Diamonds Astroclock

THE LION OF MADEMOISELLE

Born under the sign of the Leo, Gabrielle Chanel adopted the feline as her animal totem. An emblem of protection and a symbol of strength, the lion, represented in the precious art pieces of the rue Cambon apartment or on the mother-of-pearl buttons of tweed jackets, lends its image to a sculptural and powerful collection made up of five jewelry-watches and two watchmaking pieces. 

 “The lion is an integral part of Mademoiselle’s inner world” observes Arnaud Chastaingt, Director of the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio. “Today, the lion’s majestic depiction radiates across all of the Maison’s creations, claiming its place among the timeless codes passed on by the designer. It is an inspiring symbol - one whose authority and elegance I hold in deep admiration.”

The mastery of animal sculpture beats at the heart of this collection of exceptional pieces. “To me, animal sculpture is an art form in its own right. From the first brush stroke to the final sculpted form, the CHANEL lion is born through a meticulous process – one that demands a perfect balance between an in-depth anatomical understanding of the animal and a true artistic sensibility.”

Five jewels that tell the time, a masculine model – the MONSIEUR PLATINUM LION TOURBILLON WATCH – and a clock – the DIAMONDS ASTROCLOCK – enchant THE LION OF MADEMOISELLE collection for which the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio combined jewelry savoir-faire and exceptional watchmaking skills. This ode to the king of animals bestows a different Allure to Time that is even more majestic and generous in its wearing possibilities. 

DIAMONDS ASTROCLOCK

UNIQUE PIECE

With this unique piece, the CHANEL Watchmaking Creation Studio offers a spectacular and celestial vision to counting hours through the image of a regal lion, whose front paw rests on an obsidian ball. Carved in white gold and set with 5,037 diamonds, the king of animals is the guardian of a glass sphere that houses the ASTROCLOCK mechanism. The hours are indicated by a comet on a rotating planet, while the constellation of Leo indicates the minutes. A rotating white gold sphere, covered with brilliant-cut diamonds, indicates that the clock is in motion.

Eight months of work were required for the selection of the diamonds, their positioning one after the other onto the lion’s body, the gold- work and the snow setting of the stones. Created by the CHANEL Watch Manufacture, this watchmaking masterpiece features a self-winding mechanical movement that has a power reserve of 8 days.