Chanel Unveils Whimsical 'Coco Game' Watch Collection at Watches and Wonders Geneva

Chanel has entered the playful realm of gaming with its latest haute horlogerie offering, the 'Coco Game' collection, unveiled at Watches and Wonders Geneva. Inspired by the graphic codes of the gaming universe and the enduring legacy of its founder, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, the collection reimagines timekeeping through a lens of fantasy and iconic brand motifs.

A Chessboard Like No Other

The centerpiece of the collection is an extraordinary objet d’art: the world's first haute horlogerie chessboard. This meticulously crafted set, created by Director of Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio Arnaud Chastaingt, features 32 sculptural pawns inspired by Chanel's iconic universe. These include representations of the Vendôme column, lions, and Chanel herself. The queen pawn, embodying Coco Chanel, conceals a watch dial beneath its pedestal and can be detached to be worn as a necklace. This unique piece is adorned with a staggering 9,236 brilliant-cut diamonds, with pawns crafted from 18-karat white gold, ceramic, and diamonds.

Coco Chanel Reimagined

Across the 14-piece collection, Gabrielle Chanel is depicted in various forms. She appears as a pixelated video game character on several watches, and as a 3D character in the chess set. The 'Gabrielle' long necklace showcases Coco Chanel in her iconic seated pose, crafted from 18-karat white gold and diamonds, with a hidden watch dial revealed by sliding an onyx bead pompon. Another necklace, the 'Coco Game' long necklace, presents a pixelated version of Chanel, complete with diamond-adorned tweed suit and a watch face integrated into the character's back.

Playful Timepieces and Jewelry

The 'Coco Game' collection extends to a variety of watches and jewelry, each with a unique gaming-inspired twist:

• Première Coco Game Ring: This 18-karat white gold ring, snow-set with diamonds, features a secret watch. By flipping the central diamond, one can reveal either a baguette-cut diamond or the watch dial.
• J12 Coco Game Charms: This watch features a pixelated Coco Chanel charm dangling from the crown, crafted from polished steel with black and white lacquer. The timepiece itself boasts baguette diamonds as hour markers and a limited edition caseback.
• J12 Coco Game: Here, the pixelated Coco Chanel character moves around the dial via the carbon seconds hand, set against a glossy black or white ceramic dial with diamond hour markers.
• Boy-Friend Coco Game Watch: This model portrays Coco Chanel as the queen of hearts, styled like a playing card. She is depicted in her signature tweed suit, boater hat, and pearl necklaces on the dial, accented with diamond-set bezels.
• Première Coco Game Bracelet: This limited-edition bracelet features 'Chanel' spelled out in letter charms, with a central watch charm. The black-coated steel bracelet is interlaced with white calfskin leather.

Additionally, the collection includes the 'Code Coco Game' watch, nodding to dominoes, and reimagined Première watches with Scrabble-like letter charms spelling 'Chanel'.

A Fusion of Craftsmanship and Whimsy

Designed at Place Vendôme in Paris and assembled at the Chanel manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, the 'Coco Game' collection represents a sophisticated fusion of high jewelry craftsmanship and playful design. The novel 'tweed setting' technique, where diamonds are arranged to mimic the texture of Chanel's signature fabric, is notably showcased on the chess queens. This collection underscores Chanel's commitment to pushing the boundaries of watchmaking with creativity and a touch of whimsy.