One-Off Wonders

Chanel
J12 Marine

Chanel presented a diver's watch for its Only Watch offering, the J12 Marine. Water-resistant to 300 metres, the watch comes in pink gold and black ceramic, with the brand's signature sandblasted case. Gold accents on the bezel, hands and indices distinguish the unique piece from the regular series. The J12 Marine is powered by an automatic 2892-A2 calibre, housed in a 42mm case. Pink gold luminescent hands, indicators and the numeral 12 ensure ultimate readability. A date window is sited between 4 and 5 o’ clock. Engraved with “Unique piece” on the caseback, the J12 Marine sold for €21,000 (wish price at €15,000-€20,000).

DeWitt
Concept Watch No 3: X-Watch

The Concept Watch No 3: X-Watch is fittingly named because it houses DeWitt’s third in-house calibre, the DW 8046, which is a reversible movement: a short way of saying that the time can be viewed from the front as well as the back. What’s cool about this one is that it was supposedly inspired by a concrete mixer, and the face of the watch is partially covered by an X-shaped bonnet that is opened by push pieces on the upper and lower part of the case, splitting the X in the middle to reveal the transparent dial. The X-watch comprises several complications, whose mechanisms are cleverly hidden or worked into the design: a double bi-retrograde hours and minutes display tourbillon on the front, and then a chronograph and a power reserve indicator at the back. The watch comes in a 49mm diameter. The estimated price was between €350,000-€500,000; the watch was sold at €410,000.