Czapek & Cie introduces two new limited editions to the Faubourg de Cracovie range. The Purple Panda, where the Résonance guilloché motif is coloured in an unprecedented purple hue, and the California Blue, with a California dial, giving it a vintage feel.
Blue is the new black? For Czapek, why not? But also intense purple – inspired by Haute Couture. The creative incursions of the Geneva-based maison in the field of original dial colours with the most modern metal colouring techniques have produced two new models, which enrich the Faubourg de Cracovie family of chronographs – the Purple Panda and the California Blue.
As is often the case with Czapek, a brand known for its inclusive and collaborative spirit, the two timepieces originated from two bespoke requests from collectors of the brand, which then became ultra-limited editions.
In the case of the Purple Panda, the exclusive registered “Résonance” guilloche pattern has been tinged with a magnificent deep purple color, contrasting with the white of the chronograph’s minute and hour counters. An original and contemporary timepiece, “totally in the air-du-temps,” as Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO of Czapek & Cie, comments. “Most of our clients associate Czapek with unexpected vivid colors and have invited us to make incursions in directions that are not so common in Haute Horology, as if Czapek also had an Haute Couture dimension. The tone of the Purple Panda was born from these exchanges… and its name from our low-key, humorous culture”.
The California Blue, on the other hand, features a deep and intense blue grainé dial, and echoes the numbering called “Californian” already used for the Faubourg de Cracovie California Dreamin’ model – half in Roman and half in Arabic numerals. In turn, the California Dreamin’ was inspired by the very first watch in the brand’s modern history, created to raise the initial funds to relaunch the Czapek & Cie name.
Both timepieces are powered by the Czapek SXH3 caliber, made by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier in a bespoke execution for Czapek. It is a COSC-certified, integrated column-wheel chronograph with vertical engagement and high frequency – 36,000 vibrations per hour or 5 Hertz. An automatic haute horlogerie movement, with excellent finishes such as sandblasting and snailed finish.
“After 4 years of experience and analysis, we can now affirm that the SXH3 is one of the most reliable and precise Haute Horology chronographs ever built. It is a masterpiece in terms of conception, displaying the regularity of a perfect machine”, says Xavier de Roquemaurel.
Made in just 18 pieces each, the two new timepieces will be available in official Czapek & Cie retailers worldwide and on Czapek.com from March 2022.
Czapek & Cie Faubourg de Cracovie Purple Panda
Stainless steel case, Handmade guilloche dial, with SuperLuminova® coating. Certified Chronometer (COSC)
Functions
- Chronograph, hours, minutes & seconds
- Chronograph’s minutes at 3 o’clock
- Chronograph’s hours at 9 o’clock
- Small seconds at 6 o’clock
- Date at 6 o’clock
Movement
- Caliber SXH3: Haute Horlogerie integrated automatic chronograph movement with a bespoke execution
- Power reserve: 65 hours
- Frequency: 5 Hz – 36’000 VpH
- Column wheel, vertical clutch and linear
hammer - Golden rotor with Czapek logo
- Diameter: 30mm – 13 lines 1/4
- Height: 6.95mm
- Certified chronometer (COSC)
- Finely sandblasted and diamond blasted anthracite bridges, snailed trottoirs
Case
- 41.5mm stainless steel case
- Sapphire crystal glass-box with anti-reflective treatment
- Sapphire case back with anti-reflective treatment on the inner side
- Water resistance: 50m
Dial
- Handcrafted Guilloché “Résonance” bombé dial in AuPtPdAg
- Rhodium plated steel hands
- Baton applied indexes with SuperLuminova® treatment
- 12 in Arabic numeral with SuperLuminova® treatment
Bracelet
- Alligator strap with a steel deploying buckle
International retail price
- 29’000 CHF or 28’300 EUR
Faubourg de Cracovie California Blue
Stainless steel case, Californian style dial, hands with SuperLuminova® coating. Certified Chronometer (COSC)
Functions
- Caliber SXH3: Haute Horlogerie integrated
- automatic chronograph movement with a bespoke execution
- Power reserve: 65 hours
- Frequency: 5 Hz – 36’000 VpH
- Column wheel, vertical clutch and linear hammer
- Golden rotor with Czapek logo
- Diameter: 30mm – 13 lines 1/4
- Height: 6.95mm
- Certified chronometer (COSC)
Movement
- Caliber SXH3: Haute Horlogerie integrated automatic chronograph movement with a bespoke execution
- Power reserve: 65 hours
- Frequency: 5 Hz – 36’000 VpH
- Column wheel, vertical clutch and linear hammer
- Golden rotor with Czapek logo
- Diameter: 30mm – 13 lines 1/4
- Height: 6.95mm
- Certified chronometer (COSC)
- Finely sandblasted and diamond blasted anthracite bridges, snailed trottoirs
Case
- 41.5mm stainless steel case
- Sapphire crystal glass-box with anti-reflective treatment
- Sapphire case back with anti-reflective
- treatment on the inner side
- Water resistance: 50m
Dial
- Dark blue electroplated brass dial with grené finish
- Californian style: Roman numerals from X to II and Arabic from 4 to 8
- Hour markers in SuperLuminova®
- Red chrono second hand
- Arrow hours and minutes hands with SuperLuminova®
Bracelet
- Rubber strap with a steel deploying buckle
Internation retail price
- 29’000 CHF or 28’300 EUR
About Czapek & Cie
François Czapek was a Czech-born Polish watchmaker who fled to Geneva in 1832 after fighting in the Polish uprising. He immediately started his own atelier and in 1839 entered into a partnership with Antoine Norbert de Patek, introducing him to the world of watchmaking. In 1845, at the end of their partnership, he created Czapek & Cie and achieved considerable success. He became the official watchmaker of Napoleon III and opened, what was most likely the first watchmaking boutique on the Place Vendome in Paris. He wrote a book about watchmaking but died before publishing a second one. Czapek & Cie has been revived in 2015 thanks to an equity crowdfunding. The Quai des Bergues 33bis, leading model of the first, exceptional collection inspired by an 1850’s Czapek & Cie pocket watch won the Public Prize at the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie in 2016. A suspended tourbillon with a second time-zone followed one year later, as well as the first Czapek chronograph, unveiled in 2018. In 2020 the company launched the Antarctique, a sport-chic integrated bracelet timepiece powered by Czapek’s first in-house movement, an automatic three-hander with microrotor. The company is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
#wecollectrarepeople