Chanel finally breaks new ground with the release of their first dedicated watch for men, aptly named Monsieur de Chanel. Fronting their first campaign is none other than French actor Gaspard Ulliel, also known as the face of Bleu de Chanel
Little did people know that Chanel has been making watches—or delving into the industry, to be precise—since 29 years ago. And what could be more exciting than the release of a dedicated timepiece for men for the first time at the eve of their 30th watchmaking anniversary?
The best thing about the watch, however, is way more than just the sex it targets. Yes, Chanel has been making tons of women’s and unisex watches, very successful ones, mind you, but the aptly named Monsieur de Chanel also comes to demonstrate how strongly committed the brand is toward building a strong future in the watchmaking business.
Although it is French by origin, the brand’s watchmaking department is very much Swiss by nature. For Monsieur de Chanel, they daringly ventured into crafting their very first watch movement too, again aptly named the Calibre 1. Even more intriguing is how the brand did it: They brought Romain Gauthier, one of the leading independent watchmakers whose part of the stakes owned by Chanel, into the picture.
The front dial and case-back of Monsieur de Chanel
The Monsieur de Chanel is, in general, a manual-winding 40mm watch, with an exquisitely elegant front dial—the 240-degree retrograde minutes counter is a definite scene-stealer—and an even more enthralling case-back, showcasing the black DLC-coated movement. Lots of the house’s personal codes, such as the lion and the square shape reminiscent of Place Vendôme, are embedded in the design. Befittingly, the timepiece is produced only in white and Chanel’s beige gold, 150 pieces each.
For their first official campaign, Chanel reunites with French actor Gaspard Ulliel who also stars in Xavier Dolan’s upcoming film, “It’s Only the End of the World.” Ulliel has been the face of Bleu de Chanel, a men’s fragrance under the brand. As a matter of fact, the 31-year-old thespian already sported the Monsieur de Chanel watch during Cannes 2016, just a few months after the watch’s launch during the Baselworld 2016 last March. Enough to make any Chanel lover out there green with envy.
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