one of Gabrielle Chanel’s most enduring symbols, becomes both structure and concealment.
Across cuffs and rings, the dial disappears beneath petals set with diamonds, only revealed through interaction. Embroidered bows, black lacquer finishes and high jewellery settings create pieces that feel closer to couture than traditional watches. The result is sculptural, tactile and intentionally intimate.
Mademoiselle Privé Bouton Lion: Hidden Time
The lion, emblem of power and protection, anchors the Mademoiselle Privé Bouton Lion pieces. Here, time is concealed beneath a button, revealed only when the wearer chooses.
Presented as both a necklace and a ring, the pieces combine yellow gold, diamonds and onyx, with the lion’s head carved in relief. The emphasis is on craftsmanship, from the sculptural detailing to the precise stone-setting, creating objects that feel both symbolic and personal.
Monsieur Lion Tourbillon: Technical Identity
In contrast, the Monsieur Lion Tourbillon Black Edition shifts the focus toward mechanical expression. Built around the Caliber 5.1 movement, the watch centres on a flying tourbillon, with a lion’s head engraved at its core.
The matte black ceramic case and openworked dial reveal the movement in full, balancing technical complexity with a restrained, almost architectural aesthetic. It’s a different language for Chanel, but one that still carries the same symbolic weight.
J12: Expanding the Icon
The J12 continues to evolve as Chanel’s most recognisable watch, but in 2026, it moves in multiple directions at once.
New sizes, from 28mm to 42mm, expand its unisex appeal, while material exploration remains central. Ceramic, already a defining element, is pushed further, from classic black and white to a newly introduced matte blue, developed over five years to achieve its distinctive tone.
The collection also leans into contrast, particularly in the Golden Black editions, where gold-plated indexes cut through black ceramic, and in sport-driven variations like the Superleggera.
At the highest level, the J12 Diamonds Tourbillon introduces the Caliber 5 movement, with a diamond-set flying tourbillon that transforms the complication into something visual, almost hypnotic.
Across Watches and Wonders 2026, Chanel’s approach feels deliberate. Rather than separating jewellery, fashion and watchmaking, the House merges them, creating pieces that resist simple categorisation.
What emerges is not just a collection of watches, but a broader idea: that time, like style, can be shaped, hidden, exaggerated or completely reimagined.
For more stories of the world’s finest watches, visit our dedicated archives and follow us on Instagram.
