Gabrielle Chanel was a visionary and a rule breaker. Her motto “I want to be part of what is to come” encapsulates how she was always looking forward, how she embraced the new and made it hers. The new Chanel Première Sound watch reflects how her ambitions are still very much alive chez Chanel.
When the Première launched in 1987, it was perceived as a challenge to traditional watchmaking but its success proved that the public applauded what Chanel was doing, bringing iconic elements from the maison into watches: the octagonal case from the stopper on the No. 5 perfume bottle and the flexible bracelet, which emulated the chained shoulder strap of Chanel bags.
Nearly four decades later, the new Première Sound watch takes the audacious spirit of Chanel even further, whilst preserving the core identity of the original line. Octogonal in shape, the case is made of yellow-gold plated steel, with a black lacquered dial and a discreet onyx cabochon in the crown. In this latest interpretation of the Première, the bracelet has become a long necklace, in black leather interwoven with yellow-plate steel fashioned after the classic shoulder strap.
The Chanel Première Sound watch bridges the realms of fashion horology and the latest audio technology.
The truly innovative element here is the removable wired earphones with the Chanel emblem on them, which come with a microphone and a little remote control. Several adaptors guarantee connectivity to any smartphone. Everything in black with yellow gold-coloured accents.
From a technical point of view, the earphones are pretty good. They present dual driver architecture – 6 mm planar diaphragm and 11 mm dynamic drivers (the kind found in high-end audio equipment), have a frequency response range between 20Hz and 20kHz and 16 Ohms of impendence, which helps the earphones transmit the sound more effectively.
Chanel Première Sound represents a determined step in a direction that opens a universe of new and exciting possibilities for the maison. I too want to be part of what is to come.
Get your Chanel Première Sound Watch HERE.
Author: Julia Pasarón
Opening image: actress and House Ambassador Lily-Rose Depp wearing the Première Sound, rue Cambon, Paris. © Chanel.
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