The onlooker’s gaze is at the heart of every tourbillon timepiece. French for “whirlwind”, because it literally spins on itself, the twirling mechanism provides a true spectacle that is at once sensorial, aesthetic and always gratifying. But there are those whose eyes are bigger than their appetites. For these visual hedonists, Chanel ups the showiness and prestige by crowning the complication with a diamond.

Designed in Paris by Arnaud Chastaingt, Director of Chanel’s Watchmaking Creation Studio, and developed and assembled by the Chanel Manufacture at La Chaux-de-Fonds, the J12 Diamond Tourbillon Calibre 5 is a technical and creative tour de force that culminates 35 years of fine watchmaking by the Parisian couturier. The watch features Chanel’s fifth in-house movement, which is also the first to incorporate a flying tourbillon.

Staged against the black circular bridge architecture that is characteristic of Chanel’s haute horlogerie movements, the tourbillon comes alive with the scintillating sparkle of diamonds. The “flying” setup removes the upper bridge of the tourbillon cage for an unobstructed view, allowing a sensational solitaire diamond to take centrestage. As the tourbillon moves through its hypnotic pace, the facets on the revolving gemstone catch and throw light with wild abandon, showering the space with radiance. It doubles as a nonpareil seconds counter, framed with brilliant-cut diamonds.

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As with every Chanel timepiece, the design of the J12 Diamond Tourbillon Calibre 5 is paramount down to the smallest detail. Additional drops of diamond adorn the hands and crown, because there can never be an overabundance of the precious stone. The handsome Calibre 5 with 48 hours of power reserve is partially exposed on the front and fully displayed on the caseback, where the lion’s head emblem — the signature of Chanel Manufacture movements — can be found. The watch is dressed in black, the colour of elegance epitomised by the Little Black Dress, in two variations of high-tech ceramic: fully matte to accentuate the spinning showstopper, or glossy with baguette-cut diamonds on the bezel to maximise its brilliance.

Movement: Manual winding in-house Calibre 5 with flying tourbillon; 42-hour power reserve
Case: 38mm in ceramic; water-ressitant to 50m
Strap: Ceramic bracelet
Price: On application

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