Scenting something new in the air at Emporium last week, shoppers crowded round for the launch of Chanel's new "Premiere Collection" of luxury watches.

The perfumier's long history has been poured into the design of the watches. Each flows with the iconic lines of the Chanel No 5 scent bottle, a design inspired in turn by the Place Vendome where Chanel's flagship Paris store is located.

Chanel has a history of watchmaking - its delicate, 1930's-style wristwatches were the first to be fashioned with scratchproof ceramic cases. The classic black and white designs of this new collection would have been approved by Coco herself.

 "Black and white together have an absolute beauty and harmony," Chanel once said.

The woman who dazzled Paris then the world would have appreciated the added glitter of the other designs on show - shimmering gold- and diamond-accented timepieces.