Chanel J12 Diamond Bezel Watch Calibre 12.1, 38 Mm

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Chanel J12 Diamond Bezel Watch Calibre 12.1, 38 Mm

Ref. H7189

The J12 arrived in 2000 as something with no real precedent — a sports watch built from high-resistance ceramic at a time when the material was largely confined to luxury complications and aviation instruments. Chanel had it polished with diamond powder, which gives the case and bracelet a surface that reads closer to glazed porcelain than to anything mechanical, while being roughly seven times harder than steel. This version layers diamonds into the structure: 50 brilliant-cut stones set into the bezel, twelve more marking the hours on the lacquered dial. The effect is deliberate excess, resolved into something that still reads as a sports watch. The movement beneath it is the Calibre 12.1, made by Kenissi — the Swiss manufacture part-owned by Chanel alongside Tudor — and certified by COSC as a chronometer. A 70-hour power reserve means a weekend off the wrist causes no disruption, and the openworked tungsten rotor visible through the sapphire caseback is worth a look in its own right. The butterfly clasp, developed in-house, folds into the bracelet profile without a visible gap, which at 38mm keeps the proportions honest rather than letting the wrist fitting undermine them.

Reference: H7189
Brand: Chanel
Collection: J12Case Size: 38 mmCase Thickness: 12
Case size: 38mm
Case thickness: 12.6mm
Case material: Ceramic
Case shape: Round
Dial: White
Crystal: Sapphire
Movement: Automatic
Calibre: Calibre 12.1
Functions: Date, Skeleton dial
Water resistance: 50m
Bracelet / strap: Ceramic bracelet
Strap colour: White
Clasp: Butterfly clasp
Lume: Luminous
Retailer: Goldsmiths

Additional specifications

Power reserve: 70 hours
Gem set: Yes

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.

Manufacturer’s guarantee

Your new watch

Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch

Can I swim with it?

Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.

Will the glass scratch?

Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.

Does it need a battery?

No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.

How long does it run for when it's not worn?

About 70 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.

Is it a men's or women's watch?

Listed as women's, though at 38mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.

Cheapest place to buy

Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.

Who are Goldsmiths?

Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.