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Czapek continues strong momentum at Basel

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March 2017


The Swiss watchmaker presented the Place Vendôme Tourbillon, a new and highly functional limited edition timepiece paying homage to the brand founder’s work in Paris.

Czapek continues strong momentum at Basel

After an excellent few years in business, Czapek entered Baselworld 2017 with a full head of steam. The resurgent watchmaker already took home the Public Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2016 for its Genève 33 bis Quai des Bergues. And let’s not forget that the brand was essentially raised from the ashes only one year before that, when the Quai des Bergues collection was first announced.

For those unfamiliar with the Czapek name, let’s just say that it carries with it expectations that the company has already started to deliver on. This is a brand, after all, that is tied to watchmaking royalty, as Polish watchmaker François Czapek was an associate of another Pole, one Antoine Norbert de Patek of Patek Philippe fame.

Czapek continues strong momentum at Basel

The talented watchmaker went on to wow the French nobility of his day with his creations, and that was the inspiration behind the latest offering from the reincarnated brand at Basel. That’s because the new timepiece – the Place Vendôme Tourbillon – is named after the famous square in Paris where François Czapek, opened a boutique in the mid-19th century.

The new timepiece is the first line that features a one-minute suspended tourbillon. On top of that, the well laid out dial boasts a second time zone display, a disk displaying the changes from day to night, as well as a power reserve indicator.

Czapek continues strong momentum at Basel

This watch, then, has many new functions, but fans of the brand will still appreciate the recognizable Czapek characteristics. This includes the placement of the subdials at the 7:30 and 4:30 o’clock positions, which on this piece have been complemented by a third one at 12 o’clock to display the time.

The first edition of the Place Vendôme Tourbillon is being released in a limited series of 10 pieces in platinum and an additional 15 in rose gold. Each is powered by the manually wound SXH2 movement, which delivers a respectable 60 hours of autonomy at a 3 Hz beat rate. Compared to it’s predecessor that’s a bit of a letdown, since the SXH1 calibre really impressed me with a massive power reserve of up to seven days.

Nevertheless, the relatively compact movement and 43.5mm case allow the watch to wear slim on the wrist, which is impressive given all the new functions that come with it. They will come at a price, however. The new watch is expected to retail between 88,000 to 99,000 Swiss Francs.