I’m intrigued and somewhat surprised that Chanel is soon releasing a watch collection called “Boy.friend” not boyfriend, but rather “Boy” Period “Friend”. I’m sure that there’s a marketer somewhere in Europe who thinks they’ve invented the most brilliant name. However, i’m not entirely sure that i understand what it means. Perhaps I am too American with my lack of perceiving the finer subtleties of French luxury emotion, but consider me a bit lost. I understand that Chanel is playing on the concept of the “boyfriend watch,” which is a masculine timepiece a woman decides to “borrow” for herself and wear (ideally, successfully). That concept makes a lot of sense, but it really doesn’t apply to a watch that is very much feminine in appearance and inspired by the bottle cap of the famous Chanel No. 5 perfume.
A masculine look…The male wardrobe can especially be seen in the dimensions of the Boy.Friend, which is available in two versions. The XL measures 34.6 x 26.7mm, shows a date counter at 6 o’clock and is equipped with a high-precision quartz movement, while the XL version measures 37 x 28.6mm, features a small seconds dial at 6 o’clock and boasts a manual-winding mechanical movement with a power reserve of 42 hours. The ultimate masculine detail: an alligator strap, a material generally reserved for men’s timepieces.… for the female wrist
Don’t be fooled though, this really is a women’s watch, and certain details will drive that point across. Both models are available either in 18K white gold with brilliant-cut diamonds or in 18K beige gold with or without diamonds, with the larger model boasting 66 diamonds on the bezel and the smaller model 64. These touches of jewelry are reserved exclusively for the fairer sex.
So, What do you buy for a lady who keeps borrowing your Chanel watch? Provided she’s your wife or girlfriend rather than an international jewel thief, the new Boy.Friend model from Chanel could be the ideal gift.
Despite the title, there’s nothing boyish about the new line of women’s watches by Chanel. Rather, the Boy.Friend resembles a thinner, less flashy version of the 2013 Chanel Premiere Tourbillon, an ultra-luxurious piece with a price tag of $100,000 and up. Both have the trademark shape echoing the stopper of a classic Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle but used with more of an edge on the Boy.Friend model.
The Boy.Friend is basically a less expensive version of the Chanel Premiere Tourbillon that comes in two sizes: the “medium” at 26.7mm by 34.6mm and the “XL” at 28.5mm by 37mm. Although Chanel claims that the Boy.Friend takes the Premiere “into masculine territory,” the sizing is definitely aimed at more feminine tastes¬—and wrists.
The Chanel Boy.Friend watch is available in 18k beige/rose gold or 18k white gold with or without diamond embellishments. A quartz movement powers the Boy.Friend medium, which has a time and small date window, while the XL model has a manually-would Swiss mechanical movement.
The Boy.Friend is certainly a classically attractive timepiece that is sure to appeal to ladies of good taste, especially if they already have a fondness for all things Chanel. This watch is a piece that can carry a lady from breakfast to work to evening and all activities in between.
Chanel Boy.Friend watches will go on sale in September 2015, just in time for holiay shopping, at prices ranging from $12,500 to $27,000 USD. Until then, you’ll just have to settle for sharing your Chanel watch with the lady in your life.