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Chanel J12 Watch, 33 Mm
Ref. H5703
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Stepping up in Chanel's range
The J12 arrived in 2000 as something that had not existed before in Chanel's vocabulary: a sports watch built entirely from high-tech ceramic at a moment when ceramic cases were a rarity across the industry, not just within fashion. The white version made the proposition stranger still — a dive-rated, rotating-bezel sports watch in a material that looks closer to porcelain than to steel, which was precisely the tension the design was after. At 33mm it reads as a considered women's proposition rather than a scaled-down version of the 41mm original, and the ceramic bracelet is a significant part of why it works. The material is polished with diamond powder to a hardness roughly seven times that of steel, so the surface resists the daily abrasion that dulls metal bracelets and keeps the white from looking tired. On the wrist it is noticeably lighter than a steel equivalent would be, and the hypoallergenic surface means it suits wearers who cannot tolerate prolonged contact with metal. The dial carries diamond hour markers, which in white-on-white become a question of catching the light at the right angle rather than reading the time conventionally — a choice that makes sense in the context of a watch that has always been as much about its material as its mechanics.
- Reference
- H5703
- Brand
- Chanel
- Collection
- J12
- Case size
- 33mm
- Case thickness
- 12.94mm
- Case material
- Ceramic
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Quartz
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Ceramic bracelet
- Strap colour
- White
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
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 7 collections
This watch appears in the Chanel J12 range (29), Back in Stock (5,018), Watches Under 37mm (1,760), Women's Watches (1,688), Sports Watches (815), Dive Watches (582) and Ceramic Watches (107).
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What the specifications mean
A watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 200m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- 33mm 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
Chanel J12 Watch, 33 Mm alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | H5703 | L52557710 | 581.NX.1470.RX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,500 | £6,450 | £5,300 |
| Case size | 33mm | 32mm | 33mm |
| Water resistance | 200m | 30m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Ceramic bracelet | Leather strap | Rubber strap |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 200m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
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 women's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £6,500, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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