The aim of Promenade was to express a truly modern idea of elegance: chic, relaxed and very easy to wear. The case should be slim, which called for a micro-rotor movement. Thus, it was a natural decision to translate the strengths of Czapek’s in-house calibre SXH5 – originally developed for the sporting Antarctique collection – into this new identity. 

The style of Promenade gives a subtle nod to the calibre’s sporting origins but is deliberately not a sports watch. “We love to play with colour, techniques and materials, so Promenade is not just a timekeeping instrument but also a canvas for creative expression.” says Czapek's CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel.

A SLIM CASE 

Remaining true to the spirit of elegance, the Promenade case pays homage to Czapek’s icon – the original Quai des Bergues model. The result is a modern evolution, rather than a revolution, recognisable as part of the family thanks to the recessed and sand-blasted case sides, the signature curved crown protection, and a slim, rounded bezel that fully opens the dial to view. A key criterion was that the 38mm case should be as slim as the calibre would allow – below the threshold of 10 millimetres. 

A DECORATIVE TECHNIQUE REINVENTED 

Czapek’s deep respect for the rules of traditional watchmaking allows it to bend its own design rules – and so the signature of the Promenade dial is asymmetry: the designs all radiate from the small seconds dial placed at 4:30, producing a sense of dynamic tension and flowing movement. Driven, as always, by Czapek’s twin imperatives of colour and detail – with the emphasis on creating an intriguing play of light and shade as the wearer’s wrist moves – a classical dial decoration techniques – Grand Feu enamel – is used in a new way:

‘Goutte d’Eau’ (drops of water) harnesses the beauty of grand feu enamel to mesmerising effect: as the watch moves, an optical illusion is created – as when a raindrop falls on the still surface of a pond, ripples appear to radiate out from the seconds sub-dial. Czapek’s partner in creating the Goutte d’Eau dial is Donzé Cadrans.