Czapek Introduces New Antarctique Models at Watches and Wonders 2023

Of all of Czapek’s memorable timepieces (think Quai des Bergues, Place Vendôme, Faubourg de Cracovie, Antarctique and Crystal Time), the Antarctique is the one that’s emerged as the most significant. At Watches and Wonders 2023, the independent timepiece maker has released new Antarctique additions including the stunningly skeletonised Révélation that displays the movement on the dial side.

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GMT India takes a closer look at the Watches and Wonders novelties.

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Antarctique S

As part of its Watches and Wonders releases, Czapek has unveiled the collection in two distinctive variations: Carte des Nuages and Sashiko. Carte des Nuages now comes with two dial options of Misty White and Stormy Grey; Sashiko also gets two dial options: Sashiko Azure and Sashiko Pink Lotus.

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Carte des Nuages

The new 38.5mm stainless steel case perfectly complements the two new dial options: Stormy Grey and Misty White, each limited to 50 pieces.

The watches come with diamond-set bezels, integrated lugs, crown, and first ‘C’ link on the bracelet. Common to both the variants is the dial which is made of white mother-of-pearl. Both variants come with the Carte des Nuages guilloché grid lines motif. While Stormy Grey gets a grey coating on the dial, Misty White has a white mother-of-pearl dial.

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Both the Antarctique models do not have traditional Arabic or Roman numerals as hour markers. Instead, there are 11 princess-cut diamonds that mark the hours; the 12 o’clock marker gets an exclusive ‘Antarctique cut’ diamond. The hour, minute and second hands are sword-shaped with luminescent coating.

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The collection is powered by self winding calibre SXH5, the first movement to be entirely conceived and assembled in house by Czapek, and launched in 2020. It offers a power reserve of 60 hours on a single barrel. Turning the watch showcases the sapphire caseback with a micro rotor and a recycled platinum mass.

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Both variants are finished on an integrated stainless steel bracelet with the Czapek exclusive ‘Easy Release’ system and micro-adjustment device. It comes with an additional calf leather or rubber strap.

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Sashiko

This Czapek timepiece comes in a 38.5mm stainless steel case with two dial options: Sashiko Azure Grey and Sashiko Pink Lotus. They’re both 99-piece limited editions with a light blue or pink flinqué dial adorned with Japanese embroidery pattern. The dial gets either metal, trapezoidal-shaped hour markers with sword-shaped hour, minute and second hands, or luminescent metal hour markers. 

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Powering the watches is the same self-winding calibre SXH5 with a 60-hour power reserve. The sapphire skeleton caseback showcases a micro rotor, a recycled platinum mass and the engraving of the model name.

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Both Antarctique variants are finished on an integrated stainless steel bracelet with the Czapek exclusive ‘Easy Release’ system and micro-adjustment device and an additional calf leather or rubber strap.

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Révélation 

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When one mentions skeleton dials and the name ‘Czapek’, the watch that instantly comes to mind is the Antarctique Chronograph - Rattrapante Ice Blue that earned an official 2022 GPHG nomination. This year, Czapek has released another skeletonised watch, the Révélation: a 40.5mm stainless steel watch, limited to 100 pieces.

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The meticulously skeletonised dial comes with a reverse escapement. The movement has been designed in such a way that the seconds could not be connected by a bridge to the centre of the movement, so there is a seconds sub-dial instead at 4:30. The luminescent sword-shaped hour and minute hand, along with luminescent rhodium-plated hour markers allow for a convenient time-reading experience even in low light conditions. The minutes can be read on the sapphire ring on the movement’s periphery.

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The oscillating mass is engraved on both sides of the watch; the crown mechanism is visible to the naked eye. Self-winding calibre SXH7 with a 60-hour power reserve runs the watch. The sapphire skeleton caseback reveals a micro rotor, a recycled platinum mass, the engraving of Révélation, and four visible screws.

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The Révélation is finished on an integrated stainless steel bracelet with the Czapek exclusive ‘Easy Release’ system and micro-adjustment device. There’s an additional calf leather or rubber strap.

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