Despite its slick aesthetic, Chanel’s iconic ‘J12’ watch was originally born out of frustration. The fashion house’s long-time artistic director Jacques Hélleu, who joined Chanel in the 1950s and was responsible for many of its memorable ad campaigns and monochromatic brand identity, had been searching for a watch. He couldn’t find anything that he wanted to wear, so decided to dream up his perfect timepiece. Perhaps inevitably, this led to the creation of one of the most influential watches: the ‘J12’.
Hélleu wanted a watch that was sporty, but chic. When sketching out his idea for the ‘J12’, he took inspiration from racing yachts – a personal passion of his. In fact, the name of the watch refers to the 12-meter J-Class yachts that are raced in America’s Cup. In an homage to the streamlined hulls and sweeping curves of the boats, the ‘J12’ has a seamless case and bracelet design. Its clean, legible dial and functional rotating bezel (which can be used as a timer) are both beautiful and purposeful – just like every element on board a yacht should be.
