Czapek & Cie. has for some years now been venturing into the luxury sportsman's typology with the Antarctique model, elegant yet robust and wearable in everyday life, with a water resistance of 120 metres. The bezel, in contrast to the general trend for this type that wants it angled, geometric or flat, is classically round and inclined.
The integrated bracelet features fluid lines, with brushed links and links forming a stylised C. It is flexible, soft on the skin and ergonomic and is equipped with a micro-adjustment and quick release system, providing an additional strap with the watch.
After a series of all-steel versions comes a titanium version with a monochrome grey look and a new design of the anthracite grey dial in brass, with a velouté finish. The latter showcases two concentric circles interspersed, at each hour, by an empty space that closes for a moment as the minute and seconds hand passes, creating a kind of pleasant 'animation', a slight change in visual geometry.
"The design of the dial is such that the indices become the void between each sector (an almost philosophical way of defining matter). This spontaneously inspired the model's name, which comes from the Dark Sector Laboratory with its telescopes at the Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole. The skies above Antarctica are the clearest and darkest in the world,' said CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel.
Note, on closer inspection, the two touches of red that colour the tip of the seconds hand and the dot at 12 o'clock on the minute track positioned along the outer perimeter. The use of titanium adds strength, comfort and lightness with only 95 grams of weight. It comes with an additional leather or rubber strap.
Antarctique Titanium Dark Sector is powered by the SXH5 automatic calibre, the brand's first entirely in-house design. Visible through the sapphire crystal porthole on the caseback, with its seven bridges recalling the movements of 19th century pocket watches, it is powered by a recycled platinum micro-rotor and provides up to 60 hours of autonomy (4.5 mm thick). Limited edition of 100 pieces.
Price32,000 Swiss francs (excluding tax).
