Inspired by Paris, borrowed from the boys but designed for women, the stylish timepiece gets a tough-girl upgrade in blackened steel

The Boy.Friend’s octagonal case is inspired by Place Vendôme. Medium in steel with 64 brilliant-cut diamonds

The new Boy.Friend Tweed Black features a steel bracelet stamped with a motif that recalls the texture of tweed – an iconic Chanel fabric. Medium size in Steel with 64 brilliant-cut diamonds

Small in steel

Medium in steel with 64 brilliant-cut diamonds

Gabrielle Chanel loved Place Vend&ocirc;me. For 34 years, she lived in a third-floor suite inside the swanky Ritz, which occupied a corner in the Parisian square at No 15. &ldquo;The Ritz is my home&rdquo;, the fashion designer told her stylish friends and guests, who hung out in her abode surrounded by a personal collection of Chinese coromandel screens, rock crystal chandeliers and Baroque-style mirrors.

Like those beautiful objects, Place Vend&ocirc;me naturally influenced the stunning creations of Chanel and, even after her death, the brand&rsquo;s former Artistic Director Jacques Helleu. For instance, it inspired not only the shape of the octagonal bottle stopper on the highly iconic No. 5 perfume, but also the case of the Premi&egrave;re &ndash; the luxury house&rsquo;s first timepiece for women.

That unmistakable octagon, which was derived from the aerial view of Place Vend&ocirc;me, can also be found on the case and strap buckle of the Boy.Friend &ndash; the chunkier, manned-up sister of the ultra-feminine Premi&egrave;re &ndash; which was launched two years ago to rave reviews from fashion editors, watch connoisseurs and fans of the brand.

“For us it was all about a balance, treading the line between the two genders.” Nicolas Beau, Chanel's International Watch Director

What made the Boy.Friend so desirable was, in true Chanel style, its simplicity. &ldquo;We removed all the numbers to take away any element of this watch being an instrument, which in turn softened its design,&rdquo; explained the brand&rsquo;s International Watch Director Nicolas Beau. &ldquo;For us it was all about a balance, treading the line between the two genders.&rdquo;

The Boy.Friend, which comes in white gold, beige gold (an exclusive alloy imbued with a rosy hue that sits between yellow and pink gold) and, most recently, steel, also scores points for its variety. The latest to join that range is a gorgeous model adorned with a flexible, tough&nbsp;girl-worthy blackened steel bracelet. There are three sizes: A smaller quartz-powered 21.5x27.9mm, a medium 26.7x34.6mm with the option of 64 brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel, and a larger manual-winding 28.6x37mm.

Chanel's Boy.Friend Watch Mans Up (Even More)

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