Watches And Wonders 2022: CHANEL- A J12 Diamond Flying Tourbillon

It's not every day that a not so contemporary watch brand develops its own flying tourbillon mechanism. So it was fairly unique when Chanel did it with the new hand-wound Calibre 5. This stone was carved with a 65-facet cut to maximise its brightness as the tourbillon rotated. The watch is housed in a 38mm black ceramic case with a ceramic or diamond-set bezel as well as a diamond-set hands and a tourbillon cage.

J12 Diamond Tourbillon

If you prefer great complexity and design, the new Chanel J12 Tourbillon Diamant should be on your shopping list. This watch, which features the revolutionary Caliber 5, the first flying tourbillon built in-house at Chanel's watchmaking factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, not only demonstrates the company's growing technical capabilities, but also its unwavering devotion to beauty. The timepiece is masterfully produced front and rear, according to Arnaud Chastaignt, head of the Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio.

The new J12 Diamond Tourbillon, which boasts Calibre 5, the brand's first-ever in-house flying tourbillon movement, is surely one of the highlights of the magnificent new arrivals. A solitary diamond bejewels the core of the flying tourbillon cage, while the Maison's iconic lion's head perches atop the partially exposed movement. The watch is available in matte black ceramic and glossy black ceramic and is produced in a limited edition of only 55 pieces.

On the dial, diamonds highlight the contemporary hour and minute hands inside an offset hour and minute indication ring. Components from the Caliber 5 can be seen just beneath the surface. The flying tourbillon, which is crowned with a 0.18-carat solitaire diamond ringed by a ring of lesser diamonds, sits atop this architecture. A 0.15-carat diamond is set in the non-screw-down crown. What appear to be diamonds on the bezel are actually black baguette-cut ceramic stones, similar to the J12 Black Star.

When you turn it over, the circular theme continues on the movement, which is visible through the sapphire-crystal caseback, creating a lovely architectural design. Madame Chanel's mascot, the lion, can be seen just below 9 o'clock if you look closely. Chanel appears to be going for a piece of the haute-horology pie.

Price: CHF 102166 approximately