On this jewelled chessboard, the queen always wins
‘Playing is a serious matter,’ as Gianni Rodari used to say. In the Coco Game range, the image of Mademoiselle – wearing a hat, a tweed jacket and a string of pearls – is the central source of inspiration.
Chanel’s interpretation of time, inspired by Mademoiselle Gabrielle, has for years been one of the main attractions at the Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva. This translates into special, limited-edition models in which the fashion house pushes the boundaries of its creativity in surprising ways. Since 2017 – the year in which, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the brand’s watchmaking, the first Mademoiselle J12 was unveiled (which featured a cartoon version of Coco in the centre of the dial, indicating the hours and minutes with her arms), the image of the fashion house’s founder has continued to be used on many other occasions.
The latest addition is part of the Coco Game themed collection, which comprises 14 models that encompass virtually all of the brand’s most iconic watch ranges, whilst also introducing a unique piece waiting to be discovered. It is a precious chessboard (37.9 x 37.9 cm) with an obsidian base, on which the 64 squares are made of high-tech ceramic, in black and white, and on which the game is played with 32 pieces that are unlike traditional chess pieces. Each of these, in fact, represents the world of Chanel. A few examples? A haute couture tailored bust as the bishop, the lion as the king, the column at Place Vendôme as the rook, the horse (the only one in this role, but also a nod to Mademoiselle’s passion for horse riding) and the pawns, which are designed to evoke the J12, the brand’s most famous watch. The queen is, of course, Mademoiselle Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel herself, depicted in her iconic tweed suit, beneath whose pedestal lies a dial displaying the time.
Attached to a white gold, diamond and onyx chain – included with the set – the queen can also be worn as a pendant on a necklace. The black pieces are crafted from ceramic (a material in which Chanel is a leading name in watchmaking) and white gold, and are embellished with set diamonds. The white pieces, on the other hand, are made of white gold, studded with diamonds and set on a ceramic base. Between the base of the chessboard and the pieces, the number of diamonds in this piece is staggering: 9,236 totalling 110.94 carats.
Whilst the chessboard is, without a doubt, the most extraordinary piece, the Coco Game collection includes other designs that showcase exceptional craftsmanship. Among these is the Gabrielle Long Necklace, a necklace featuring five pendants, each with a micro-sculpture depicting Coco seated, crafted in white gold with 731 brilliant-cut diamonds (4.44 carats) and details such as the hat and shoes in black-lacquered white gold, beneath which sits a pompom composed of 256 onyx beads set with 64 diamonds (1.1 carats). The 350 mm chain is in white gold set with 300 diamonds (4.40 carats), 46 onyx stones and a central diamond (0.5 carats). When the sculpture is moved, the dial displaying the hours and minutes appears at the top of the pompom. In addition to the watch-necklace, the collection also features the Première Coco Game Ring watch-ring. Only five examples have been produced, crafted in white gold and set with 614 brilliant-cut diamonds (7.03 carats), along with a 0.90-carat baguette-cut diamond set on a movable element which, when rotated, reveals the dial. The display echoes the signature octagonal design inspired by the Place Vendôme, a hallmark of the Première collection – the line with which Chanel made its debut in watchmaking in 1987.
