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Chanel Première Gourmette Chain Watch
Ref. H7019
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
The Première was Chanel's first watch, launched in 1987, and it came with a deliberate double meaning built into the case: the octagonal outline traces both the geometry of Place Vendôme and the stopper of the No. 5 bottle. That is a considered act of house mythology, not decoration for its own sake. At 19.7 by 15.2mm the case is genuinely small, proportioned as jewellery first, and the black lacquer dial carries no indices at all — just hands against an uninterrupted surface, which is only possible when legibility is secondary to appearance. This particular version replaces the original leather-interwoven chain with a pure gourmette curb bracelet, the same link structure found on the classic Chanel bag chain. It wears as a single continuous piece from case to clasp, the folding mechanism absorbed into the links so no hardware interrupts the line. The crown, set with a black onyx cabochon, picks up the dial's tone and is the one detail that an owner tends to notice properly only once the watch is on.
- Reference
- H7019
- Brand
- Chanel
- Collection
- PREMIÈRE
- Case thickness
- 7.5mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Origin
- Swiss made
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 3 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (4,417), Stainless Steel Watches (2,943) and Women's Watches (1,512).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 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
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 women's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb list it at £4,000, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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