It’s a bold idea, not lacking in poetry: seduce the Moon with but a look to reveal its mystery around the wrist. Ten years ago, going beyond the dull consistency of the fine watchmaking universe, the brand dared to release a white timepiece. The J12, then adorned with chrono and dual-time functions, was made of dreamily white ceramic. It was so revolutionary that it transformed its high-tech aspect into a precious material with inalterable purity. This time, the 21st century iconic timepiece is trying to trace a dazzling line composed of shades of zinc for a full Moon, or a snowy winter’s night. Eyes fixed towards the heavens, the J12 Moonphase watch is reinventing itself, without losing an ounce of its sumptuousness. Its dial, with a satin guilloché finish, is inscribed in the purest of watchmaking traditions. Offering a larger opening, the bezel is refined upon contact with a coat of diamonds or ceramic. At the heart of the timepiece, the date is indicated by a central needle who’s extremity is powered by the same forces as a poetic crescent moon. Something new as well: the current lunar phase is shown on the dial with a perfect mixture of modernness, purity, and elegance.
Whether it’s made of high-tech white ceramic, a jeweled version on titanium ceramic, encrusted with diamonds, or not, the J12 Moonphase seems to be made of all the creative energies and seductive forces of the brand’s classics. Like a nod to Coco’s passion for the cosmos, the watch includes the phases of the moon. A complex mechanism displays the new moon, the first quarter, the full moon, and finally the last quarter of this dreamiest of heavenly bodies. But, by putting the moon’s phases on a deep blue aventurine disk, dusted like a starry summer’s night, Chanel is showing the Moon off around the wrist with an aesthetic refinement equalled only by its technical excellence. The disc, located at 6 o’clock, is adorned with four principal lunar phases and equipped with a tiny serpentine needle made of polished steel. This subtle and sublime distinction is more than a worthy substitute to the stellar disc… This is how the J12 Moonphase watch is taking off on a new journey. From up on high, it’s opening a new chapter in Chanel’s watchmaking galaxy, with new features shining like constellations in the night sky.
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