GWD 2022 Czapek & Cie. Quai des Bergues - Sapphire Blue L and Emerald Green L

Czapek & Cie has announced the release of two new models for its Quai des Bergues guilloché “Ricochet” line. Besides striking new enamel colours, lovers of fine mechanics will find an exciting, redesigned movement inside.

At first glance, the new variants will be familiar. The unique Ricochet pattern in flinqué enamel on the dial is back, but this time in two dazzling colours composed for Czapek by its partner Donzé Cadrans. The Sapphire Blue L has a somewhat dreamy, iridescent, marine hue, exclusive to Czapek and inspired by its predecessor introduced in 2019, the Sapphire Blue S. On the other hand, the deep emerald green tone, close to British racing green, gives the dial an unusual intensity.

There’s more to the new Quai des Bergues than colours, though. The calibre driving the watch, the manually wound, seven-day power reserve SXH1, has been given a careful make-over. “The spirit of the watch has not been touched,” says Czapek CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel, “but we have had a second look at the movement and identified what you might call evolutionary inflection points.”

The idea of remodelling the movement aesthetically originated with the company’s fans, as has often been the case with Czapek. The Quai des Bergues’ original SXH1 calibre had been designed in the spirit of the traditional Genevan craftsmen known as the cabinotiers. It was very technical and sober. “When we released the Antarctique with its lacy bridges and complex architecture, people were amazed,” comments de Roquemaurel. “So, we realized we had to harmonise all our movements along those lines." 

Transforming an existing movement can be more difficult than developing a new one. The most visible change on the SXH1 is the extensive openwork, which clearly delineates a full-fledged three-quarter plate and exposes the geartrain. The bridge plate and balance bridge have also been hollowed out and seem to face each other like two shooting stars about to cross paths. This gives the movement a more dynamic look. The mainplate now has a small triangular hole cut in the middle, a cursory distraction on the rhodium-plated, matt grey surface, like a beauty mark on a pale face.

The reworked calibre differs from its predecessor in other ways, too. The original balance had a classic rack and index for regulation, for example. The new SXH1, on the other hand, has an annular balance wheel with weights for variable inertia and a Breguet terminal curve balance spring. The balance cock has also been finely skeletonised and streamlined to give the whole balance greater transparency.

The finishing has also been developed further. All the edges of this outstanding movement have been softened by deeper chamfering. And on the advice of one of the best independent watchmakers and friend, the regular jewels were replaced with “mi-glace” rubies. These have a rounded relief that improves lubrication on the point of contact with the axes. They also give the movement a more fluid look and can, occasionally, catch incoming rays of light.

These two new versions of the Quai des Bergues will undoubtedly represent a new milestone in the exciting story of this family of watches, the very first introduced after the Czapek’s name relaunch. And with its new dedicated workshop space in La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Czapek & Cie now has the capacity to continue thrilling the watch world.

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 sportchic integrated bracelet timepiece powered by Czapek’s first in-house movement, an automatic threehander with microrotor. The company is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Technical specifications

Czapek & Cie. Quai des Bergues Sapphire Blue L

Case

• Material: Stainless steel (Revolution case)
• Diameter: 42.5mm
• Thickness: 11.9mm (9.5mm perceived)
• Sapphire crystal glass-box with anti-reflective treatment
• Sapphire case back with anti-reflective treatment on the inner side
• Water resistance: 50 meters

Dial and hands

• Blue handmade “Flinqué” enamel dial
• Czapek exclusive Ricochet® design
• Czapek typical elongated Roman numerals
• Rhodium plated Fleur-de-Lys steel hands

Movement

• Calibre SXH1: Haute Horlogerie proprietary mechanical hand-wound movement
• Diameter: 32 mm – 14 lines 1⁄4
• Height: 4.75 mm
• Variable inertia balance wheel
• “Breguet” terminal coil
• Frequency: 21' 600 vph (3 Hz)
• Number of components: 160
• Number of jewels: 31
• Power-reserve: 168 hours (7 days) on two barrelsprings

Finishing

• Partially open worked bridges on gear train
• Double open ratchets, sandblasted bridges and main plate
• Heat-blued screws, bevelling, final handchamfering, circular graining and snailing on wheels

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes & seconds
• Small second at 7h30
• Power reserve indication with weekdays at 4h30

Strap and buckle

• Alligator strap with stainless steel pin buckle

MSRP

• CHF 18'000 (excl. taxes)

Technical specifications

Czapek & Cie. Quai des Bergues Emerald Green L

Case

• Material: Stainless steel (Revolution case)
• Diameter: 42.5mm
• Thickness: 11.9mm (9.5mm perceived)
• Sapphire crystal glass-box with anti-reflective treatment
• Sapphire case back with anti-reflective treatment on the inner side
• Water resistance: 50 meters

Dial and hands

• Green handmade “Flinqué” enamel dial
• Czapek exclusive Ricochet® design
• Czapek typical elongated Roman numerals
• Rhodium plated Fleur-de-Lys steel hands

Movement

• Calibre SXH1: Haute Horlogerie proprietary mechanical hand-wound movement
• Diameter: 32 mm – 14 lines 1⁄4
• Height: 4.75 mm
• Variable inertia balance wheel
• “Breguet” terminal coil
• Frequency: 21' 600 vph (3 Hz)
• Number of components: 160
• Number of jewels: 31
• Power-reserve: 168 hours (7 days) on two barrelsprings

Finishing

• Partially open worked bridges on gear train
• Double open ratchets, sandblasted bridges and main plate
• Heat-blued screws, bevelling, final handchamfering, circular graining and snailing on wheels

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes & seconds
• Small second at 7h30
• Power reserve indication with weekdays at 4h30

Strap and buckle

• Alligator strap with stainless steel pin buckle

MSRP

• CHF 18'000 (excl. taxes)

For more information, please visit czapek.com