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Chanel J12 Watch, 28MM
Ref. H10134
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Stepping up in Chanel's range
The J12 began in 2000 as something the watch industry had not quite seen: a sports watch built entirely from high-tech ceramic, launched by a fashion house that had no obligation to take horological risk and chose to anyway. The name comes from the J Class racing yachts, and the structural logic followed suit — the case cut from a single piece of ceramic rather than assembled from separate components, giving the profile a continuity that machined steel rarely achieves. This 28mm iteration keeps that founding premise intact while wearing closer to the wrist and reading more quietly on smaller proportions. The twelve brilliant-cut diamond markers do real work on the dial rather than decorative duty — against the white lacquer they catch angled light in a way the rhodium-plated hands echo without matching, which gives the dial some internal movement without busying it. The sapphire ring on the fixed bezel sustains the all-white reading across the transition from case to ceramic bracelet, and that bracelet, hand-assembled link by link, closes with a triple-folding steel clasp whose mechanism Chanel patented in 1987. Sizing requires a boutique visit to add or remove links, which is a minor inconvenience for a bracelet that sits this flush and this evenly around the wrist.
- Reference
- H10134
- Brand
- Chanel
- Collection
- J12
- Case size
- 28mm
- Case thickness
- 8.8mm
- Case material
- Ceramic
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Ceramic bracelet
- Strap colour
- White
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Warranty
- 5 years
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 4 collections
This watch appears in the Chanel J12 range (29), Back in Stock (5,018), Watches Under 37mm (1,760) and Ceramic Watches (107).
Best of 2 retailers
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 | H10134 | L52006710 | 278590-3012 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,800 | £5,800 | £5,830 |
| Case size | 28mm | 29mm | 30mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 30m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Ceramic bracelet | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
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?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £5,800, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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