Czapek & Cie's Antarctique Tourbillon represents a significant release for the brand, coinciding with both the 10th anniversary of
Czapek & Cie's revival and the 180th anniversary of the original Maison founded by François Czapek in 1845. This new model isn't merely an addition to the Antarctique line; it's a deliberate evolution, showcasing a fresh in-house movement and a captivating aesthetic direction. The project of creating this new timepiece was intended to walk the line of past design with progressive design.
The core of the Antarctique Tourbillon is the new in-house Calibre 9. Czapek's design philosophy, emphasizing visual appeal, is clearly evident here. The movement's architecture is deliberately open, revealing the three main components: the tourbillon, the gear train, and the barrel. These elements are meticulously aligned along the vertical axis of the dial, creating a sense of balance and airiness. The flying tourbillon, positioned at the bottom of the dial, appears to almost float, directly linked to the gear train. Above it, the gear train itself is prominently displayed, situated beneath a strikingly long and curved minutes bridge. The barrel occupies the upper portion of the dial, residing within an aperture under an open-worked bridge.
Courtesy of Czapek
This arrangement isn't just for show. The visual depth is carefully considered, with curves and convex surfaces throughout the movement. The bridges feature hand-polished angles, and the upper arms of the titanium tourbillon cage are satin-polished, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. The technical side is equally impressive. The tourbillon's geometry necessitated a precisely machined convex titanium cage, and the anticlockwise crown wheel required the development of a unique toothing system. Calibre 9 stands out as the first Czapek calibre designed, conceived, constructed, and largely machined in-house. However, Czapek maintains its commitment to the principle of établissage, collaborating with specialized partners for certain components, ensuring both independence and access to top-tier expertise.
Complementing the movement's intricate mechanics is a specially developed guilloché pattern on the dial, named "Singularité." Created in collaboration with Metalem, a long-standing partner of Czapek, this pattern generates a mesmerizing vortex effect, suggesting a sense of immense depth. It's a challenging pattern to execute, differing from traditional guilloché. In "Singularité," the starting point of the lathe changes with each pass, unlike classic patterns where lines originate from a single point.
Courtesy of Czapek
To further enhance the visual effect, the hour markers are integrated into the flange, rather than being applied to the dial itself. The bridges, including the gracefully curved gear train bridge, are seamlessly integrated into the main plate through the guilloché dial plate. This dial plate, a captivating visual element, is a design that is pleasing to the eye, and a watch that will catch many glimpses from any collector or admirer.
The 40.5mm case of the Antarctique Tourbillon has been thoughtfully redesigned to harmonize with the watch's overall aesthetic. The front and back sapphire crystals are subtly raised, inspired by the curved glass box design of the Antarctique Rattrapante. This creates the illusion of a bezel-less design on the reverse side. The engravings typically found on a caseback bezel are instead executed inside the crystal using metallization, presented in a mirror style to be read correctly from the outside. The gold winding rotor, visible through the caseback, also features a convex surface.
Adding a further touch of artistry, Michèle Rothen, Czapek's master engraver, has hand-engraved the rotor with a black-hole-inspired pattern that echoes the "Singularité" guilloché on the dial. It is touches like this that Czapek collectors value the most. This level of detail is what adds so much value in the luxury watch market.
Courtesy of Czapek
The Antarctique Tourbillon maintains the comfort and design of the existing Antarctique line, featuring a brushed integrated stainless steel bracelet with polished "C" shaped links. The bracelet incorporates a micro-adjustment system for a precise fit and a quick-change mechanism for easy swapping with the included rubber or leather straps.
The dial, a key element of any watch, showcases Czapek's innovative "Singularité" guilloché pattern. This isn't a simple decorative touch; it's a complex pattern that creates a "vortex" effect, giving the impression of looking into a deep, swirling space. The pattern's name, "Singularité," refers to the astronomical concept of a singularity, a point where the usual laws of physics break down, like in a black hole. This theme is subtly echoed in the hand-engraved pattern on the gold winding rotor, visible through the caseback.
