Watches and Wonders 2026: Chanel’s Novelties Up the Haute Horlogerie Game

For Watches and Wonders 2026, the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio presented a portfolio that redefines timekeeping as art. Alongside new iterations of the beloved J12 and Première, the House revealed its inventive spirit with the Coco Game Capsule Collection, Nœud de Camélia, and Mademoiselle Privé Bouton Lion creations, each a testament to creativity and technical brilliance. GMT India takes a closer look at the novelties. 

Coco Game Capsule Collection

Each year, the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio presents a capsule collection that transcends horology conventions. These timepieces are designed at Place Vendôme, Paris, and assembled at the CHANEL Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

The 2026 Haute Horlogerie Masterpiece features Gabrielle Chanel as the central figure – the Queen – in an extraordinary chess game. This chessboard is a showcase of the limitless creativity of the Watchmaking Creation Studio and the exceptional savoir-faire of the CHANEL Watch Manufacture in the continued mastery of ceramic and gem-setting.

Inspired by the graphic codes of the gaming universe, Arnaud Chastaingt, Director of the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio, explores all aspects of it by presenting the thematic collection CHANEL Coco Game, a collection of 14 timepieces that echo the House’s emblematic codes – the line, black, and white. The CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio plays with time and masterfully embraces it.

The Chessboard 

Unique Piece

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Gabrielle Chanel becomes the central figure – the Queen – of an exceptional chess game. Black or white, each pawn of this unique chessboard has been crafted by combining, with extreme sophistication, gold, ceramic, and diamonds. The 32 pawns refer to the universe of the House but only Mademoiselle as a white or black queen conceals the time under her iconic slingbacks.

Behind the boldness of this design, each detail reveals a rare precision – a genuine l’objet d’art. In essence, this unique chessboard highlights the boundless creativity of the Watchmaking Creation Studio and the exceptional savoir-faire of the CHANEL Watch Manufacture in the House’s unceasing artistry of ceramic and gem‑setting. Sculpted in ceramic, a high-tech material that is seven times harder than steel, the design of the 16 black pawns is highlighted by white gold touches set with diamonds. From the Vendôme column representing the Tower to the lion embodied as King, all ceramic figurines reflect the universe of Mademoiselle and have been meticulously crafted as miniature sculptures. As for the opposing party, the pawns are sculpted in white gold with a refinement of detail and precision. The Queen, whose diamond tweed suit is bordered with blackened gold, is enhanced with touches of white-and-black ceramic at the base.

Sole mistresses of Time, two Queens conceal the hour under their pedestal. They can be worn as necklaces on a white gold, diamond, and onyx chain. The chessboard rests on an obsidian base and its board, in black-and-white ceramic, is elegantly lined with a row of diamonds.

Gabrielle Watch

Limited to 10 pieces

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The timepiece positions Gabrielle Chanel out of frame and on the edge of the dial. Here, she is depicted in her iconic pose as she plays with the conventions of watchmaking. Dressed in a white tweed suit trimmed with black, her hand slipped into the pocket, she looks at the time that appears under her gaze. Entirely adorned with diamonds, the tweed pattern is created thanks to the "tweed setting" technique. Several tests and the expertise of two experienced setters from the CHANEL Watch Manufacture were required to reproduce this woven effect. Sculpted in white gold from a living model, the silhouette of Mademoiselle frees itself from time through a game of volumes and textures, emerging from the dial to assert her presence. 

Gabrielle Long Necklace

Limited to five pieces

A sculptural creation, this necklace combining the two iconic colours of the House features Gabrielle Chanel in her iconic pose. This alone embodies Mademoiselle’s allure and spirit. The finesse of the execution of this gold-sculpted silhouette, dressed in a diamond-set tweed suit, bears witness to the excellence of the artisans of the House.

Coco Game Long Necklace

Limited to 5 pieces

Mademoiselle, dressed in her white tweed suit trimmed with black and half-pearl earrings, is reinterpreted in a stylised form directly inspired by the world of video games. Playing on the contrast of black and white, this all-pixel drawing required 4 months of development to create its bold technical design. The buttons, earrings and eyes are dressed in blackened titanium, while the silhouette is adorned with 193 diamonds.

Première Coco Game Ring

Limited to five pieces

The strong lines of this secret ring feature two faces that are discovered by turning the diamond. Heads, a 0.90 carat baguette-cut diamond is embedded in the crystal sapphire glass revealing a gold plate set with diamonds. Tails, the octagonal dial of the PREMIÈRE watch appears, set with diamonds and highlighted with a blackened gold ribbon. The mounting is entirely set with brilliant-cut diamonds to offer a precious and stunning jewel, gloved in black and tailored for this ring.

