【F】New: The Czapek Antarctique Tourbillon

With all of the craziness set to happen subsequent week in Geneva, Czapek has made the clever transfer to launch a surprising new assortment a bit early. The brand new Antarctique Tourbillon is a tour de drive. It showcases a brand new motion and a powerful dial design. Earlier than the onslaught of recent releases begins, take the time to get pleasure from these beauties.

At Fratello, we’re large followers of Czapek. Because of this, we’ve launched two collaboration fashions with the Genevan model. The resurgent firm is 10 years previous and makes pretty watches with spectacular actions and superbly completed instances. Now, with the Antarctique Tourbillon, Czapek provides a brand new in-house motion to its most famous mannequin line.

The Czapek Antarctique Tourbillon

For now, the Antarctique Tourbillon is a three-watch assortment with one restricted version. All variants are stainless-steel and 40.5mm in diameter. Then, every mannequin comes outfitted with a stainless-steel bracelet and an extra rubber strap. In help of the sporty seems to be, the watches have a 50m depth score and are fitted with a box-style sapphire crystal. Now, with the essential particulars out of the way in which, let’s get into what makes these watches particular.

The brand new Czapek caliber 9

The guts of the Antarctique Tourbillon is the brand-new manufacture caliber 9 with a flying tourbillon. Apparently, that is the primary caliber constructed and machined primarily in-house. A brand new motion is a big endeavor, and Czapek embraced the problem by making a powertrain with distinctive efficiency. Maybe simply as crucially, the caliber additionally meets sure aesthetic necessities. The tourbillon mechanism has existed for over two centuries, and lots of look fairly conventional. For Czapek, it was key to create a caliber harmonious with the Antarctique’s design. Relating to the specs, the automated 20-jewel motion has a 72-hour energy reserve and a 21,600vph frequency.

Czapek’s caliber 9 has its key components — the tourbillon, gear prepare, and barrel — vertically aligned and visual on the dial aspect. A protracted, hand-polished minute bridge bisects the dial, operating horizontally throughout it. Then, open-worked bridges join the big barrel on the higher portion. The tourbillon cage is titanium and sits under a mixture of polished and brushed arms. Czapek labored laborious to create a motion price viewing.

If there are issues concerning the motion’s obverse not stacking up with the dial aspect, don’t concern! The Antarctique Tourbillon is gorgeous from all angles. A box-style sapphire crystal protects the caliber 9 and supplies a transparent view of the interior workings. Whereas it seems to be like stainless-steel with a typical show, the steel “ring” is utilized to the underside of the crystal. Attractive! The opposite excellent element is the 5N gold oscillating rotor. Michèle Rothen, the model’s grasp engraver, has created a guilloché impact on the rotor that mirrors the dial’s sample.

The Singularité hand-guilloché dials

Apart from the motion, the guilloché dials are essentially the most arresting function of the brand new Antarctique Tourbillon. To create the mesmerizing dial sample, Czapek partnered with Metalem, a famous Swiss dial producer. The result’s a brand new “Singularité” motif that resembles a vortex. On this hand-guilloché course of, the engraver should change the place to begin of the engraving device with every cross. This differs from the standard type the place the sample emanates from the identical level. It’s lovely and attracts the eyes towards the middle of the watch with all of the mechanical particulars. Rhodium-plated or blued palms and hour markers are stuffed with white Tremendous-LumiNova. Notably, the outer ring is the flange and never a part of the guilloché dial.

Availability and pricing of the Antarctique Tourbillon

Czapek is providing the Antarctique Tourbillon in three dial colours. A silvery Secret Alloy model is accessible as a restricted version of fifty items. Then, a 5N-gold-plated Photon Sphere variant joins a Glacier Blue choice as common manufacturing fashions. Relating to pricing, there isn’t a distinction between the variants, with every coming in at CHF 63,000. In comparison with different integrated-bracelet tourbillon fashions that attain the six-figure mark, similar to variations of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the Antarctique Tourbillon represents a relative discount. In fact, it’s nonetheless an costly watch, however I like that Czapek has blended a standard complication with a contemporary design. For my part, it’s lovely and a becoming solution to have a good time a decade because the return of Czapek.

Watch specs