According to Chanel, the luxury brand released the J12 Coco Game haute joaillerie watch, a US$180,000 timepiece featuring an 8-bit pixel art rendition of Mademoiselle Coco that trots around the dial like a video game character.
Ceramic Engineering and G & F Châtelain Manufacturing
According to Chanel, the case and bracelet of the Coco Game are produced by G & F Châtelain, a component manufacturer acquired by Chanel during the 1990s and founded by Blanche Châtelain Degoumois. Located in La Chaux-Fonds, the factory specializes in ceramic injection moulding (CIM). Zirconia powder is mixed with a waxy binder and moulded using the same machines used to make LEGOs or MoonSwatches. The binder is subsequently dissolved or burned off, leaving a highly compressed powder sintered in a furnace to produce the final ceramic part.
According to the brand details, zirconia ceramic is significantly harder than stainless steel, giving the watch an almost unmarrable case and bracelet. While boron carbide is harder, zirconia offers superior toughness with high resistance to cracking and chipping under impact. The high jewellery variant features a bracelet dressed up with polished bevels on the tops of the centre links and along each edge, aligning with matching facets running the length of the case.
Did you know?
The spring-loaded folding clasp on the J12 Coco Game bracelet is the same design produced by G & F Châtelain for both Chanel and Richard Mille.
Movement Specifications and Pixel Art Design
According to product specifications, the Coco Game is powered by the Kenissi-built Chanel cal. 12.2, a movement belonging to the same family as the MT5400 calibres powering mid-sized Tudor watches. The movement delivers a 70-hour power reserve, bidirectional automatic winding, a free-sprung balance, and COSC ISO 3159 chronometer certification. Unlike Tudor equivalents, this movement lacks proprietary silicon hairsprings for ultimate magnetic resistance.
The central visual feature is an 8-bit rendition of Coco mounted to the fourth wheel’s shaft as a seconds hand. To prevent the weight of the avatar from unbalancing the hands, Chanel uses a lightweight, rigid carbon plate as a base, laser-cut into Mademoiselle’s form and decorated. The standard J12 Coco Game models offer a 200-metre water resistance rating with a screw-down crown. However, according to the official specifications, the haute joaillerie variant omits the screw-down crown, dropping the water resistance rating to 50 metres while incorporating a blackened steel crown set with a 0.16-carat diamond.
Market Comparison and Pricing Context
According to retail listings, the high jewellery Coco Game is priced at approximately US$180,000 excluding taxes and is limited to 55 pieces globally. This price point places the pixel-art luxury watch above a Rolex Daytona equipped with a baguette-set bezel on a full gold bracelet, though the Chanel entry leans heavily into whimsical design. The lineup also includes three other video-game-inspired J12 variants designated by references H11063, H11091, and H11062.
Pixel art historically emerged from past technological limitations, but the aesthetic maintains a strong following among independent game developers and generations familiar with titles like Minecraft, Terraria, and Undertale. Buyers evaluating the lineup face choices between models featuring dial-walking avatars and sister pieces equipped with an 8-bit Coco charm hanging off the crown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the price of the Chanel J12 Coco Game high jewellery watch?
According to official details, the watch is priced at approximately US$180,000 excluding taxes and is strictly limited to 55 pieces.
What movement powers the Coco Game watch?
According to Chanel, the watch uses the Kenissi-built cal. 12.2 automatic movement, offering a 70-hour power reserve and COSC chronometer certification.
What is the water resistance of the high jewellery Coco Game?
According to the technical specifications, the high jewellery variant is rated to 50 metres of water resistance due to its non-screw-down crown design.
Who manufactures the ceramic case and bracelet?
According to company history, G & F Châtelain handles the ceramic injection moulding and component production in La Chaux-Fonds.
Join the Conversation
What do you think of Chanel’s fusion of high jewelry and pixel art gaming? Drop a comment below or subscribe to our newsletter for the latest watchmaking releases.
Related reading