The name Chanel brings with it an aura of timeless elegance and taste. The brand, following Coco’s credo that “simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance” carries the spirit of her fabled character. A great example of this is the collection of timepieces; solid, virtuous designs that have come to deserve the name they carry.

According to the rumors, Coco would wear her lovers’ watches, avoiding the useless ‘microbe’ jewelry for women, yet Chanel would have to wait until 1987 to present its first timepiece, ‘Premiere’. The initial model, the J12 watch, which was introduced n the year 2000, marked the promising beginning of a unique watch line. The new line developed over the years; it presented innovations not only in the aesthetic motif, incorporating ceramics into the design of the watch, but also developed a novel movement mechanism.

In 2008, Audemars Piguet and Chanel engaged in an exclusive partnership and put forward a new edition of the ‘J12′ which included refined jewelry and an ongoing concern for comfort and style, displaying technical expertise.

I think we can trust they will deliver more wonderful creations.

Status symbols are known to depend on the time or the place; nevertheless, classics seem to reinforce their standing in the course of the changes they go through…

So what is it that makes them so? Is there a secret to the status they confer?

It is no secret that quality is not a matter of fashion (although fashion should always be a matter of quality). When premium materials are used, and a first-rate effort is made to forge a product, the result is invariably exceptional.

Rolex is beyond doubt top among all watchmakers.

The Submariner, for instance, is a masterpiece. Designed for diving, and known for its resistance to water, the Submariner is considered one of the most luxurious products in the world; most definitely a classic, it is 007’s gadget of choice, having appeared in eleven James Bond movies.

Another example of virtuous design is the GMT Master II, which can display time in three different time zones. Furthermore, when in the northern hemisphere, if the watch is laid flat with the 24-hour hand set to local, standard time, and it is pointed in the direction of the sun, then the 12:00 marker on the dial points to the true north (not necessarily the same as the magnetic north). In the southern hemisphere, when the watch is oriented overhead, and looked from below so that the movement of the 24-hour hand traces the movements of the sun, the 12:00 marker on the dial points to the true south.

Being the watch the only piece of jewelry men generally wear, it is one of the most, if not the most defining element of the attire. It does not only convey the style of the moment, but it may also, if the timepiece is significant enough, reveal a man’s approach to time.