CHANEL | J12 Retrograde Mysterieuse
Watch & Jewelry
March 30, 2015

CHANEL | J12 Retrograde Mysterieuse


CHANEL


Expressing "Chanel's Aesthetics and Esprit" with Mysterious Complicated Mechanisms!


By Yasuto Shibuya




J12 TROGRADE MYSTÉRIEUSE



Released as a limited edition to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the "J12" launch, this is a Chanel-exclusive model with a "mysterious" appearance and mechanism.Tourbillon
The development and manufacturing were undertaken in collaboration with "Renaud et Papi," a workshop specializing in complex watch development and production under Audemars Piguet, a prestigious name at the pinnacle of Swiss watchmaking.




To achieve Chanel's desired "perfectly round" case form, the crown at 3 o'clock is recessed and pops up onto the dial only when operated with a single push. Consequently, the minute hand cannot move in the area between 10 and 20 minutes; the minutes are displayed by a disc-type indicator at the 6 o'clock position. Most remarkably, consider the minute hand's movement during this interval. Astonishingly (!), within those 10 minutes, it moves 300 degrees counter-clockwise from the 10-minute to the 20-minute position, essentially reversing its direction (retrograde motion) to reach the 20-minute mark, preparing for subsequent minute indications. Furthermore, the mechanism for setting the time and manual winding using the crown is also equipped with a system that switches functions via push-buttons located at the 2 and 4 o'clock positions on the bezel.

In addition to the 10-minute slow retrograde motion, it features two barrels, ensuring a 10-day power reserve. Uniquely, the production is limited to just 10 pieces each for two material variations—black ceramic with pink gold, and black ceramic with white gold—reflecting a meticulous focus on the number "10" in conjunction with the 10th anniversary.

Manual winding, black high-tech ceramic case and black high-tech ceramic bracelet, 47mm case diameter, 30m water resistance, 26.25 million JPY (preliminary price).

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