A watchmaking icon born free
In 1987, Jacques Helleu, then Artistic Director for the Fragrance & Beauty and Watch & Fine Jewelry divisions, introduced Chanel to the world of watchmaking by creating a jewelry watch named Première. From its inception, it was designed as an original creation, incorporating the house’s signature codes: black lacquer on the dial, an octagonal case referencing the shape of the N°5 perfume bottle stopper, and a chain bracelet interwoven with leather, echoing the iconic quilted bag.
Always asserting its uniqueness, the Première has never been a feminine version of a masculine timepiece. Over the decades, it has continuously transformed into ever more couture interpretations, with details that connect it to the world of Coco Chanel and the house.
Unlike models subject to trends, the Première has always evolved with deliberate slowness, each variation conceived as a continuation rather than a break. “Much more than a watch, the Première is a lesson in style,” reminds Arnaud Chastaingt. In 2025, it offers a new way to wear it with the Première Galon. Once again, it does not disrupt the collection’s DNA but extends it by drawing from Chanel’s couture universe, here that of the braid.
Three Faces
The Première Galon is offered in three variations, like a haute couture wardrobe: the same suit, three finishes. The first model embraces simplicity, in yellow gold with a black lacquer dial and a crown adorned with an onyx cabochon. Following are two jewelry interpretations in which diamonds set the signature galon bracelet. The most precious version features a yellow gold dial and 682 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 5.43 carats, distributed across the yellow gold dial, the crown, and the signature galon bracelet.
Following in the footsteps of its previous iterations, the Première Galon lets the essence of a jewel speak for itself and needs no extravagance to shine. Modest dimensions (19.7 x 15.2 x 7.5 mm), a dial without indices, no complications, and a high-precision quartz movement. Beyond being a watch, this new Première is not made to tell time but rather to transcend it. The braid becomes a construction principle applied to time, an elegant jewel that is a manifesto of style. A matter of couture, as always at Chanel.
