How do you make a flying tourbillon even more captivating than ever before? Well, you set a solitaire diamond on the storied complication’s cage for good measure. Chanel’s big launch of a J12 watch with a flying tourbillon might just sound like a natural extension of its fine watchmaking cause but it already has several tourbillons in its arsenal since the mid-00s that were made in collaboration with third parties. What makes this a landmark move for Chanel is that this is its first in-house flying tourbillon movement, named the Calibre 5, built by Châtelain in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a top-class manufacturing arm it bought some three decades ago. Peek at the 6 o’clock position of the openworked dial for all the reasons you’re signing the cheque for. A 0.15-carat diamond takes pride of place in a halo of diamonds, with the entire glitzy package making a round on its axis every 60 seconds like a runway model walking around a circular catwalk. Even the hour and minute hands are embedded with diamonds, along with the diamond-set crown. Two versions of this 38mm wristwatch exists – limited to 55 units each – one in glossy ceramic and white gold with a baguette-cut diamond bezel and another in matte black ceramic and steel with a matching bezel. And you thought you only needed one J12 in your collection.

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