SpotlightPresenting The Czapek & Cie Antarctique Tourbillon Timepiece

As Czapek & Cie enter their 10th year as a revived watchmaking maison, they also mark 180 years since François Czapek established the brand. To commemorate this milestone, at Watches and Wonders Geneva, this year, the brand showcase their Antarctique Tourbillon timepiece with a gorgeous new architecture. At its base is a new ‘vortex’ style guilloche pattern, which is open-worked along a vertical axis that displays barrel, gear train and tourbillon. An elongated, skeletonised bridge offers horizontal symmetry to the skeletonised vertical axis. In the process, this bridge across the dial enhances the architecture of the watch.

Patterned Depth Of The Czapek Antarctique Tourbillon

For the guilloche dial, the brand approached dial experts Metalem, who created the new trompe l’oeil (which translates to ‘optical illusion’) guilloche pattern. Called Singularité as a reference to the astronomical ‘singularity’, used in the context of black holes, the pattern resembles a whirlpool. Unlike most other guilloche textures where the starting point remains constant, to achieve the Singularité pattern, the starting point constantly shifts with each passing of the rose engine lathe. Its intertwining mesh-like lines in the centre are denser than those on the periphery of the dial, giving the watch a distinct depth. The dimensionality is further enhanced by open-worked views of the tourbillon at six o’clock, the gear train in the middle of the dial, and the barrel at 12 o’clock.

Called Singularité as a reference to the astronomical ‘singularity’, used in the context of black holes, the guilloche pattern resembles a whirlpool. The Antarctique Tourbillon Secret Alloy

Intertwining mesh-like lines in the centre are denser than those on the periphery, giving the watch a distinct depth. The Glacier Blue dial of the Antarctique Tourbillon

The dimensionality is further enhanced by open-worked views of the tourbillon at six o’clock, the gear train in the middle of the dial, and the barrel at 12. The Photon Sphere dial

01

Versatile Appeal Of The Czapek Antarctique Tourbillon

Each of the three dial options of the Czapek & Cie Antarctique Tourbillon timepiece—icy ‘glacier blue’, sand-hued ‘photon sphere’ and grey ‘secret alloy’—has a unique character. Dials are framed by a steel case sized at 40.5mm with a height of 11.5mm. An integrated steel bracelet with both brushed and polished links offset the luxury of the guilloche dial. An additional rubber strap is provided, should the wearer want to switch. The brand have equipped the watches with their ‘easy release’ system that facilitates the easy interchangeability between straps.

New Movement Behind The Czapek & Cie Antarctique Tourbillon

The Czapek & Cie Antarctique Tourbillon is powered by the maison’s new calibre 9, with a power reserve of 72 hours. A curved 5N gold winding rotor with a pattern similar to that on the dial stands out on the caseback.

A curved 5N gold winding rotor with a pattern similar to that on the dial stands out on the caseback view of the Czapek Antarctique Tourbillon watch

As Czapek grow as an independent brand, their approach becomes bolder, while staying true to the vision of the watchmaker that started it all. The resultant Czapek Antarctique Tourbillon timepiece displays both the brand’s respect for their history and avant-garde approach to time.