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All the watch news, reviews, videos you want, brought to you from fellow collectors
Czapek & Cie has introduced the Promenade Goutte de Rosée – a new limited edition of 25 pieces that reinterprets the popular Goutte d’Eau from 2024, this time with green Grand Feu enamel. Crafted in stainless steel, the original watch featured a hypnotic sapphire-blue dial inspired by the rippling effect of water; this new edition brings the same texture in green with the warmth of gold. The watch’s name, “Goutte de Rosée,” or “drop of dew,” takes after the freshness of morning dew resting on spring foliage.
Crafted in 18K yellow gold, at the centre of the 38 mm watch lies an intricate Grand Feu flinqué enamel dial, developed in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans, one of Switzerland’s most respected enamel dial specialists. The process begins with a sterling silver base plate onto which the now-signature ripple motif is stamped using a specially designed die developed by Czapek. Rather than relying on printed effects or surface decoration, the dial’s three-dimensional topography is physically pressed into the silver plate, creating the undulating wave structure that gives the watch its distinctive character. On this embossed base, five successive layers of translucent green Grand Feu enamel are applied by hand and fired individually at high temperatures in a kiln. In fact, each dial passes through the kiln about eight times before being hand-polished for nearly forty minutes to achieve the smooth, luminous finish for which Grand Feu enamel is renowned.
Also Read: Czapek & Cie. expands the Promenade collection with three new fashion-inspired dials
Instead of using colour gradients, Donzé Cadrans has relied entirely on variations in enamel thickness across the relief of the dial. In the deepest recesses of the wave pattern, enamel can reach a thickness of 0.5 mm, while the raised crests measure less than 0.2 mm. This minute variation produces the distinctive optical effect that shifts in tone and depth depending on the angle of the light, creating the illusion of moving water across an otherwise static surface.
This transition from blue to green enamel introduced an entirely new set of technical challenges. Green enamel reacts unpredictably with silver substrates, often leading to adhesion issues and surface imperfections. Donzé Cadrans reportedly tested around ten different enamel formulations before identifying one capable of delivering both the desired visual qualities and the required stability. The dramatic relief of the dial itself adds to the complexity – any inconsistency during the firing stages could create risks of visible dark streaks. While traditional Grand Feu dials already experience rejection levels between 25 and 30 per cent, the Goutte de Rosée approaches 50 per cent.
Also Read: Czapek & Cie Promenade sparks with the new Diamond Drops
Every dial requires up to five hours of skilled handwork, and only four artisans at Donzé Cadrans possess the experience required to execute this technique consistently. This demanding production process also ensures that no two dials are exactly alike. Slight differences in enamel thickness influence both colour saturation and the visibility of the underlying wave structure.
These ripples emerge from the small seconds indicator at 4 o’clock, which runs alongside the central hour and minute hands. Powering the watch is the in-house automatic calibre SXH5.1, visible through the sapphire caseback. It runs at a frequency of 4 Hz with a power reserve of about 60 hours. The movement incorporates a stop-seconds mechanism for precise time-setting and features a recycled platinum micro-rotor that preserves an unobstructed view of seven skeletonised bridges inspired by François Czapek’s 19th-century pocket watches. The timepiece is finished with a green leather strap.
Images: Courtesy Czapek & Cie.
Czapek & Cie has introduced the Promenade Goutte de Rosée – a new limited edition of 25 pieces that reinterprets the popular Goutte d’Eau from 2024, this time with green Grand Feu enamel. Crafted in stainless steel, the original watch featured a hypnotic sapphire-blue dial inspired by the rippling effect of water; this new edition brings the same texture in green with the warmth of gold. The watch’s name, “Goutte de Rosée,” or “drop of dew,” takes after the freshness of morning dew resting on spring foliage.
Crafted in 18K yellow gold, at the centre of the 38 mm watch lies an intricate Grand Feu flinqué enamel dial, developed in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans, one of Switzerland’s most respected enamel dial specialists. The process begins with a sterling silver base plate onto which the now-signature ripple motif is stamped using a specially designed die developed by Czapek. Rather than relying on printed effects or surface decoration, the dial’s three-dimensional topography is physically pressed into the silver plate, creating the undulating wave structure that gives the watch its distinctive character. On this embossed base, five successive layers of translucent green Grand Feu enamel are applied by hand and fired individually at high temperatures in a kiln. In fact, each dial passes through the kiln about eight times before being hand-polished for nearly forty minutes to achieve the smooth, luminous finish for which Grand Feu enamel is renowned.
Also Read: Czapek & Cie. expands the Promenade collection with three new fashion-inspired dials
Instead of using colour gradients, Donzé Cadrans has relied entirely on variations in enamel thickness across the relief of the dial. In the deepest recesses of the wave pattern, enamel can reach a thickness of 0.5 mm, while the raised crests measure less than 0.2 mm. This minute variation produces the distinctive optical effect that shifts in tone and depth depending on the angle of the light, creating the illusion of moving water across an otherwise static surface.
This transition from blue to green enamel introduced an entirely new set of technical challenges. Green enamel reacts unpredictably with silver substrates, often leading to adhesion issues and surface imperfections. Donzé Cadrans reportedly tested around ten different enamel formulations before identifying one capable of delivering both the desired visual qualities and the required stability. The dramatic relief of the dial itself adds to the complexity – any inconsistency during the firing stages could create risks of visible dark streaks. While traditional Grand Feu dials already experience rejection levels between 25 and 30 per cent, the Goutte de Rosée approaches 50 per cent.
Also Read: Czapek & Cie Promenade sparks with the new Diamond Drops
Every dial requires up to five hours of skilled handwork, and only four artisans at Donzé Cadrans possess the experience required to execute this technique consistently. This demanding production process also ensures that no two dials are exactly alike. Slight differences in enamel thickness influence both colour saturation and the visibility of the underlying wave structure.
These ripples emerge from the small seconds indicator at 4 o’clock, which runs alongside the central hour and minute hands. Powering the watch is the in-house automatic calibre SXH5.1, visible through the sapphire caseback. It runs at a frequency of 4 Hz with a power reserve of about 60 hours. The movement incorporates a stop-seconds mechanism for precise time-setting and features a recycled platinum micro-rotor that preserves an unobstructed view of seven skeletonised bridges inspired by François Czapek’s 19th-century pocket watches. The timepiece is finished with a green leather strap.
Images: Courtesy Czapek & Cie.
