When most of us think about buying a watch, we tend to consider the functionality before making the purchase. But more often than not, we find ourselves making the decision based on the aesthetics of the timepiece instead because, in addition to its basic functions, we do want them to look good with our outfits.
CHANEL’s latest exclusive timepiece collection pushes the boundary of a stylish functional watch with a little design inspiration from Gabrielle Chanel herself, and the indispensable pincushion she wears on her wrist.
Be it organised or disorganised, the pinheads tend to create a decorative effect that evolves with the progress of the seamstress’s work, and this is how the spirit of the tool has been adopted to create the five different timepiece in the collection — a lacework of camellias, a composition of iconic bags, jewels strewn on black tweed, a diamond embroidery, and a jacket at the pattern stage.
Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Lace Motif Watch
Featuring a lace design of camellias, the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Lace Motif Watch is created through a combination of three Métiers d’art.
The first is the technique of hand engraving to give texture to the yellow gold surface of the dial, followed by coverage with a layer of translucent “Grand Feu” enamel to accentuate and highlight the delicacy of the engraving and endow it with infinite depth. The final is the traditional decal technique that the Creation studio has used to draw the motif. After, the whole surface of the timepiece is strewn with tiny gold beads and five diamonds.
Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Quilted Motif Watch
Five iconic CHANEL bags are engraved and modelled in black mother-of-pearl to recreate the effect of quilted leather for the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Quilted Motif Watch. Each engraved yellow gold chain is adorned with diamond charms while each clasp is embellished with a baguette-cut diamond.
Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Pearls Motif Watch
The Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Pearls Motif watch features a ‘jewels strewn over a black tweed’ effect and reflects long necklaces, braided chains, and Byzantine brooches. All of the components are sculpted in yellow gold, lacquered by hand or set, before it is delicately arranged on a base plate featuring a black tweed effect in relief, and trimmed with a row of lined diamonds and gold pearls.
Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Embroidery Motif Watch
Imagined by CHANEL’s Watchmaking Creation Studio, the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Embroidery Motif Watch interprets the elegance of black fabric embroidered with sequins using diamonds. In a convex disc of black-coated white gold, the entire surface of the watch is snow-set with diamonds and trimmed with a delicate row of tiny gold beads that have been individually set by hand.
Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Tweed Motif Watch
Inspired by the iconic pattern of CHANEL’s tweed jacket, the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Tweed Motif Watch features a similar pattern trimmed with 92 diamonds. Thimble, scissors, and a tape measure, which are typical tools for a seamstress, have also been meticulously created in sculpted gold to bring a scene from a couture atelier to life. As an ode to the CHANEL jacket, the watch dial is delicately trimmed with a chain just like the one sewn inside every jacket to ensure it hangs perfectly.
CHANEL Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles Watch is limited to 20 pieces per design worldwide and will be sold exclusively at CHANEL boutiques.
Pricing and availability will be announced at a later time. To keep updated, click HERE. All images courtesy of CHANEL/CHANEL HIGH-END WATCHES.
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