Softer than silk, stronger than steel – CHANEL’s latest J12 campaign sets a new tone for one of modern watchmaking’s most recognisable silhouettes. More than 25 years after its debut, the House reintroduces the J12 with a renewed signature and an evocative brand territory anchored in its elemental origin: water.
From the beginning, the J12 has drawn on the spirit of the sea. The press material traces its lineage from “Ulysses’ adventures to the solo crossings of great navigators,” positioning the ocean as an eternal stage for exploration and endurance. Born from this universal instinct, the J12 was inspired by the sleek lines of racing yachts and conceived as the first luxury watch crafted entirely from ceramic – a material whose unrivalled durability is matched only by its softness.
That paradox – invincible yet sensual – forms the heart of the new campaign. Ceramic, heated to over 1,300°C in the CHANEL Manufacture, achieves remarkable resistance to scratches, wear and corrosion, while remaining impossibly smooth against the skin. It is seven times more resistant than steel, yet lighter; robust, yet intimate. This duality becomes a metaphor for the campaign’s protagonists, Gisele Bündchen and Clément Chabernaud, who embody strength without rigidity, elegance without excess.
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As the House’s first unisex sports watch, the J12 has always existed in balance – between masculine and feminine, performance and allure. Now water becomes both backdrop and symbol: soothing and peaceful on the surface, yet capable of immense force beneath. The campaign imagery channels this quiet power, reconnecting the timepiece to its maritime roots while reinforcing its contemporary relevance.
Inside, the Calibre 12.1 movement – chronometer-certified and offering a 70-hour power reserve – underscores the watch’s technical credibility. But beyond mechanics, the J12’s true signature lies in feeling: the smooth glide of its ceramic links, the fluid sweep of its hands, the sense of proportion that defines its circular form.
With this new chapter, CHANEL doesn’t reinvent the icon – it distils it. The J12 emerges as a sensory object shaped by time, tide and touch, standing resilient in a world that never stands still.
Image: one
