Première

Introduced in 1987, the Première is the first watch made entirely by Chanel: a late debut compared to the great Swiss manufactures, but one made possible precisely because the house could draw on an already very strong aesthetic heritage, built by Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel decades earlier. Rather than chasing the classic forms of the watchmaking of the time, the Première translates two instantly recognizable elements of the Chanel world into case and strap.

The case's octagonal shape recalls both the faceted stopper of the N°5 perfume bottle and the octagonal layout of Place Vendôme, the Parisian square dear to Coco Chanel; the double-chain bracelet, often woven with leather, echoes the famous shoulder strap of the 2.55 bag. The result is a watch that does not hide its "fashion" origin but transforms it into a distinctive language, recognizable at a glance, able to establish itself immediately as a commercial success.

Over the decades the Première has been reissued in numerous variants — in steel, in gold, with diamond bezels, in different sizes — while remaining essentially faithful to its original design. In more recent years Chanel has paired the quartz versions with editions featuring mechanical movements, including the Première Édition Originale and skeletonized versions presented on the model's anniversaries, confirming its status as a historic pillar of the brand's watch collection.