Chanel has always been at its most compelling when it builds a world rather than a product (think then No5 universe, the Chanel suit, the lion motif…). Gabrielle Chanel understood this early on. Her apartment at 31 rue Cambon was not simply a place to live, but a carefully composed environment of symbols and references, from Coromandel screens to the ever-present lion. The Coco Game Chessboard follows that same instinct.
At first glance, the structure is disarmingly clear. Sixty-four squares in black and white highly resistant ceramic, bordered by a precise line of brilliant-cut diamonds, set on a base of deep black obsidian. Exact, severe geometry. Then the pieces begin to animate the surface. Chanel populates the board with its own iconography: the lion, the Vendôme column, the couture bust. The chess set is, basically, a portrait of the maison.
The craftsmanship is exquisite. Ceramic, a material Chanel has mastered over decades, is used for the black pieces with a sharp, graphic precision, contrasted by white gold elements and diamond setting. The white side moves into greater intricacy, with snow-set diamonds creating a softer surface that almost recalls fabric.
Even the symbolism is to be admired. The lion, referencing Gabrielle Chanel’s zodiac sign, stands as king. The Vendôme column anchors the rooks. The couture busts echo the discipline of the atelier. Every element belongs.
At the centre of it all are the two queens. Both represent Gabrielle Chanel, one in white and one in black. Each is rendered as a miniature figure dressed in a diamond-set tweed suit. She is the most powerful piece and the reason the board exists.
In Chanel’s chessboard, the Queen is Gabrielle Chanel herself, wearing diamond tweed and featuring a secret timepiece beneath the base. Iconic symbols such as the Vendôme column represent the Rook and the King is embodied by the maison’s lion.
Beneath the pedestals, a watch with a diamond-set dial and high-precision quartz movement. But the idea goes further. Both figures can be lifted from the board and worn as pendants on a long chain in white gold, set with diamonds and punctuated by onyx elements. In that moment, the object transforms. What was part of a game becomes jewellery, then a timepiece, then something more personal still. The wearer carries Gabrielle Chanel with them, quite literally holding time in her silhouette.
That sense of transformation defines the piece. Chanel plays with time. It is hidden, revealed only through interaction. This engagement approach runs through the house’s watchmaking, keeping fans in a constant state of excitement and anticipation about what the maison will do next.
With The Coco Game Chessboard, Chanel is not just showing its creativity; it is stating its position in the luxury market, consistently ranked within the top three most valuable luxury brands in the world.
Author: Julia Pasarón
Discover other exciting novelties presented at Watches & Wonders 2026 in our Official Review, our article about Watches as Pieces of Art and our Watches Editor piece on Patek Philippe’s Quiet Horological Authority.
Show Comments +