J12 Coco Game Charms

Limited to 55 pieces

As if she just stepped out of a video game, a pixelised Mademoiselle transforms into a charm, suspended from the crown of a J12 in matte white ceramic. Combining polished steel with black-and-white lacquer, 10 months of development were necessary for the CHANEL Watch Manufacture to obtain smooth edges without distorting the pixel pattern. Demonstrating the precision and mastery of the artisans, the lacquer was applied on pixels measuring 0.5 mm.

J12 X-Ray Coco Game

Numbered and limited to 12 pieces

A game of chiaroscuro plays out on this J12 where the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio masterfully combines the sapphire crystal with white gold and the gears of the 3.1 Caliber movement with diamonds. Demonstrating its complexity, the assembly of the movement requires seven days of work for the artisans of the CHANEL Watch Manufacture to complete. Remarkably sophisticated, the watch bracelet sports sapphire crystal links, crossed by a central line of baguette-cut diamonds bordered with blackened gold to enhance its brilliance. The light reflection properties of sapphires are only equalled by the time required for their meticulous fabrication: the single realization of the sapphire crystal components requires 1600 hours of machining.

Accentuating this creative line, the bezel is hemmed with blackened gold and pavé-set with baguette-cut diamonds, like the indexes. At the centre of the J12, the sapphire upper bridge highlights all the technicality of the Manufacture Caliber 3.1 whose components seem to float in thin air like a mystery movement.

J12 Coco Game

Limited to 55 pieces

Mademoiselle becomes a pixelated character that trots around the dial of this J12 in matte black ceramic. To fit with the lightness and balance required for the seconds hand, Mademoiselle’s figure has been laser-cut from a carbon plate – a technical feat that required 10 months of development by the artisans of the CHANEL Watch Manufacture. This Haute Horlogerie watch features a bezel and indexes set with baguette-cut diamonds, matched with a round brilliant diamond on the crown.

The J12 COCO GAME is also available in two versions: glossy white and matte black ceramic, with dial indexes set with brilliant-cut diamonds and a bezel with a baguette motif.

Boy-friend Coco Game

Limited to 55 pieces

Applied as a transfer on the immaculate dial of the BOY·FRIEND, Gabrielle Chanel lends her unmistakable style to the Queen of Hearts. Her iconic suit in black-edged tweed, her boater, and her layered pearl necklaces make up this black-and-white portrait. The sharp line of her silhouette is softened by the presence of two heart-shaped metallic applications. Set with Haute Horlogerie baguette-cut diamonds, the bezel is also available in a white lacquered version. The purity of this playing card is also expressed through a white calfskin strap with black trim.

Première Coco Game

Limited edition

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With this PREMIÈRE, the graphic signature codes of the House – the line, black, and white – are easy to read. Combining black coating, white lacquer, and sapphire crystal, six charms swing to the rhythm of the wrist’s movement and spell out CHANEL with pure simplicity.

Code Coco Game

Limited edition

Inspired by the tokens of a game of dominoes, the CODE COCO contrasts the white of its quilted leather bracelet with the black of its two dials and its Mademoiselle clasp. Adorned with a princess-cut diamond, the CODE COCO GAME expresses the essence of the House’s iconic codes.

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Nœud de Camélia

At the crossroads of Haute Couture and Haute Horlogerie, Nœud de Camélia merges two major icons of Gabrielle Chanel’s style. Like a precious seal, Mademoiselle’s favourite flower signs a collection of five secret watches where the play on architecture echoes the preciousness of the chosen materials.

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From 1913, Gabrielle Chanel borrowed the camellia, which she loved for its pure aesthetic, from the dandies who attached it to the buttonhole of their jacket. A white camellia on a black jacket. White on black. Black on white. Rooted in this legacy, this striking contrast breathes life into the Nœud de Camélia collection.

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Composed of four wristwatches and a secret ring, Nœud de Camélia combines the watchmaking and jewellery of Métiers d’art with those of Couture. A bracelet embroidered with sequins by Maison d'art Lesage; sparkling gold worked like a grosgrain ribbon; virtuoso diamond setting where light sculpts the upstrokes and downstrokes; the extreme sophistication of the dials hidden under a diamond… In a sumptuous play of volumes, Nœud de Camélia adorns the wrist with sculptural luminosity.

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J12

Launched in 2000, the CHANEL J12 in black ceramic broke the codes of traditional watchmaking by imagining an oversize format women would adopt as their own. Crafted in ceramic – a material as soft as silk, yet un-scratchable, inalterable, and seven times more resistant than steel. This model – whose name pays tribute to a racing sailboat – became an icon of the 21st century. 

