'90s Pop Logomania Takes Over This Chanel Watch Capsule
This collection is brought to you by the letters C-H-A-N-E-L.
If you're an ardent collector of Chanel timepieces, you may know that the Maison's horology department usually drops a capsule line during this time of the year. Following last year's neon-hued affair for the Electro collection, it has gone back to its monochromatic roots in 2022 with the Chanel Wanted capsule line.
But that doesn't mean things are all muted, though. Rather, the limited-edition collection features five designs comprising well-loved models such as the J12, Premiere, Boy.Friend and Code Coco models taking on logomania with a very '90s flair.
Things don't get more Chanel than this: the French maison's name gets plastered on dials and straps for the Chanel Wanted capsule collection.
Visualise the Chanel name splashed as large slogans on lacquered watch dials, along leather bracelets and and even moulded as charms in a fun graphic way that reminds us of the way Karl Lagerfeld toyed with the motif during the '90s. The use of the Chanel motif also echoes the nostalgia for the decade's typography and logos (cue Britpop-style fonts and Microsoft WordArt) whose aesthetic is having a moment in design and pop culture.
Below, we take a closer look at how the Chanel Wanted collection lives up to its name.
This glossy all-black ceramic automatic ticker features a large white 'Chanel' slogan printed across its 38mm case, with the first two letters sitting on the steel bezel and the rest of the letters encased within the black lacquered dial.
At 33mm, this white J12 model is slightly smaller than its black counterpart. And unlike the latter, the 'Chanel' motif is rendered in a tinier proportion, appearing as embossed rhodium-plated metal stickers on the white lacquered dial and metallic silver prints on the steel and sapphire crystal bezel.
How does Chanel give its quintessential bracelet watch from 1987 a youthful touch? The house attached six letter charms in steel and black lacquer that spell out its name onto the bracelet of this quartz-powered timepiece giving it instant arm party cred.
The Boy.Friend timepiece features palladium-treated 'Cha' and 'Nel' motif riveted on each side of the calfskin strap. To complete the '90s vibe of the collection, the black lacquered dial has been decorated with a pixelated design made from rhodium-plated metal.
Also getting the riveted 'Cha' and 'Nel' treatment on the bracelet is this Code Coco timepiece which comes with a quilted calfskin bracelet.
On top of the five individual watch models above, there is also a super exclusive collector's item box featuring six 38mm J12 models decorated with 34 brilliant-cut diamonds, that is limited to just five sets. The 'Chanel' motif appears in various permutations across the dial and bezel of the watches.