Year of Bleu: A Blue Ceramic Case Celebrates 25 Years of the CHANEL J12
Much has changed in the world over the last 25 years, yet the appeal of the beloved CHANEL J12 remains constant. The charmingly wearable timepiece has seen several iterations and variations come and go as the tides of fashion and design ebb and flow. That said, blue ceramic is an entirely new offering for CHANEL, and a fitting one to embrace its quarter century milestone.
“The J12 was born in the 21st century in black, it then dressed in white three years later and finally revealed itself this year in blue ceramic. This creative impetus is inseparable from a technological feat, as in 2000, for the first time in the field of luxury watchmaking, the watch case and bracelet were made of ceramic. CHANEL has truly elevated this material to the rank of a precious material. Designed through a constant dialogue between the Creation Studio and the ceramic department, the J12 BLEU is the latest demonstration of our watchmaking manufacturer’s know-how,” stated Arnaud Chastaingt, director of the CHANEL Watch Creation Studio.
“I dreamed of a blue with a rigorous elegance, not quite black and not quite blue. Five years of development were required to obtain this ceramic colour.”
Arnaud Chastaingt, director of the CHANEL Watch Creation Studio.
Chastaingt raises an important point that seems to be occasionally forgotten. Given the brand’s broad offerings in fashion, beauty, and high jewellery, one wouldn’t expect the brand to deliver a world-first in watchmaking, but that’s precisely the kind of vision that rests behind Chastaingt’s department — the motivation to push, to innovate, and to deliver the unexpected. It’s not an easy task either. “In optics, black and white are not considered as colours, they are shades. Black is the absence of colour and light. As such, I dreamed of giving a colour to black, illuminating it with blue. I dreamed of a blue with a rigorous elegance, not quite black and not quite blue. Five years of development were required to obtain this ceramic colour and the ultimate choice of this shade of blue was sparked by emotion. In haute horlogerie, I wanted to make this matte blue ceramic resonate with the radiance of blue sapphire baguettes. This new ceramic dress adorns eight J12 creations.”
Year of Bleu: A New Colour Celebrates 25 Years of CHANEL J12
Year of Bleu: A New Colour Celebrates 25 Years of CHANEL J12
The J12 references for 2025 are as diverse as ever, from subtle pieces with Arabic numerals (in 38 mm and 33 mm case sizes), to elaborate sapphire settings spread throughout the case and bracelet. Of the pack, however, the references fitted with baguette sapphires as the hour indices strike a delightful balance between subtlety and shine. That said, the J12 BLEU Diamond Tourbillon (limited to 55 pieces) is not without its charm either.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHANEL.
