Credits: Article and images by Ian Skellern @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2024/08/27/new-release-czapek-antarctique-polar-sky-and-flying-diamonds-sporty-chic-meets-black-tie-elegance/
The Czapek Antarctique collection is (or should I say, was) the brand sports-watch-on-metal-bracelet range of watches.
Now with the Antarctique Polar Sky and Flying Diamonds, the casual sports watch collection is spiced up with a touch of class and these new watches can easily be worn with style in business or formal evening settings.
Czapek Antarctique Polar Sky S (38.5mm) on the wrist
But be warned, if you want one you better pre-order quickly as they are all limited editions, and delivers don’t start until Q4 2025.
From the press release:
As Czapek continues to celebrate the chameleon character of the Antarctique, it brings a new and unexpected twist to the quintessential sporty-chic watch: ‘dressing it up for a gala’ with an aventurine dial and a version with diamond indexes.
Czapek Antarctique Polar Sky
Smart, sparkling and utterly modern, this new interpretation of the Antarctique and its smaller sibling, Antarctique S, perfectly captures today’s stylistic Zeitgeist, where high mixes with low, formal with sporty, sober with exuberant – respecting the rules while reinventing them in new ways.
This is very much aligned with the spirit that has guided Czapek & Cie since its inception in 2015. Inspired by the beauty and technical sophistication of the timepieces created by the 19th-century watchmaker François Czapek, the founders’ vision was based on a deep respect for tradition while taking a playful approach to the pursuit of beauty and mechanical excellence.
Czapek Antarctique Flying Diamonds
For Czapek, beauty is expressed through color, form and the play of light across different textures and surfaces, and the aventurine and diamond dials embody this ethos in a new way. The visual depth and subtle ‘starry sky’ sparkle of the aventurine contrast with the brilliance of the Antarctique-cut index markers which, in turn contrast with the polished surfaces and cool tones of the steel case, creating harmony from apparent contradictions.
“We released the Antarctique line in 2020 as the epitome of sporty elegance – and for us, the pared-down sophistication of its design makes it a natural platform for creativity,” says Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO of Czapek & Cie. “At Czapek we like to dream with our feet on the ground and our heads in the stars, and the sparkle of these new dials expresses that idea in a delightful and surprising way.”
Czapek Antarctique Polar Sky
Czapek has a longstanding love affair with aventurine, having harnessed its mysterious beauty for special editions of both Quai de Bergues (‘Midnight in Geneva’ limited edition to celebrate the first Geneva boutique opening, in 2019) and Faubourg de Cracovie (2022). “It’s a material that we love to play with, and it was a logical evolution to use it for the Antarctique – they were made to go together. Moreover, Antarctica is the world’s best spot for stargazing!” says de Roquemaurel.
Czapek Antarctique Flying Diamonds
Aventurine is a type of glass, developed by chance when a 17th-century Murano glassmaker accidentally dropped some metal shavings into a cooling glass mixture, creating a multicolored sparkle as they crystallized (its name is derived from all’avventura – Italian for ‘by chance’ and it pre-dates by at least a century the discovery of the natural quartz gemstone of the same name).
Working with aventurine requires considerable expertise, since it is naturally fragile and prone to cracking when being manipulated. Czapek’s collaborative approach – working with specialists in different crafts, in the traditional watchmaking spirit of établissage – proved once again to be a great strength when producing these dials.
Czapek wanted the elongated trapeze-shaped diamond indexes to be invisibly set onto the aventurine and the great challenge for its dial-making partner GT Cadrans was to create a special setting to achieve this for each of the 13 diamonds on the dial of the Flying Diamonds models.
Introduced at the beginning of 2023, the Antarctique cut of the elongated index markers was an entirely new diamond cut, designed exclusively for Czapek and officially registered. With 24 facets (14 on the pavilion and 10 on the table) the Antarctique cut captures and reflects the light much more than a standard baguette cut, which may have as few as 14 facets. And the longer the diamonds, the more precious the dial.
Czapek Antarctique micro-adjustment clasp
Launched in May 2020, the original 40.5mm Antarctique was followed in 2022 by the 38.5mm Antarctique S – a smaller case size designed to be elegant and comfortable on slimmer wrists.
Czapek in-house caliber SXH5 visible through the display back of the Antarctique
Both Antarctique models are powered by Caliber SXH5, the first movement to be entirely conceived in-house by Czapek. Inspired by the 19th-century pocket watches of François Czapek, it is immediately recognizable by its distinctive architecture of seven skeletonized bridges.
Taking the best from both the past and present of watchmaking, it features a variable inertia balance wheel and an elegant and highly efficient micro-rotor of recycled 950 platinum; the haute horlogerie finishes combine hand-beveled internal angles with state-of-the-art laser engraving to create a beautiful play of contrasts: light and dark, textured and smooth, matte and polished.
Czapek Antarctique Polar Sky
These watches will be available for pre-order with deliveries starting in Q4 2025.
For more information, please visit www.czapek.com/czapek-watches-collection-antarctique
Quick facts Czapek Antarctique Polar Sky and Flying Diamonds
Indications: Hours, minutes, central seconds
Dial: aventurine (with or without ‘Antarctique’ cut diamond indexes)
Case: stainless steel case with screwed down crown
Dimensions: 40.5 mm or 38.5 mm diameter, 10.5 mm high
Movement: in-house caliber SXH5 with platinum micro-rotor automatic winding
Power reserve: 60 hours
Water resistance: 120 meters
Bracelet/strap: integrated steel bracelet with Czapek ‘Easy Release’ system and micro adjustment with additional calf or rubber strap
Limitation:
Antarctique Polar Sky, 40.5mm diameter without diamonds in 99 pieces;
Antarctique S Polar Sky 38.5mm without diamonds in 77 pieces
Antarctique Flying Diamonds 40.5mm with diamond indexes and optional diamond-set case and bracelet in 8 pieces
Antarctique S Flying Diamonds 38.5mm with diamond indexes and optional diamond-set case and bracelet in 18 pieces.
Price: Polar Sky 26,000 Swiss francs, Flying Diamonds 40.5 mm 42,800 Swiss francs, Flying Diamonds 38.5 mm 38,000 Swiss francs
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Credits: Article and images by Ian Skellern @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2024/08/27/new-release-czapek-antarctique-polar-sky-and-flying-diamonds-sporty-chic-meets-black-tie-elegance/
