Geneva, February 2020 – Czapek & Cie unveils the Quai des Bergues Midnight in Geneva S, a smaller version of its model with a rare and fascinating aventurine dial and welded subdials. A genderless timepiece to seduce watch lovers.
In January 2019, on the occasion of the opening of its first boutique in Geneva, Switzerland, Czapek & Cie launched the limited-edition “Midnight in Geneva”, part of the Quai des Bergues collection. This model features a 42.5mm stainless steel case and a fascinating dark blue aventurine dial that inspired its name.
In fact, aventurine, from the Italian word “avventurina”, is one of the most popular Murano glass techniques, distinguished by its special look of sparkling particles captured inside translucent glass, as in a starred night. It was first mentioned in a document in the XIV Century as “a kind of stone with gilt stars inside”, mesmerizing people with the unusual and attractive look. The technique owes its name to the fact that its discovery happened thanks to a lucky coincidence: a glass artisan is said to have accidentally dropped some metal shavings into the glass mixture. Italians say it happened “all’avventura”, which means “by chance”.
“Being made of glass, aventurine is perhaps the most improper and fragile material one could use to craft a watch dial”, says Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO of Czapek & Cie, “not to mention the level of complexity involved in making welded subdials. Yet watchmakers love complication and brain teasers. That’s why we chose to accept the challenge to create our original Quai des Bergues dial design with welded subdials in aventurine, first in a 42.5mm case and now in a smaller and therefore even more challenging version”.
Following the successful launch of the Midnight in Geneva, Czapek received many requests from fans and collectors to create a smaller version of the timepiece. However, due to the tiny space between the external edges of the subdials at 4:30 and 7:30and the bezel, this seemed to be impossible.
One year and many attempts later, the goal has been accomplished and the new genderless timepiece is released in a limited edition of 18 pieces.
Besides its rare and stunning dial, the Midnight in Geneva S features white gold Fleur-de-Lys hands finished with silver powder, matching with the rail track and the hour markers.
Like all the models in the Quai des Bergues collection, this watch is powered by Czapek SHX1 proprietary calibre, a hand-wound movement with two spring barrels and a power reserve of 168 hours (7 days). Developed in collaboration with Chronode, the movement is finely decorated with open ratchets, blued screws, bevelled edges and sand-blasted bridges.
The Quai des Bergues Midnight in Geneva S is available at Czapek official retailers, at our flagship boutique in Geneva (rue de la Corraterie 18), and on Czapek.com
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 unfortunately, he died before publishing a second one. Czapek & Cie has been revived in 2015 with an exceptional collection, whose leading model won the Public Prize in the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie in Geneva in November 2016. This collection takes its inspiration from an 1850’s Czapek time piece. It features a beautiful enamel dial and a 7-day proprietary movement perfectly combining craftsmanship with design and exclusivity with rarity. The Company second collection, a suspended Tourbillon with a second time-zone, was launched one year later in 2017, while the first Czapek chronograph Faubourg de Cracovie was unveiled in 2018. The company is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland
Czapek & Cie Quai des Bergues Midnight in Geneva S Gallery
