SJX Watches
Business News: Chanel Takes Stake in Kross Manufacture
Chanel has taken a 30% minority stake in Kross Manufacture, the industrial operation behind the watches of Kross Studio and several third-party clients. Though the investment has not been formally publicised, I reached out to the brand’s founder Marco Tedeschi who confirmed the investment and provided additional context on the strategy for Kross Manufacture. In short, the transaction continues Chanel’s long-running strategy of backing independent watchmaking infrastructure through minority investments, rather than pursuing full acquisitions or operational control. Initial thoughts While Chanel’s growing footprint across independent watchmaking is well documented, its investment in Kross Manufacture is notable for its manufacturing-first focus. Unlike brand-level partnerships, the stake is confined strictly to production capabilities, reinforcing Chanel’s long-term interest in securing specialised, high-end manufacturing capacity rather than expanding its portfolio of consumer-facing marques. In this sense, the investment can be viewed as similar to its 2019 investment in the Kenissi manufacture alongside Tudor. Equally significant is what the deal does not represent: there is no rapid industrial scaling planned. Instead, the investment appears designed to selectively expand capacity, allowing Kross Manufacture to continue serving both its in-house brand and more third-party clients without sacrificing the agility required to produce watches in very small quantities...
