Czapek & Cie: Faubourg De Cracovie Salmon Collection

Czapek & Cie, the historic Geneva-based brand relaunched in 2015 (the founder was the first partner of Patek as he originally created Patek, Czapek & Cie), presented last year its third collection and third proprietary caliber, the Faubourg de Cracovie with integrated chronograph with column wheel.

Last January during the Geneva Days this line welcomed four new timepieces in unexpected hues. The company’s first chronograph series now comes in salmon, silver and blue models, giving some additional excitement to these sporty ‘haute horlogerie’ timepieces.

The four new Faubourg de Cracovie references were unveiled for the opening of Czapek & Cie’s first boutique, located on Geneva’s emblematic rue de la Corraterie. The timepieces are ironically named after the finest and most famous salmon species from the Pacific Ocean: Chinook, Coho, Sockeye and King. Inspiration for these models came from a unique piece created by the company for a collector who had requested a bespoke Quai des Bergues with a salmon guilloché dial and blue hands and numerals.

“The result was so surprising and beautiful that we decided to replicate the idea in our chronograph line, which has a contemporary design and a vintage touch given by the sapphire glass-box“, says Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO of Czapek. “We decided to explore other combinations as well, and introduced two more dials with contrasting colors, namely salmon and silver and salmon with blued hands and numerals.”

The salmon and blue Faubourg de Cracovie features a hand-engraved guilloché dial made by the craftspeople at Metalem, Czapek’s partner in Le Locle. The special pattern, called “Résonance,” is derived from the “Ricochet” pattern of the Quai des Bergues collection: concentric circles originating from the two subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock intersect and form bas-relief squares. The dial and the subdials, a trademark of the Czapek brand, are made of “alloy 401,” a combination of 55% gold completed by a mixture of platinum, palladium and silver. The salmon finish, with its golden hues, is done by electroplating. The colour is unique and gives a special feel to the engraving and the “shadows” at the edges of the engine-turned pattern. The 41.5 mm steel case recalls the distinctive “Revolution” case of the Quai des Bergues collection, where the crown protectors serve as pushers for the chronograph functions.

Like all the references in the collection, these four new models are animated by the proprietary Czapek SXH3 calibre. This integrated column-wheel chronograph movement was built by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. It delivers 65 hours of power reserve from a single barrel that drives the balance wheel at 36,000 vph. The movement employs some of the most advanced and high-performing mechanical elements, like the linear hammer and the vertical clutch, ensuring a perfect start for the chronograph hand. Finally, the diamond-blasted anthracite bridges give the final contemporary and sporty aesthetic twist to the movement visible through the transparent case back.

An expression of casual elegance and strong personality, these models will be available as of March at a retail price of 24.000 CHF.

By Valeria Gravaglia