Chanel at Watches & Wonders 2026: When Time Becomes an Art Form
One of the undeniable standouts of the 5th edition of Watches & Wonders was Chanel, which unveiled in Geneva its new timepieces for 2026 a collection where the true icon was Coco herself. The CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio presented a universe where Haute Couture and Haute Horlogerie meet, proving once again that time, in the hands of Chanel, is not measured but sculpted.
This year, the Studio introduced the thematic CHANEL COCO GAME collection, a playful yet meticulously crafted series inspired by the graphic codes of the gaming world. Lines, grids, black and white the Maison’s emblematic signatures are reinterpreted through the lens of digital geometry. The result is a collection of 14 timepieces that feel both futuristic and unmistakably Chanel. Arnaud Chastaingt, Director of the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio, continues to explore every facet of the Maison’s identity, pushing its codes into new territories while preserving their purity.
GABRIELLE WATCH
Limited to 10 pieces
Gabrielle Chanel plays with the rules of watchmaking and is captured in her most iconic pose. In a white tweed suit trimmed with black, her hand slipped into the pocket, she looks at the time that appears under her gaze. Entirely adorned with diamonds, the tweed pattern is created thanks to the "tweed setting" technique.
Alongside COCO GAME, Chanel unveiled NOEUD DE CAMÉLIA, a creation that intertwines two of Gabrielle Chanel’s most enduring symbols: the bow and the camellia. It sits at the intersection of couture craftsmanship and watchmaking precision a poetic reminder that for Chanel, time is always dressed with intention.
New interpretations of the PREMIÈRE watch also enrich the Maison’s stylistic vocabulary. Born in 1987 from absolute creative freedom, the PREMIÈRE remains one of Chanel’s most recognisable silhouettes. The 2026 versions honour its timeless allure while keeping pace with the present, proving that true icons evolve without ever losing their essence.
PREMIÈRE COCO GAME RING
Limited to 5 pieces
The strong lines of this secret ring feature two faces that are discovered by turning the diamond. Heads, a 0.90 carat baguette-cut diamond is embedded in the crystal sapphire glass revealing a gold plate set with diamonds. Tails, the octagonal dial of the PREMIÈRE watch appears, set with diamonds and highlighted with a blackened gold ribbon. The mounting is entirely set with brilliant-cut diamonds to offer a precious and stunning jewel, gloved in black and tailored for this ring.
All these timepieces are conceived at Place Vendôme in Paris and assembled at the CHANEL Watch Manufacture in La Chaux‑de‑Fonds, Switzerland a duality that mirrors the Maison’s spirit: Parisian elegance anchored by Swiss precision.
But the pièce de résistance the creation that had the entire fair talking was the Chanel Unique Chessboard, an extraordinary art object that blurs the line between game and jewellery. Even if you have never played chess, this masterpiece makes you want to become the Queen’s Gambit.
COCO GAME LONG NECKLACE
Limited to 5 pieces
Mademoiselle, dressed in her white tweed suit trimmed with black and half-pearl earrings, is reinterpreted in a stylized form directly inspired by the world of video games. Playing on the contrast of black and white, this all-pixel drawing required 4 months of development to create its bold technical design. The buttons, earrings and eyes are dressed in blackened titanium, while the silhouette is adorned with 193 diamonds.
Sculpted entirely in ceramic, a high‑tech material seven times harder than steel, the chessboard is a study in craftsmanship and imagination. The sixteen black pawns are highlighted with white gold touches set with diamonds. The Vendôme column becomes the Tower; the lion, long a Chanel emblem, reigns as King. Each figurine is a miniature sculpture, meticulously crafted to reflect Mademoiselle’s universe.
The opposing pieces, sculpted in white gold, are equally exquisite. The Queen dressed in a diamond tweed suit bordered with blackened gold is accented with black and white ceramic at the base. Two Queens conceal the hour beneath their pedestal, transforming into wearable pendants suspended from white gold, diamond, and onyx chains.
NOEUD DE CAMÉLIA DIAMONDS CUFF
Limited to 5 pieces
Black gold piping draws the ultra-precise lines of the NOEUD DE CAMÉLIA cuff and ring, both entirely set with diamonds. The snow setting of the flower evokes its authenticity, the line setting refers to the structure of the grosgrain fabric from which it is inspired. Bestowed with the grace of Couture and the sculptural curves of watchmaking, each camellia conceals a black lacquered dial.
The chessboard itself rests on an obsidian base, its black‑and‑white ceramic squares framed by a row of diamonds a final touch of quiet opulence.
At Watches & Wonders 2026, Chanel did not simply present timepieces. It presented a world one where time, art, and identity converge. A world where Coco remains the eternal muse, and where every second is crafted with intention.