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Chanel J12 Watch, 28MM
Ref. H10133
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The J12 arrived in 2000 as something genuinely unusual: a sports watch built entirely from high-resistance ceramic at a time when the material was largely unknown in watchmaking, and one that took its name and its clean, circular geometry from the J Class racing yachts that had caught Karl Lagerfeld's eye. This 28mm reference is a scaled-down interpretation of that original proposition — smaller than the classic 33mm and 38mm variants, and correspondingly more refined in how it sits. At 8.8mm thick the profile stays close to the wrist, and the monobloc ceramic case, polished to a deep gloss, gives the all-black dial an almost seamless continuity with the links of the bracelet. The triple-folding steel clasp is hidden beneath the ceramic so completely that the bracelet reads as uninterrupted from any angle. The hand-applied ceramic hour markers and lacquered hands are what carry the legibility — spare white against black, which works better in low light than it has any right to at this scale.
- Reference
- H10133
- Brand
- Chanel
- Collection
- J12
- Case size
- 28mm
- Case thickness
- 8.8mm
- Case material
- Ceramic
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Manual
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Ceramic bracelet
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Learn more about Chanel
Gabrielle Chanel opened her first shop in 1910 and spent the following decades removing things from women's clothing — corsetry, ornament, the assumption that formality required discomfort. The jersey suit, the little black dress and No. 5 came from that.
The watches are made in-house, not licensed. Chanel opened its own watch manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1993 and has since taken stakes in the movement maker Kenissi, giving it access to genuinely serious mechanics.
Two designs define the output. The Première of 1987 took its octagonal case from the stopper of the No. 5 bottle and its chain-and-leather bracelet from the quilted handbag. The J12 of 2000 was made almost entirely from high-tech ceramic at a time when almost nobody was doing it, and it changed what a fashion house's watch could be taken seriously as.
More recently the Monsieur and the Code Coco have carried in-house calibres, including a jumping-hour movement developed by Chanel itself.
The company remains privately owned by the Wertheimer family.
- 1910
- Gabrielle Chanel opens her first shop in Paris.
- 1987
- The Première introduces the octagonal No. 5 case.
- 1993
- Opens its own watch manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
- 2000
- The J12 arrives in high-tech ceramic.
- 2016
- The Monsieur brings a Chanel in-house calibre.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in the Chanel J12 range (29), Watches Under 37mm (1,558), Women's Watches (1,512), All Black Watches (292) and Ceramic Watches (98).
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What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 28mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Chanel's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Chanel J12 Watch, alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | H10133 | L52556710 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,340 | £4,650 |
| Case size | 28mm | 32mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m |
| Movement | Manual | Manual |
| Strap | Ceramic bracelet | Leather strap |
| This watch |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is hand-wound, so it needs winding every day or two but never a battery.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as women's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £4,340, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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