Eternal Flame: Chanel Première’s Second Act
Chanel’s fine jewellery has an evergreen beauty all its own. Bazaar Arabia highlights its elegance and allure here, the spotlight firmly shining on its most spectacular timepiece…
Chanel Première’s Second Act
Launched in 1987, the Première watch was Chanel’s first timepiece. And with a case that evokes the octagonal Chanel N°5 stopper and details that recalled the brand’s evergreen quilted bags – it instantly became the perfect sleek accessory for the modern woman of the ’80s. Fast forward to 2023, and it’s back again, just in time to captivate Gen Z and maybe even the Alpha set.
Former artistic director Jacques Helleu, who was also the father of the iconic J12 timepiece for Chanel, debuted the Première with great fanfare, marking the house’s successful segue into the watch category. To his credit, Jacques, who started at Chanel at the tender age of 18, executed this without tainting the brand’s exclusive allure. Besides the aforementioned octagonal shape of the N°5 perfume bottle stopper used to inspire the watch case, Jacques looked to the interlaced leather and chain strap of the iconic quilted bag as the starting point for its bracelet. The Première’s landmark debut surprised the watchmaking world, which until then had been governed by masculine codes, and put catering to women on the back burner of watch design.
Today, Jacques’ successor, Arnaud Chastaingt, is bringing back Chanel’s Première in a revisited form. Artistic director of Chanel’s Watchmaking Creation Studio since 2013, Arnaud is recognised in high-watchmaking circles for his unmistakable revival of iconic designs. His take on the original Chanel watch debuts with an outline recalling Place Vendôme, which Gabrielle Chanel, the founder, is said to have gazed upon daily from her suite at the Ritz. This icon is joined by another one: the interwoven leather and chain strap of the iconic quilted bag and is now outfitted with a flexible bracelet, fitted with an incredibly refined clasp.
“The Première was the first page in our watchmaking history. It was born out of an absolute freedom of creation and it initiated a vision, the ‘Allure of Time’ as measured by Chanel,” Arnaud reflects in a statement.
During his decade-long tenure at the French maison, Arnaud’s watches also often borrow from the brand’s couture and ready-to-wear heritage, like tweed patterns, for example, that serve as a tribute to Coco Chanel’s jackets. And his timepiece creations, the BOY.FRIEND, a subdued women’s tank style from 2015, and Monsieur de Chanel, the brand’s first timepiece catered to savvy male consumers, garnered acclaim thanks to Arnaud’s knack for incorporating house elements without coming off as showy.
In 1993 Chanel expanded its watch business with the acquisition of Manufacture G&F Châtelain in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, where today, the craftsmanship and artistry is executed – from the setting of precious stone to the crafting of its ceramic. Today, all the Chanel watches are entirely Swiss-made.
In 1997, the company acquired the townhouse at 18 Place Vendôme to house its haute joaillerie and horlogerie collections. The boutique was reopened last year, following a multi-year renovation and now includes an impressive archive and mini museum that is open to VIP clients. The sprawling three-floor boutique is the iconic address of Chanel and reopened its doors 90 years after the creation of Bijoux de Diamants exhibition, the one and only High Jewellery collection created by Mademoiselle Chanel in 1932.
In a testament to the enduring luster of traditional watches, despite the advent of the smart watch, luxury timepieces are on the uptick. According to a January 2023 Bain & Company report titled Renaissance in Uncertainty: Luxury Builds on Its Rebound, watches have evolved from a challenged category to the new object of desire.
“Sales of new watches grew by 22-24 per cent and reached a record 52 billion euros, reflecting solid demand for top-of-the-range models and iconic pieces,” the report states, adding that Zoomers and millennials are fuelling the appetite for investment and resale opportunities and Chanel finds itself at the forefront of this trend.
“In 2022, I wanted the Première to find its place again and to put it at the heart of our collection. This creation is our DNA and a Chanel code through and through. Far more than a watch, the Première is a lesson in style,” says Arnaud.
Photography: Vladimir Marti. Styling: Nour Bou Ezz. Creative Direction: Marne Schwartz. Model: Ekaterina Goncharova at Mademoiselle Agency. Make-Up: Michel Kiwarkis. Hair: Ivanna Osypyshyna. Producer: Steff Hawker. Casting Director: Jean-Marc Mondelet. Fashion Assistant: Prescilla El Khoury
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s March 2023 issue