The Antarctique Tourbillon, reflecting Czapek's commitment to offering options, is available in three distinct dial colors. There's "Glacier Blue," a light and refreshing shade, "Photon Sphere," a warm 5N gold hue, and "Secret Alloy," a unique grey color that's limited to 50 pieces. Each color provides a different character to the watch, allowing collectors to choose one that best suits their individual taste. The blued hour-markers and hands, coated with Superluminova for low-light visibility, provide a sharp contrast against the dial, ensuring legibility. The polished hands against the colorful dials of the watches are another touch that collectors value.
Courtesy of Czapek
Czapek Calibre 9, powers the Antarctique Tourbillon. This isn't just any movement; it's a completely new in-house creation, designed with a focus on visual appeal and technical prowess. The movement's layout is deliberately open, showcasing the key components – the tourbillon, gear train, and barrel – in a balanced, vertical arrangement. The flying tourbillon, positioned at 6 o'clock, appears to hover between the dial and the main plate. It's directly connected to the gear train, which sits above it, anchored by a long, curved bridge. The barrel, which stores the watch's power, is located at the top of the dial, visible beneath an open-worked bridge.
The movement boasts a 72-hour power reserve, meaning the watch will run for three days when fully wound. It operates at a frequency of 3 Hz, which translates to 21,600 vibrations per hour. This frequency contributes to the smooth sweep of the seconds hand and the overall accuracy of the watch. The movement comprises 191 individual parts, each meticulously finished and assembled. The bridges are open-worked, sandblasted, blackened, satin-finished, and hand-bevelled, showcasing the high level of craftsmanship. The Swiss lever escapement, a crucial component for regulating the watch's timekeeping, features a variable inertia balance with four gold inertia weights, ensuring precise adjustments.
Courtesy of Czapek
The case is water-resistant to 50 meters, making it suitable for everyday wear but not for deep diving. The sapphire crystal glass box, both front and back, is treated with an anti-reflective coating on the inner side, ensuring a clear view of the dial and movement. The case height is 11.5mm, a moderate thickness that allows the watch to sit comfortably on the wrist.
The three variations are all priced the same, reflecting the consistency of the model, movement and materials. The Antarctique Tourbillon models are priced at 63,000.00 CHF (Swiss Francs) each, before taxes. They are available for pre-order through Czapek's authorized dealers worldwide, their boutique in Geneva, and their online platform.
Case: 40.5mm diameter, 11.5mm height. Stainless steel. Sapphire crystal glass box with anti-reflective treatment on the inner side (front and back). Water-resistant to 50 meters.
Movement: In-house Calibre 9, mechanical with automatic winding. Diameter: ø32.4mm. Height: oscillating weight/bottom dials 3.79mm, oscillating weight/centre bridge 7mm. 191 parts, 20 jewels. Swiss lever escapement, variable inertia balance (8mg per cm) via 4 gold inertia weights. Frequency: 3 Hz. Automatic winding, hand-engraved 5N gold oscillating weight. 72-hour power reserve. Openwork ratchets, sandblasted, blackened, satin-finished and hand-bevelled bridges, six inward angles.
Dial: Hand-guilloche, registered ‘Singularity’ dial. Available in 401 ‘Secret Alloy’ original grey colour, Glacier Blue, or Photon Sphere (5N gold hue). Blued hour-markers with Superluminova. Blued hands with Superluminova.
Strap: Integrated stainless steel bracelet with Czapek exclusive ‘Easy Release’ system and micro-adjustment device. Additional rubber strap included. Other leather options available.
Price: 63,000.00 CHF
Notes: Features a newly designed in-house Calibre 9 with a flying tourbillon. The "Singularité" dial pattern is a unique guilloché design. Secret Alloy dial is a limited edition of 50 pieces.