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Recognised for enchanting dial artistry, Czapek & Cie. has unveiled two limited-edition timepieces, this time exploring avant-garde nacre artistry. The Antarctique S Ice Cloud and the Promenade Midnight Pearl are adorned with mother-of-pearl dials developed in collaboration with the specialists at GT Cadrans, utilising a rare decorative technique and patented sandwich construction.
The Antarctique S Ice Cloud
Limited to just 10 pieces, the Antarctique S Ice Cloud has been created using the rare nacre brouillée (scattered mother-of-pearl) technique. In this process, a polished white nacre base is used, thinned to a delicate 0.2 mm. A blue-tinted varnish is then hand-applied to the underside using a horsehair brush, creating ethereal patterns reminiscent of a shifting sky. To make the artwork permanent, the dial is cured in a high-temperature oven for several hours, a task so exacting that only a single artisan at GT Cadrans is qualified to perform it.
The timepiece comes in a 38.5 mm stainless steel case and is powered by the in-house automatic Calibre SXH5, featuring a micro-rotor crafted from recycled platinum. The movement’s architecture, defined by seven skeletonised bridges, draws inspiration from 19th-century pocket watches and is finished with hand-chamfered angles and sandblasted black surfaces.
The Promenade Midnight Pearl
On the other hand, the Promenade Midnight Pearl utilises a patented sandwich construction. A 0.2 mm layer of Tahitian mother-of-pearl has been chosen for its natural violet and green lustre. It is then overlaid with a sheet of blue aventurine glass, resulting in a 0.4 mm dial that sparkles with a star-like effect against the dark nacre.
The assembly requires immense precision, particularly during the CNC machining of the small seconds aperture at 4:30, where the layered structure is at its most vulnerable. Currently, only two specialists possess the skill required to produce this specific dial.
Limited to 38 pieces and presented in a 38 mm case, the watch runs on the manufacture Calibre SXH5.1, upgraded to accommodate the offset seconds display while remaining slim at 4.2 mm.
Images - Courtesy Czapek Geneve
Recognised for enchanting dial artistry, Czapek & Cie. has unveiled two limited-edition timepieces, this time exploring avant-garde nacre artistry. The Antarctique S Ice Cloud and the Promenade Midnight Pearl are adorned with mother-of-pearl dials developed in collaboration with the specialists at GT Cadrans, utilising a rare decorative technique and patented sandwich construction.
The Antarctique S Ice Cloud
Limited to just 10 pieces, the Antarctique S Ice Cloud has been created using the rare nacre brouillée (scattered mother-of-pearl) technique. In this process, a polished white nacre base is used, thinned to a delicate 0.2 mm. A blue-tinted varnish is then hand-applied to the underside using a horsehair brush, creating ethereal patterns reminiscent of a shifting sky. To make the artwork permanent, the dial is cured in a high-temperature oven for several hours, a task so exacting that only a single artisan at GT Cadrans is qualified to perform it.
The timepiece comes in a 38.5 mm stainless steel case and is powered by the in-house automatic Calibre SXH5, featuring a micro-rotor crafted from recycled platinum. The movement’s architecture, defined by seven skeletonised bridges, draws inspiration from 19th-century pocket watches and is finished with hand-chamfered angles and sandblasted black surfaces.
The Promenade Midnight Pearl
On the other hand, the Promenade Midnight Pearl utilises a patented sandwich construction. A 0.2 mm layer of Tahitian mother-of-pearl has been chosen for its natural violet and green lustre. It is then overlaid with a sheet of blue aventurine glass, resulting in a 0.4 mm dial that sparkles with a star-like effect against the dark nacre.
The assembly requires immense precision, particularly during the CNC machining of the small seconds aperture at 4:30, where the layered structure is at its most vulnerable. Currently, only two specialists possess the skill required to produce this specific dial.
Limited to 38 pieces and presented in a 38 mm case, the watch runs on the manufacture Calibre SXH5.1, upgraded to accommodate the offset seconds display while remaining slim at 4.2 mm.
Images - Courtesy Czapek Geneve
