BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
When you think of ceramic luxury watches, do you immediately think of Chanel? You should. The Chanel J12 is an icon of the watch world thanks to its ceramic cases and ceramic bracelets. They were mastering ceramic watches long before most of the industry had taken notice. For 2026, they’ve updated their iconic J12 watch line. Here are the highlights.
Chanel J12 Golden Black 42mm and 28mm
In 2026, Chanel pairs black with gold on the J12, and two sizes are available. The larger 42mm x 12.5mm piece has a matte finish on the case, made of black ceramic with blackened steel elements, and a black ceramic bracelet. The case is 200m water resistant. Gold detailing contrasts the black ceramic bezel and the black dial, yet the watch remains perfectly legible at a glance. Inside the piece is the self-winding calibre 12.1, made for Kenissi, which is co-owned by Chanel. It has a gold rotor that powers the watch’s reserve, which is 70 hours. The watch costs £9,700.
The smaller piece, measuring 28mm x 8.8mm, follows the same path with a black ceramic case and bracelet. This time, the watch features the glossy look of most J12 watches, which I prefer. The case is only water resistant to 30m for reasons I can’t fathom, and the watch features a quartz movement for which Chanel has shared no specific details. The price of this piece is £5,350.
Chanel J12 Superleggera
My favourite of the new Chanel pieces we saw at Watches & Wonders Geneva has to be the J12 Superleggera. Designed with motorsports in mind, the J12 Superleggera features touches of red, such as the red Superleggera text on the dial, the red triangle pointing to the date, and the red section for the final ten seconds of the seconds track.
Like the J12s above, the case and bracelet are made from ceramic, though Chanel uses a mix of brushed, polished, and matte finishes to achieve a more dynamic, interesting appearance on the Superleggera. It has a sportier air to it, even if it doesn’t stray particularly far from the iconic J12 appearance. The calibre 12.1 is present in this watch as well, and it costs £11,000.
Which of these new watches is your favourite? Tell us in the comments!
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