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In response to Switzerland’s Czapek & Cie (“Czapek”), the brand new for 2020 Czapek Antarctique (aBlogtoWatch debut right here) is hands-down the model’s hottest watch of the yr. The model as a complete has dazzled collectors with spirited fashionable watches that includes a standard look, which additionally marked the return of an outdated identify to up to date watchmaking. Czapek additionally made historical past a number of years in the past as being among the many most high-end manufacturers to get its firm going through crowdfunding.
Over the previous couple of years, a few of Czapek’s watches edged nearer and nearer to being “sporty.” This was a call based mostly on market forces and suggestions from customers making it clear that they wished to put on their Czapek watches in additional informal settings. Alas, not withstanding the pandemic and the surging recognition of “athleisure,” fewer and fewer folks (in any respect revenue ranges) have the chance to put on costume watches, whereas formal events are more and more uncommon for lots of people. That has left a whole lot of costume watches to collect mud, nevertheless it additionally creates new alternatives for design and new product creation. The recognition of timepieces such because the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus is mostly a response to luxurious consumers wanting extra informal, easy watches to take pleasure in every day. It’s as if the market is saying, “We would like informal luxurious watches, and we really feel that metal watches on a bracelet which roughly simply point out the time are a satisfying method of getting that.”
The Czapek & Cie Antarctique assortment of watches is in direct response. It’s a sportier Czapek, and it is usually a Czapek that falls in keeping with probably the most common developments in luxurious timepieces. So, how does it stack up towards the competitors?
From a value and technical perspective, the Czapek Antarctique has rather a lot going for it and is competitively priced, given what it provides. Czapek constructed the Antarctique to be quite a lot of fashions — actually, a platform. Which means that, within the years to return, customers will see quite a lot of variations of the Antarctique. This specific mannequin is the Czapek & Cie Antarctique Passage de Drake (debuted on aBlogtoWatch right here). It isn’t even only one mannequin however truly represents the dial fashion and texture. Along with this black-colored model of the Passage de Drake, there’s a grey, blue, and silver model accessible, and even the colour of the seconds hand is one thing that may be customized from a collection of accessible choices.
Czapek calls this Passage de Drake (i.e. Drake’s Passage, in reference to a dangerously stormy waterway between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica) stamped-dial-style “Stairway to Eternity.” That sounds suspiciously like a reputation designed to recommend (whereas not irritating) Led Zeppelin. The Antarctique dial itself is fairly beautiful, truly. What I like finest is the legibility supplied regardless of the wealthy stage of character and luxurious sheen. The utilized palms and hour markers are framed in polished metallic, however nothing about that makes it arduous to learn them towards the high-contrast black-textured dial. The palms are all the precise size, and dial symmetry is prioritized within the total design.
Built-in bracelet watches — a class of timepiece merchandise that the Czapek Antarctique has clearly aimed to be part of — will not be truly identified for his or her showy or elaborate dials. Reasonably, the dial is meant to convey character and classicism, whereas the watch case and bracelet design are the place a lot of the visible pizazz could be discovered. Czapek actually wished to impress in that division.
At 40.5mm-wide in metal, the Antarctique is 10.6mm-thick and topped with a barely domed AR-coated sapphire crystal. It kind of amuses me that Czapek determined to price the case’s water resistance to 120 meters, a moderately uncommon score that simply occurs to even be shared by the Patek Philippe Nautilus.
The case itself has a whole lot of very good particulars and is well-finished (as you’d count on at this value). I like how, although the watch case has conventional proportions, a detailed examination reveals the fascinating work alongside its flanks, and the way Czapek did some artistic issues with how the brushed ending is utilized.
Given the theme of the Antarctique, it has an identical metal bracelet that’s built-in into the case but additionally detaches with a brand new quick-release mechanism. Czapek provides a collection of accessible straps for the watch that may in all probability give wearers a whole lot of fascinating and trendy variations to match with their life-style. The tapering bracelet is kind of comfy and is designed with hyperlinks that appear like downward-facing brackets — or Czapek “C” letters, because the model meant. The bracelet is well-done, and the elements match collectively properly. That stated, there’s a whole lot of competitors on this area and, in some areas, Czapek might in all probability enhance sooner or later. For one factor, the hyperlinks will not be beveled or angled on their edges. This isn’t completely needed, however with a whole lot of different watches providing this decor, it leaves the Antarctique hyperlinks feeling a bit fundamental. The bracelet additionally makes use of pressure pins to carry the hyperlinks collectively, versus screw-in pins. Once more, this actually doesn’t have an effect on structural integrity, however these elements are perceived as not being as priceless. In lots of cases, utilizing them is definitely higher as a result of it permits for a more cost effective method of creating a thinner metal bracelet.
The bracelet closes elegantly with a folding butterfly-style deployant clasp. The clasp itself is among the many higher ones accessible, however it’s nonetheless a sourced inventory half with the Czapek emblem laser-eteched on it. There’s nothing inherently incorrect with this, however I presume a whole lot of customers in search of impartial watches at this value stage have already gone by way of a whole lot of watches and revel in merchandise from manufacturers like Czapek resulting from originality of design, in addition to elements.
Flip the Antarctique case over and you’ll view the proprietary new motion by way of the show window. Often called the caliber SXH5, the micro-rotor-based computerized motion has deep gray-colored bridges and a design that’s extra akin to conventional pocket watch actions than up to date wristwatch actions. This was executed deliberately to supply a extra “open bridge” design that’s aesthetically pleasing and fascinating to have a look at in operation. The motion provides the time and date, working at 4Hz (28,800 bph) with an influence reserve of 56 hours. For weight, the automated rotor is in stable platinum and the motion is simply 4.2mm-thick. The SXH5 motion is really a spotlight of the watch and can be one thing that Antarctique wearers can be keen to point out to different timepiece hobbyists (as it is going to possible impress onlookers).
The Czapek & Cie Antarctique Passage de Drake watch (right here with the “Black Ink” dial) represents a lot of what’s common within the luxurious timepiece area proper now. That’s as a result of, in a whole lot of methods, manufacturers like Czapek are on the slicing fringe of what timepiece hobbyists appear to need. Accordingly, Czapek is delightfully busy making an attempt to provide orders of those items. The model will even proceed to refine the watch over time, however the limited-production nature of the Antarctique will even protect a really actual sense of exclusivity for the gathering — one thing essential to many consumers spending one of these coin. Value for the Czapek & Cie Antarctique Passage de Drake watch is eighteen,000 Swiss Francs, or $20,000 USD. Be taught extra on the Czapek watches web site right here.
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