Hands On: Chanel J12 Coco Game

This year Chanel celebrated games of all sorts, from chess to cards and even video games with the J12 Coco Game — a quartet of Chanel's best selling ceramic dive-ish watch featuring pixel art renditions of the Mademoiselle herself. This haute joaillerie variant is the maximalist-chic final boss of the sub-collection, set with 5.88 carats of diamonds, and equipped with the same bulletproof movement and hardy ceramic construction that makes the J12 so practical — though without the useful bezel or date. Initial thoughts Every year I look forward to Chanel's Watches & Wonders launches — more-so than I do many "real" watchmakers — and every year the brand graces us with a one-two punch of remarkable objects and whimsical watches, often related by a common theme. This year's theme was games, and Chanel outdid itself with a multi-million-dollar, unique (and already sold) chess set as the halo piece. Downrange there are allusions to playing cards, dominos and Scrabble, and a quartet of video game-inspired J12s. The other three models in the lineup, from left to right: ref. H11063, H11091, and H11062. Image - Chanel Pixel art developed as a natural consequence of past technological limitations, but it remains popular, particularly among independent game developers. And I suspect these watches will appeal just as much to a generation — my generation — that grew up with indie games like Minecraft, Terraria, and Undertale, rather than retro pixel art games like Pac-Man or Super Mario Bros. if not more. I am left considering weather I prefer this version, or its 33 mm sister — putting aside that it is a little small for my tastes — with an 8-bit Coco charm hanging off the crown instead of wandering the dial. Both are limited to 55 pieces, and I wouldn't be surprised if many buyers are similarly conflicted and end up buying both. That brings us to the rather steep price tag of around US$180,000. For reference, that's more expensive than a Rolex Daytona with a baguette-set bezel on a full gold bracelet, though the Coco Game wins on whimsey. Coco Chanel for the Nintendo generation The central character of the Coco Game is an 8-bit rendition of Coco herself, mounted to the fourth wheel's shaft in lieu of a traditional seconds hand. This construction allows her to trot around the dial like a Stardew Valley character heading into town. Had this avatar been stamped from a metal sheet like most watch hands, its sheer mass would have unbalance the hands. Chanel solved this using a lightweight — but still very rigid — carbon plate as a base, which is laser cut into Mademoiselle's form, then decorated. She has places to be. The Coco Game is powered by the Kenissi-built Chanel cal. 12.2, a calibre that belongs to the same family as the MT5400 movements that power mid-sized Tudor watches. It benefits from the same ~70 hours of going, bidirectional automatic winding, free-sprung balance, and COSC ISO 3159 chronometer certification as its Tudor siblings. However, it lacks Tudor's proprietary silicon hairsprings, which is part of what makes those movements practically immune to magnetism. Black on black However, Chanel's spec brings aesthetic upgrades including surprisingly smooth diamond-cut chamfers and the brand's trademark rotor. That rotor is occasionally gemset in the brand's high jewellery watches, though not in this watch. The movement sits in a titanium capsule that also holds the crystal and bezel track, which drops into the case from the front and is fastened in place by four screws on the back. This arrangement is surprisingly water-fast, and when combined with a screw-down crown, the normal J12 Coco Game is rated to 200 m. That said, this haute joaillerie model lacks a screw-down crown and is rated to just 50 m. As some consolidation, the blackened steel crown is set with a .16 carat diamond. Faceted ceramic As usual for Chanel, G & F Châtelain handles the case and bracelet. Chanel acquired the component manufacturer — coincidentally also founded by a woman, Blanche Châtelain Degoumois — during the 1990s, making it a central pillar of Chanel's watch production. The La Chaux-de-Fonds factory covers a broad range of activities from turning to casing, but is best known for ceramic injection moulding (CIM). Mixing zirconia powder with a waxy binder allows it to be moulded on the same machines used to make LEGOs or MoonSwatches. The binder is then dissolved, burned off, or decomposed leaving highly compressed powder that can be sintered in a furnace to produce a ceramic part. Zirconia ceramic is extremely hard — much closer to sapphire than stainless steel. That makes zirconia ceramic tedious to finish, but translates to a nearly unmarrable case and bracelet. That's a good thing, because the fine matte finish is one of the Coco Game's most appealing attributes, and the robust material makes this otherwise delicate finish viable on a watch worn every day. While zirconia is far from the hardest ceramic — that would be boron carbide — it is the toughest, with superior resistance to cracking and chipping under impact, which makes it practical for cases and bracelets. Speaking of the bracelet, the spring-loaded folding clasp will feel familiar to Richard Mille owners, as it's the same design produced by G & F Châtelain for both brands. While the bracelet looks similar to those of past ceramic J12 models, with its long-pitched three-link design, the baguette-set variant's bracelet is dressed up with distinctive polished bevels on the tops of the centre links and along each edge. The outermost bevels line up with a matching facet that runs the length of the case. This subtle change actually makes a big impact on the wearing experience, adding a degree of shimmer to an otherwise austere monochromatic design. Of course, the high jewellery version of the Coco Game differs from its rank-and-file siblings with 46 invisible-set baguette-cut diamonds, totalling about 5.46 carats, which replace the rotating bezel's usual ceramic inserts. A dozen more baguette-cut diamonds mark the hours. Key facts and price Chanel J12 Coco Game Ref. H11093 Diameter: 38 mm Crystal: Sapphire Material: Black or white ceramic Water resistance: 50 m Movement: Cal. 12.1 Features: Hours, minutes, and sweep seconds Winding: Automatic Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4Hz) Power reserve: 70 hours Strap: Ceramic bracelet Limited edition: 55 pieces Availability: At Chanel boutiques and retailers Price: ~US$$180,000 excluding taxes For more, visit chanel.com.