Ahead of its time: Chanel's latest J12 watch collection

With the launch of its sophisticated J12XS timepiece, the French fashion house proves it's as cutting-edge as ever

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Many luxury fashion brands have launched mechanical watches, but the company that blazed the trail nearly 30 ago - and continues to impress - is Chanel. Adding haute horology to its haute-couture pedigree, the label's J12 is perhaps one of the most imitated designs in the watch world.

Created by Chanel's legendary Jacques Helleu, the collection was named for the America's Cup J Class yachts that inspired it. Marketed as a "fine jewellery sports watch", this bold and unusual timepiece proved an instant hit: it was for men and women and water-resistant to 656ft (200m), although its real achievement was pioneering the use of high-tech ceramic – which proved to be highly resistant to everyday wear and tear – with streamlined design.

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