SpotlightComplex Symphony: Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité

Czapek & Cie with German master watchmaker Bernhard Lederer has unveiled a highly complicated timepiece called Place Vendôme Complicité at the Geneva Watch Days 2023 in two iterations—Harmony Blue (a deep sapphire blue with an 18-karat rose gold case) and Stardust (a cool grey version with white gold case). Lederer is noted for his iconic design of the Central Impulse Chronometer featuring two overlapping oscillators, and the highlighting feature of the 2023 iterations is also their unique double escapement component dating to the 1930s­.

Why Complicité Means Seamless Integration

The inspiration behind Place Vendôme Complicité is the brand’s 2018 iterations of Quai des Bergues and Place Vendôme for their ‘movement architecture’ that positioned counters at 7.30 and 4.30 (between seven and eight o’clock; and between four and five o’clock. In the 2023 model, two independent balance wheels replace the sub-dials. The dial has a pyramidal composition, with the double escapements and differential connecting them located at 12 o’clock. Wedged inbetween the two escapement sub-dials is the fourth sub-dial, the fan-shaped power reserve indicator at six o’clock. The satin brushed flange and index ring contrasts with the matt grainé baseplate. Both iterations run on the in-house Calibre 8, visible at the caseback; manually wound to beat at 21,600vph, offering upto 72-hour power reserve. Made of 293 parts, the movement looks resplendent with two sapphire bridges embedded with six rubies set in gold chatons.

Wedged inbetween the two escapement sub-dials is the fourth sub-dial, the fan-shaped power reserve indicator at six o’clock

Adding some linearity to the dial are the skeletal sword-shaped hour and minute hands, with the sweeping seconds hand

The satin brushed flange and index ring contrasts with the matt grainé baseplate

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Building this complex movement was not easy, but Czapek CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel and ‘friends of the brand’, have always believed in watches in which technical and aesthetic elements merged. Plus destiny played its part. de Roquemaurel’s son Paul and Lederer’s daughter were classmates at a Neuchâtel school, which led to the two fathers eventually crossing paths. Their friendship grew, and in time Lederer took up the challenge to construct this escapement architecture.

Both iterations run on the in-house Calibre 8, visible at the caseback; manually wound to beat at 21,600vph, offering upto 72-hour power reserve

Made of 293 parts, the movement looks resplendent with two sapphire bridges embedded with six rubies set in gold chatons

The Finer Things

Adding some linearity to the dial are the skeletal sword-shaped hour and minute hands, with the sweeping seconds hand. Colourwise, the hands and Super-LumiNova-filled hour markers match the slim bezel and the 41.8mm case. A mix of curved edges and sharp lines define the case, which also features a crown wheel mechanism designed by Lederer that operates the movement. The 50 limited-run edition per iteration comes attached to an alligator strap in matching dial hue, fitted with gold folding clasp.