OUR WATCHMAKING APPROACH
UNIQUE DESIGNS
At Czapek we put an extraordinary effort in perfecting all details, especially when it comes to dial designs. Deep textures especially crafted to capture the light and create lively color reflections, such as the Antarctique Passage de Drake patterns, but also ‘philosophical’ concepts, as in the case of Titanium Dark Sector dial, where time is indicated by the voids among the segments. Moreover, most of our dial designs are officially registered at the Swiss design register.
OUR CALIBERS
The red line among the seven calibers developed by Czapek over the years lies in the movements design and architecture, as well as in their rare and fine finishing. Both symmetry and asymmetry inspired by Francois Czapek’s original pocket watches from the 1850s, arranging the movement's parts for visual harmony and transparency, contribute to Czapek’s caliber design signature and exceptional architecture. At the same time, special attention is given to performance and precision, as for the COSC-certified cronometry of the chronograph in the Faubourg de Cracovie line, or the innovative double escapement with differential created in collaboration with Master Watchmaker Bernhard Lederer. Being able to create visually stunning mechanical movements that inspire the heart and the intellect, movements that are arguably very attractive but at the same time are really meant for movement nerds. This is the heart of Czapek when it comes to developing calibers.
ARTISANAL DIALS
Our dials are not just the “face” of our watches. They are, in essence, the natural extension of our mechanical movements in both beauty and complexity. Whether it is Hand Guilloché, Grand Feu Enamel, or Flinqué, the incredible skills required to create each one of them are the prerogative of only few rare people in this world. We are proud to work with the best amongst them and present their amazing work here.
THE ART OF GUILLOCHÉ
Guilloché (also called engine-turning) is a decorating technique in which intricate geometric patterns are engraved onto dials and, sometimes, cases.
THE ART OF ENAMEL
Discover the history of Belgium in this well-documented book with many illustrations and testimonials.
"Le beau est toujours bizarre." C. Baudelaire, Exposition Universelle, 1855
From the outset, Harry, Sébastien and I took the crucial decision to retain François Czapek’s style and personality in the resurrected brand, not let our preferences take over and create a personal approach to design and creativity – to seamlessly connect 1850 with the 21st Century. We sought to understand Czapek as if he were alive and young.
We studied his life, analyzed his creations and strived to understand his personality through his timepieces. We realized that Czapek had a deep sense of beauty, and that he was giving voice to his clients' taste and expressing it in a unique manner. He integrated contrasting elements – a Roman minute hand with a Fleur-de-lys hour hand or vertical symmetry with horizontal asymmetry, as in the human body - breaking the classical mold of the “expected” to create an unexpected harmony. In 1855 the French poet Charles Baudelaire defined Beauty as made of two elements, one easy to understand and “digest”, the other “inexplicable” and impossible to grasp.
One timeless, the other ephemeral… And this is what we found in Czapek’s work - elements combined in a slightly different manner in order to overcome a subjective impression: the beauty of a piece can draw universal appreciation when it surprises with elegance. Our mission was simply to continue his quest for Beauty without attempting to define it, to create a new product comprised of two parts, one timeless, and the other a reflection of our modern times.
Xavier de Roquemaurel • CEO & Partner
MASTER SEAL
Golden bees (cicadas, in fact) are considered the oldest emblem of the sovereigns of France. They became the symbol of imperial France and of Napoléon III and symbolize resurrection and eternity. Czapek’s poinçon de maître (Master Seal) features a golden bee as a tribute to the designation of imperial purveyor he obtained in the 1850s… and a symbol of the brand’s revival.
OPEN RATCHETS
The historical 3430 pocket watch made by Czapek in the 1850’s featured a beautiful pair of open ratchets. This remarkable detail was reintroduced in the SXH1 movement. Czapek’s open ratchets are polished, circular-grained and finely chamfered.
DOUBLE HAND
Czapek’s double hand is a unique means to display the seven-day power reserve with the indication of the day of the week. It was first featured in the model No.3430. In the 19th Century, clocks were wound once a week, on Sunday after mass. François Czapek conceived this double hand the same way. When fully wound, the power reserve indicates Sunday, and ends on Saturday, when it is nearly empty.
SECRET SIGNATURE
This custom is two centuries old and extremely rare. Czapek’s hand-written signature reveals itself when a ray of light hits the enamel at a specific angle. The inscription is a faithful reproduction of François Czapek’s signature, as written in the Czapek & Cie company registration available in Geneva’s State Archives.
COLLECTIONS
WE COLLECT RARE PEOPLE
