Chanel Blush Brings Beauty Codes to Watchmaking

In our inaugural Vision issue earlier this year, three editions of WOW showcased a striking array of blue-themed timepieces under the Chanel J12 Bleu range. The range debuted at Watches and Wonders Geneva a month before the issue came out, but it was not the only hoorah from the Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio.

Chanel Boy·Friend Coco Art 37 millimetres (left) and Chanel Boy·Friend Blush 27.9 millimetres (right), both in black-coated steel

That specialised unit of the luxury titan also unveiled a new capsule collection, Chanel Blush. Aficionados of the brand will realise that its watchmaking arm likes to move in unexpected directions, quite unlike the steady moves of a watch’s hands. This latest capsule creation consists of 14 special watches designed to bring colour to life with a story; previous thematic one-shots have explored space-time (Interstellar) and high fashion (Couture O’Clock), to name just the two that hit us hardest.

Chanel Code Coco Blush in black-coated steel

This year, Chanel Blush pays tribute to the world of femininity as defined by Chanel Beauty, which, though fairly legendary in the world of cosmetics, might be a bit obscure for readers of this edition. In fact, it was first introduced by none other than Gabrielle Chanel herself in the 1920s through her fragrance and make-up products. Fragrances came first, with the world-famous Chanel No 5 in 1921, followed by makeup in 1924 and skincare in 1927. Some of you will no doubt recall that the iconic shape of the No 5 bottle, or more specifically the bottle stopper, has already inspired the Chanel Première watch. That was in 1987, coming from the mind of the late Jacques Hélleu, and it marked the beginning of the contemporary brand’s watchmaking adventure.

Chanel Première Charms Blush 19.7 millimetres in black-coated steel

This time, Arnaud Chastaingt, Director of the Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio, has reinterpreted cosmetic palettes and textures, combining elements of pop art and dripping art, while drawing on the refined black allure of Chanel’s own high-end compacts and lipsticks. We confess that we never would have imagined finding inspiration for watches in the form of compacts and lipsticks! Having said that, Chanel Blush watches all feature familiar creations, even if the motifs are very particular and distinctive.

This current capsule collection brings together Chanel’s most iconic watch designs, including the J12, Première, Première Cuff, Boy.Friend, Code Coco and Mademoiselle Privé Pincushion. It also features secret watches and pendant creations that serve as both timekeepers and jewellery pieces. They are all certain to delight the brand’s most loyal followers. For this article, we have selected six models to highlight in detail (though we would have gladly presented all of them).

Chanel Première Manchette 19.7 millimetres in black-coated steel

That said, we begin appropriately enough with the Première Charms Blush. Its stainless steel case with black coating, measuring 19.7 x 15.2 x 7.5 millimetres, is adorned with lacquered charms in eye-catching shades reminiscent of nail polish. The Première Cuff Blush, meanwhile, comes with seven lipstick-hued leather straps in a graduated form, from pink to red, woven through black chain links that form the cuff-style bracelet of this model.

“Chanel Blush pays tribute to the world of femininity as defined by Chanel Beauty”

The Boy.Friend Blush and Boy.Friend Coco Art are two watches that embody the vibrant tones of pop art, while channeling the spirit of cosmetics. The Boy.Friend Blush features a dial in pink with an image of Mademoiselle Chanel blowing a kiss — it is framed by a pink lacquer bezel. The stainless steel case with black coating measures 27.9 x 21.5 x 6.2 millimetres, and is paired with a quilted pink calfskin strap.

The Boy.Friend Coco Art is larger at 37 x 28.6 x 7.85 millimetres, but follows the same execution of black coating over a stainless steel case. Its dial is decorated with an image of Mademoiselle Chanel gazing into a compact mirror. This scene is rendered using 12 layers of tampography, on a pink grand feu enamel background and further enhanced with 38 baguette-cut pink sapphires set on the bezel. Powered by a hand-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve, this watch is completed with a matte black calfskin strap and is limited to only 20 pieces.

The Code Coco Blush is another standout creation whose design is inspired by the iconic 2.55 handbag. Structured like a cuff, it incorporates a clasp that, intriguingly, doubles as the watch dial. In this Blush version, the highlight is a soft pink calfskin strap recalling the shades of Chanel face powders, embossed with the name “CHANEL”.

Chanel J12 Box “Dripping Art” set

Finally, the J12 Box “Dripping Art” presents a set of five black J12 models in 38 millimetres, each decorated with dripping enamel in shades from pink to red. To achieve this effect, Chanel developed a new process allowing enamel to adhere precisely to the ceramic dials and bezel inserts. This move might fairly be called unprecedented because we have never seen this kind of execution anywhere in watchmaking. The five watches are housed together in a lacquered black wooden box, painted with drip motifs that link them into a single work of art. Only five of these J12 Box “Dripping Art” sets will be produced, and these have a tendency to sell out reliably.

Those interested in discovering more about the Chanel Blush capsule collection are encouraged to explore further details directly on Chanel’s website.

This story was first seen as part of the WOW #82 Festive 2025 Issue

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