CHANEL Première Galon: the Art of weaving Time

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A new chapter in Chanel’s watchmaking history intertwines the precision of time with the artistry of couture, as the Première Galon collection reimagines one of the Maison’s most emblematic signatures — the braid.

When the Première watch was unveiled in 1987, it marked a turning point in the world of watchmaking. Chanel’s first timepiece did not follow masculine conventions or borrow from traditional horology — it defined its own. Its octagonal case, inspired by the stopper of the iconic N°5 perfume bottle and by the geometry of Place Vendôme, spoke of Parisian elegance distilled into a pure, architectural form. Its chain bracelet interlaced with leather recalled the strap of the quilted 2.55 bag, translating the essence of Chanel’s fashion vocabulary into the language of time.

Nearly four decades later, in 2025, the Première reinvents itself once more — not by denying its origins, but by returning to them. The new Première Galon collection pays tribute to the braid, a signature element of Gabrielle Chanel’s couture universe.

This motif, so often found edging her timeless tweed jackets, was more than decoration; it was a structural device, outlining form, refining proportion, and bringing movement to stillness. In the Première Galon, this ornamental trim becomes the very substance of the bracelet itself — a luminous bangle in 18-carat yellow gold, twisted like a braid, embracing the wrist with sculptural grace.

From the Atelier to the Wrist

The word galon — French for braid or trimming — evokes both craftsmanship and couture precision. Gabrielle Chanel used braided trims to frame her suits, decorating sleeves and pockets while defining the silhouette. Whether in tonal harmony or contrasting hues, these braids celebrated the subtle art of detail — the invisible architecture behind effortless style.

In the Première Galon, that spirit is reborn. The rigid bangle, meticulously shaped to evoke the twist of a braid, becomes a symbol of continuity between the House’s couture atelier and its watchmaking studio. It is not a bracelet added to a watch; it is a watch born from a bracelet — a seamless object of design where timekeeping and adornment become indistinguishable.

The black lacquered dial, stripped of numerals and indices, reflects Chanel’s minimalist approach: time reduced to its purest expression. On its smooth surface, gold hands glide silently, echoing the rhythm of couture stitches, each precise yet infused with emotion.

The Première Galon Diamonds: When Light Becomes Fabric

Among the collection, the Première Galon Diamonds stands as the most precious iteration — a watch that enters the realm of jewellery. Its bangle and clasp are set with 573 brilliant-cut diamonds, while 108 stones illuminate the gold dial, creating a scintillating interplay between light and metal. The diamond-set crown completes the composition, a discreet signature that captures Chanel’s understated luxury.

Each version retains the collection’s essential codes: 18K yellow gold, high-precision quartz movement, and the same delicate proportions (19.7 x 15.2 x 7.5 mm) that make the Première instantly recognizable. Yet the Première Galon Diamonds transcends mere adornment. It is couture translated into gold — a wearable expression of Chanel’s eternal paradox: simplicity that conceals opulence, discipline that creates beauty.

Freedom of Style, Freedom of Spirit

From its inception, the Première embodied the freedom of feminine creation. It liberated women’s watches from masculine constraints — no borrowed chronographs, no oversized cases, no utilitarian pretence. The Première was always about attitude, about the poise and independence of a woman who chooses elegance on her own terms.

In this 2025 reinterpretation, that spirit feels particularly relevant. The Première Galon is not nostalgic; it is timeless in motion, bridging past and present through design that feels inevitable, as if it had always existed. Its rigid bangle redefines how a watch can be worn — no longer clasped or strapped, but slipped on like a jewel.

As such, the Galon is both a timepiece and a gesture — a way of wearing that evokes Gabrielle Chanel’s own rebellion against constraint. She designed clothes that moved with the body, watches that spoke to the woman who wore them. The Première Galon extends that vision into a new century, proving once again that freedom is Chanel’s truest luxury.

Where Time Meets Couture

To understand the significance of the Première Galon is to grasp Chanel’s rare ability to fuse disciplines — fashion, jewellery, horology — into one coherent aesthetic language. Each Première, from 1987 to today, reflects this intersection. The octagonal form is as much a design icon as the 2.55 bag or the little black dress. The Première Galon, by introducing the couture braid, deepens that lineage. It’s a dialogue between the thread and the tick, between the atelier and the watchmaker’s bench.

In an era where time is often reduced to numbers on a screen, the Première Galon restores the notion of time as style — a measure not of minutes, but of presence.

The Continuum of Chanel Time

With the Première Galon, Chanel reaffirms its mastery of translating the codes of couture into the language of horology. Since 1987, the House’s watch creations — from the graphic purity of the J12 to the architectural poise of the Boy·Friend, and the poetic craftsmanship of Mademoiselle Privé — have all told variations of the same story: that of a woman shaping time according to her own rhythm.

The Première Galon continues this narrative with quiet audacity. Its braided bangle is not merely a design flourish but a metaphor — a thread connecting decades of creation, innovation, and the enduring freedom that lies at the heart of Chanel.