IN THIS MOST WONDERFUL TIME of the year, what will make the most desirable gifts?

Well, French maison Chanel has a few suggestions.

This holiday season, the luxury label presents a selection across watches and fine jewellery that bear the much-loved symbols of its founder, Gabrielle Chanel.

After all, who but the house of Chanel would have thought the humble button could be the focus of an extraordinary collection of watches? In the Mademoiselle Prive Bouton range, the button is no mere fastener, but used as a revelation of the maison’s craftsmanship.

Inspired by the sleeves of the iconic tweed jacket and its buttons, each delightful “button” – featuring Chanel icons such as the pearl, camellia and knot – opens to reveal a sparkly diamond-studded dial. The watches’ cuffs, too, come in classic Chanel textures such as quilted leather and tweed.

These, clearly, do much more than tell time.

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Similarly, Chanel’s selection of fine jewellery recalls Mademoiselle Chanel’s favourite motifs in glittering glory. Her cherished flower, the camellia, is the focus of diamond necklaces, earrings, brooches, pendants and rings, instantly recognisable with its perfectly symmetrical form and pleasing roundness.

Meanwhile, Chanel’s signature quilted pattern makes for a distinctive design in its Coco Crush hand-polished and hand-set jewellery. The pieces are modern and understated, yet extremely emblematic of the maison.

Of course, we all are familiar with Chanel’s famous No 5 perfume. But instead of just wearing the scent, why not the unmistakable contours of a “5”, across a collection of gold jewellery enhanced with diamonds?

Another beloved motif is the feather, which decorated a hat Mademoiselle Chanel wore when she made her first appearance on a magazine cover in 1910. Since then, this light and delicate item has appeared in couture and jewellery; it was also one of the themes in her first jewellery collection, Bijoux de Diamants.

At the same 1932 presentation in Paris, the comet featured strongly, and has continued to be a great source of inspiration for Chanel’s jewellery collections since.

These are just some of the maison’s most bewitching symbols suggesting freedom, movement and beauty that continue to captivate us in their bejewelled forms – as a gift of Chanel always does.