My Favourite Watch- Chanel Première

Everyone has a favourite brand. Mine is Chanel. I blame my mother for this as ever since that first spritz of her Allure perfume hit me when I was 11, I’ve been hooked. When I began reading old Vogues and then buying my own at 14, I fell in love with the aesthetic and heritage of the famous French fashion house. It also helps that I went on many a trip to France as a kid (Thanks again, Mum), coupling the opportunity to travel with bouclé and NO 5.

The love I have for Chanel extends of course to their watch collection,  my particular favourite being the Première. Launched in 1987 (coincidentally, the year of my birth), this was Chanel’s first foray into horology.

The strength of the Première rests in its simplicity: the 2 hand movement, lack of complications and bare dial. The clean aesthetic allows this piece to function not only as a watch but also as a piece of luxury jewellery, making it wearable day and night and for any occasion, something many luxury watches fail to achieve.  As if this wasn’t enough, the Première also has a disgustingly romantic back-story. I’m a sucker for romance.

The case shape of the Première is inspired by the bottle stopper used in the iconic NO.5 perfume bottle, which in turn is an homage to the shape of the Place Vendome (a luxury shopping destination in Paris). This watch connotes everything that I associate with the Chanel brand: history, romance, Paris elegance. I can imagine Coco herself wearing this watch whilst gadding about town in a drop waist and heels.

Mostly, I love the fact that you could wear this watch for 30 years, pass in onto your grandkids grandkids and if would still look special. If there’s anything Chanel does well, it’s timelessness.

Now, I’m not a huge fan of Karl Lagerfeld. Anyone who puts their name to a monstrosity like this and still holds their head high needs to have a serious look at themselves. 

However, since 1983 he has taken Chanel to glorious heights and seems know what women aspire to wear.  The newest add for the Premiere, launched in February this year clearly shows that Uncle Karl (despite his tendency to call pretty much everyone a hideous fatty) knows what the Chanel girl should be wearing on her wrist.

Check out the new launch video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asscqDZgUso

Spec:

Case is 16x22mm or 20x28mm

From $4,300 -$28,500

Quartz movement

30m water resistance

18K yellow gold or stainless steel cases

Onyx cabochon set crown

Black lacquer or mother of pearl dial

Optional diamond set bezel and diamond set case/bracelet (just because)

If anyone is wondering,  I’ll have the black and gold combination. Diamonds not necessary. Unless you insist.

Watches for Dummies

After nearly a year of working in the UK watch industry, it is becoming ever more clear that actually, I still don’t know all that much about watches (don’t tell my boss). Obviously I’ve mastered the basics: dials, bezels, buckles etc. And unlike that incident when I took my Dad’s ‘broken’ 1970’s automatic Swatch to the jewelers for a new battery* (yes, I really did), I’ve finally managed to differentiate between quartz, automatic and tourbillon movements and the many other tiny power houses that make time telling happen.

Even after these months of tinkering with parts, researching brands and managing my own ranges, I know there is still a long way to go. My visit to this year’s Basel World in April opened my eyes to the vast variety of brands that fight for space on the dance floor of the global timepiece party. The sheer scale of the event brought home just how much money and influence runs through the core of the industry, highlighting the horological heritage, engineering and innovation that continues today. 

                                                        Me, lost at Basel World, 2013

I’m lucky enough to work for some very exciting global fashion brands, steeped in the history and grandeur of their own houses so interpreting that handwriting, mixing in some innovation of my own to bring to the party is a real pleasure and an exciting challenge.

A challenge that sometimes leaves me banging my head against the desk (what do you MEAN you want a triple layer skeleton dial with 4000 Swarovski stones in luminescent green and fireworks?), but it’s a preferable sensation to boredom I’ll tell you. It sure beats working in an industry that seems to be consistently regurgitating out the same old tired thing.  High street fashion retailers I’m looking at YOU here.

I digress.

SO, in order to make myself a better product developer and all round watch queen this blog is going to be my return to school, my fresh clean exercise book to fill. Horology 101. Watch Studies for Dummies. Maybe in another year’s time I’ll be able to correctly pronounce Baume and Mercier, correctly change a strap without boring out a chunk of thumb and understand the mechanics behind the minute repeater.

Aim high.