The Inspiration
A golden jewel box on Fifth Avenue, the boutique is a celebration of savoir-faire and CHANEL’s legendary Watch & Fine Jewelry address at 18 Place Vendôme, which houses the high jewelry workshop, creation studios, Patrimoine and Watches & Fine Jewelry boutique. Most poignantly, it is a tribute to Gabrielle Chanel: her lucky number 5, her affinity for art, decoration, and the unique and inimitable interiors of her apartment at 31 Rue Cambon in the heart of Paris.
The Boutique
Framed by the Beaux-Arts gilded architecture of the historic Crown Building, built in 1921, the storefront is adorned with honed and grooved black granite and intricately cast gold bronze screens positioned behind an iron and glass façade. Echoing the spirit of 31 Rue Cambon, the boutique’s interiors reflect a delicate yet striking palette of gold and black, enhanced by touches of rock crystal — a favorite material of Gabrielle Chanel — and an exceptional collection of contemporary and fine art, antiques and custom-made furniture and lighting.
The boutique’s bold entryway sets an elegant tone, with black and gold lacquer paneling and antique wooden lotus bouquets from Japan’s Edo Period. Moving through the space, the gallery room’s gilded walls are illuminated by a pair of rock crystal “Dream Catcher” chandeliers by the storied Parisian goldsmith Goossens. To the right of the gallery, two dedicated Fine Jewelry Salons with double-height ceilings unfurl one after the other, with ornate touches such as hand-applied coromandel-style wall finishes, reminiscent of the coromandel screens in Mademoiselle Chanel’s apartment, an elaborately carved 18-inch-high gilt Regency-era mirror, and a contemporary ebonized wood writing desk.
Past the gallery, is the Watch Salon and a dramatic staircase leading to the mezzanine floor featuring custom balustrades crafted from 24-karat gold framed plates of rock crystal by Goossens.
The mezzanine floor holds two more Fine Jewelry Salons, one reserved for Private client appointments. Decorative Pieces such as Tang Dynasty ceramic camels and a Louis XV desk by Jacques Dubois mingle with “Tweed” lamps by Delos & Ubiedo and more custom lighting by Goossens, creating a dynamic mixture of modern and ancient art with unrivaled French craftsmanship.
The Artworks
CHANEL’s strong connection to the art world began with Gabrielle Chanel, who was an avid collector and patron of the arts. Together with longtime partner Peter Marino, CHANEL has curated an impressive collection of art for the location. Highlights include a unique sculpture of patinated steel, oxidized copper and amber crystal by the late French decorative artist André Dubreuil in the gallery room and a custom polyptych wall collage featuring 13 panels of gold leaf on linen canvas by Iranian American painter Y.Z. Kami in the Watch Salon.
On the mezzanine level, guests are welcomed by two works created by influential 20th century female artists: a black painted wood wall piece by American sculptor Louise Nevelson and a tempera, metal and wood panel by the Norwegian abstract expressionist painter Anna-Eva Bergman. Fittingly on display is a 2004 commissioned work by the Brazilian artist and photographer Vik Muniz depicting the jewel-covered visage of Gabrielle Chanel, entitled “Chanel, Pictures of Diamonds”.
The Collections
In the Watches and Fine Jewelry Salons, CHANEL’s signature savoir-faire will be on full display with a dazzling array of pieces from the Fine and High Jewelry, Watches and Haute Horlogerie collections. The Fine Jewelry collections are emblematic of CHANEL’s original codes, including Coco Crush, a refined and delicate tribute to the emblematic house’s quilted motif made of engraved lines, curved profile, and gadroons available in 18-Karat white, yellow, or beige gold, and with diamond settings newly adapted to mini bracelets designs. And only in New York, CHANEL will provide a special custom engraving service for rings from the Coco Crush collection. The charismatic N°5 Fine Jewelry collection pays tribute to Gabrielle Chanel’s lucky number, the number 5. The organic Camélia collection gracefully incorporates the motif of Gabrielle Chanel’s favorite flower, while the Ruban collection draws its shapes from satin hair bows.
The Comète collection is an homage to the stars dear to Gabrielle Chanel, who, on the occasion of the one and only High Jewelry “Bijoux de Diamants” collection she created in 1932, said "I wanted to cover women with constellations. With stars! Stars of all sizes."
A selection of timepieces will be available, including the iconic J12 collection, featuring multiple audacious designs from the original one in monochromatic black and white high resistance ceramic. The newly reinterpreted Première Edition Originale will also be on display, a watch originally designed in 1987 featuring the octagonal shape of the stopper of the N°5 Perfume bottle through its black lacquered dial and borrowing the interlace black calfskin and 24-Karat gold-coated steel chain reminiscent of CHANEL’s timeless handbag’s one — a combination perfectly aligned with the flagship’s bold surroundings.
Exclusive Creations
To mark the opening of the Fifth Avenue boutique, CHANEL will offer exclusive High Jewelry designs and pre-launches.
To honor Gabrielle Chanel’s lucky number, the revolutionary N° 5 Perfume and CHANEL’S newest American address, Patrice Leguéreau, Director of the Fine Jewelry Creation Studio, has imagined an exclusive High Jewelry collection, “Eternal N°5” composed of an exceptional transformable diamond necklace and earrings exclusively for the New York store. The earrings and necklace set in white gold, feature a white gold and diamond 5, and emerald-cut diamonds that recall the shape of the CHANEL N°5 perfume bottle stopper designed in 1921 to evoke the aerial view of the place Vendôme in Paris. The emerald-cut diamonds in the necklace and earrings can also be detached and worn on rings.
Pre-launching exclusively at the Fifth Avenue flagship will be the Lion Solaire de CHANEL, a new High Jewelry collection inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s beloved Leo star sign, with lion motifs appearing on a necklace, earrings and rings set in diamonds and white gold.
Last but not least, designed in 2021 to celebrate CHANEL’s iconic N°5 Perfume 100th anniversary, the 55.55 masterpiece necklace from the N°5 High Jewelry collection will arrive from the house’s Patrimony in Paris for the opening of the Fifth Avenue boutique. Centered around a flawless rare tailor-made diamond cut to 55.55 carats DF L Type IIa that is surrounded by a cascade of diamonds crafted to form the silhouette of the CHANEL N°5 bottle, this extraordinary piece embodies the iconic perfume and the essence of CHANEL itself.