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In conversation with GMT India, Arnaud Chastaingt, Director of the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio explained how the brand continues to reinterpret the J12 while preserving its core identity. He said, “The J12 is much more than a watch; it is an icon that embodies the spirit and audacity of CHANEL. When approaching its reinterpretation, our goal is never to betray its essence but rather to reveal new facets of its identity. We respect its graphic purity, its monochrome allure, and the technical excellence that defines it. At the same time, we seek to surprise – to introduce subtle evolutions, new materials, or details that ignite desire and emotion.”

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In 2026, the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio once again explores the territory of J12 with full creative freedom, this time in case dimensions. Characterised by its unisex identity, this horological icon introduces two new opposing formats: in a miniature 28 MM and an oversized 42 MM case. Chastaingt shared that the new interpretations retain the original DNA. “For me, the key is to remain faithful to the codes that make the J12 instantly recognisable while allowing it to evolve with the times,” he said. “It is a dialogue between heritage and innovation, tradition and modernity. Each new interpretation is a chapter that enriches the story of the J12, ensuring it remains as relevant and magnetic today as when it was first unveiled.”

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Six models make up the J12 28 MM collection. Alongside black or white ceramic watches, the Watchmaking Creation Studio unveiled, for the first time, a J12 equipped with a textured black rubber strap with trimming. 

Equally original, the duo of the J12 GOLDEN BLACK limited edition is revealed through a 28 MM miniature size and a 42 MM maxi size with a contrasting aesthetic: a polished or matte black ceramic illuminated by yellow gold-plated indexes. 

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Finally, for the 42 MM size, the CHANEL Watch Creation Studio signs a new variation of the J12 Superleggera. With a name referencing racing cars famous for their sporty and sleek allure, the original clean, streamlined design has been refined with balanced proportions and an impeccable multi-layered finish resulting in the most dynamic version of the J12, as a showcase of technical prowess and aesthetic sophistication. 

Sleek, unisex, and highly resistant more than ever, the J12 beats to the rhythm of contemporary sports elegance. 

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J12 Bleu

In 2026, the CHANEL revealed two new models of the J12 in matte blue ceramic, in 38 and 33 MM – a colour unlike any other, joining black and white as one of J12’s emblematic shades. Unveiled as a limited series in 2025, the J12 in matte blue ceramic now enters the permanent watch collections of the House with two models: 38 and 33 MM. 

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Première

While borrowing from the CHANEL wardrobe one of its most emblematic signature elements – the braid trim – PREMIÈRE GALON suggests a new lesson in style and sustains the audacious heritage of the PREMIÈRE watch, born from absolute freedom of creation in 1987 and whose timeless allure keeps the pace of the present.

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Unveiled in yellow gold in 2025, the PREMIÈRE GALON’s bracelet is a rigid bangle made of a twisted braid that offers a new way of wearing. Gabrielle Chanel used braid trim on her suits to highlight the contours, adorn pockets and cuffs, and structure the silhouette. In 2026, it was revealed in a new white gold version. This colour imbues the PREMIÈRE GALON wardrobe with a luminous sophistication.

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Mademoiselle Privé Bouton Lion

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An emblematic figure of Mademoiselle, a symbol of power and protection, the lion is embodied with majesty on two secret watches. The time is hidden under a sumptuously crafted CHANEL button.

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Composed of a ring and a secret necklace, this duo of colours combining gold and black resonates perfectly with the universe of Gabrielle Chanel.

The watchmaking and jewellery expertise of the artisans at the CHANEL Watch Manufacture are visible in every detail: the perfection of the lion’s head sculpture that required eight hours of work; the finishing touches on the chain decoration surrounding the dial; and the meticulous setting of stones. Needless to say, it’s an array of skills that defines the mastery of this secret duo.

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Monsieur Lion Tourbillon Black Edition

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The MONSIEUR LION TOURBILLON BLACK EDITION beats to the rhythm of the Caliber 5.1, entirely manufactured by the artisans of the CHANEL Watch Manufacture. The dial reveals the beauty of the movement whose masterpiece is a flying tourbillon, placed at 6 o’clock. At the heart of this flying tourbillon’s cage, the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio has placed a meticulously crafted lion’s head sculpture, laser-engraved in a block of titanium. Mademoiselle’s astrological sign, synonymous with power and protection, is the emblem and signature of all the movements manufactured by the House since 2016. Refined down to the smallest detail, this watch features a matte black ceramic case and bezel that contrast with the radiance of blackened steel.

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