Watches and Wonders Edit: Coco Chanel’s legacy in timepieces – Arnaud Chastaingt, director of the Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio, on the luxury brand founder’s influence long after her death

Apr 24 , 2023

Coco Chanel remains an ever-present inspiration for the brand, even in the watch division that didn’t exist in her time, featuring such creations as the Chanel Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles, pictured here. Photos: Chanel

Watches and Wonders Edit

Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel never designed watches, but her totems like the stars and comets, and the lion have been present since the maison’s first watch – the Première – was launched in 1987

Chastaingt has won the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève prize on 6 occasions and now introduces X-ray editions of the J12 and Première, and 5 iterations of the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles

For Arnaud Chastaingt, director of the Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio, it’s a source of fascination that the maison’s founder and eternal muse Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel never designed watches. Yet her influence over Chanel’s horology is ever present.

“Our story comes from couture, it’s absolutely our DNA yet Gabrielle Chanel never designed watches, the only creation in the whole collection she never drew,” says Chastaingt. “My inspiration comes sometimes from fashion, it’s a very inspiring world.”

This inspiration can be found in the stars and comets that Chanel was obsessed with, in her totems such as the lion, in pearls, in the contrast between black and white, in the quilting and tweed that have been woven into Chanel’s timepieces since their very first watch – the Première – was launched in 1987. But more than this, the Chanel approach to time is a question of design, of spirit and, yes, obsession.

Chaustaingt, who in his time at Chanel was a key part of the maison receiving the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève award on six occasions and launched icons such as the Boy∙Friend and Code Coco Watch, is a man of obsessions too. And in watchmaking he has found a place to realise them.

The Chanel Boy∙Friend Cyberdata features a futuristic design on the dial.

“[Chanel is] the opportunity to make all my obsessions, my dreams. Chanel gives you that freedom. Of course it’s a responsibility, when a brand like Chanel gives you this liberty,” he says.

One obsession that pointedly stands out among this year’s launches is a seamstress’ indispensable tool of the trade – the pin cushion. Indeed, Gabrielle Chanel could be found in her ateliers on rue Cambon with a pin cushion on her wrist, and a pair of scissors worn on a ribbon around her neck as a sautoir.

[Chanel is] the opportunity to make all my obsessions, my dreams

Arnaud Chastaingt, director, Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio

In a feat of haute horology, Chaustaingt has reimagined the pin cushion in five iterations of the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles watch. Each oversized piece reflects elements of the métiers d’art of Chanel couture, the five tableaux featuring such things as a lacework of camellias and a jacket seen at the pattern stage.

“I had first this obsession of this graphic impact on the wrists,” says Chaustaingt of the watches’ impressive 55mm dial.