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Pre-order is an inquiry for a product availability while visiting the designer workshop or brand boutique.
Price: 38,000.00 CHF (EXCL. VAT)
Collection: Antarctique
Description:
The high art of skeletonisation allows connoisseur and neophyte alike to discover and delight in the inner workings of a watch, the interplay of the hollowed-out bridges, wheels, and hands around a filigree mainplate.
The Antarctique Révélation takes this idea even further. The movement itself is placed on the dial side, where it acts as a fascinating animation to thrill the wearer. It recalls the Antarctique Rattrapante launched in 2021, which featured the first split-seconds chronograph to appear on the dial.
What sounded simple at first became a three-year saga of deep exploration into aesthetics and engineering. The powerful SXH5 was an outstanding caliber on its own merit and with an exceptionally stark design, in particular the fine bridges angling over to grip the gearwheels, a hint of the 19th century Czapek pocket watch movements.
“One of the first requests had been to engrave a drawing of the movement onto the dial, as a ‘trompe l’oeil,’” says Xavier de Roquemaurel. "But soon a far more complex idea emerged, namely turning part of the movement upside down in the case and skeletonizing the main plate.”
Gradually, what emerged was a new movement, the SXH7. As it evolved, elements from other Czapek models found their place, like the central tripod from the Antarctique Rattrapante holding together the finely cut out bridges. The position of the small seconds, too, is reminiscent of the famous day-date subdial of the Quai des Bergues.
The SXH7 caliber, was born as an evolution of the SXH5 movement. The decision of skeletonizing the main plate raised a number of significant challenges, the first one being to completely reverse the escapement. Then the oscillating mass had to be engraved on both sides, for example, and the crown mechanism, now visible to the naked eye, had to be reworked entirely. On a more technical note, the seconds hand could no longer be connected by a bridge to the center, so space was made at 4:30 for a small seconds dial. The solution was to use sapphire crystal ring for the seconds. It is discreetly attached to the larger sapphire ring carrying the hours and minutes and ensuring as much transparency as possible, so the wearer can take a deep dive into the mechanism.
In fine watchmaking, every little detail counts. Besides the exceptional SXH7 movement and the sleek and sharp design of the case or the dial, a great deal of attention was put on the bracelet. The feeling when placed on the wrist, the comfort in every situation and lightness are as important as the timepiece visual and technical qualities. The capability to be forgotten by its wearer and to suddenly reveal its stunning beauty create an intensely pleasurable dichotomy. This is why the Antarctique collection is equipped by an ergonomic brushed integrated bracelet, whose links mesh to form a highly polished 'C' for Czapek.
But there’s more, since January 2022, this bracelet also features a micro-adjustment system, allowing the wearer to extend its lenght by few milimeters in an instant. An additional strap is also provided, as Czapek has developed an exclusive quick-change system allowing the wearer to switch from one strap to another in a minute. A large choice of straps is now offered to provide a maximum versatility and playful experience. Four rubber straps whose pattern recalls the 'Stairway to Eternity' design on the Passage de Drake dial are available in either black, white, dark blue or dark grey. A selection of soft calf straps with contrasting topstitches can be also order on demand.
Downolad technical file.
