Czapek Antarctique Dark Sector Cosmic BlueCzapekIt was a milestone moment at Watches and Wonders for Xavier de Roquemaurel and his company, Czapek & Cie. Against long odds, the independent watch brand has evolved into a credible force within the Swiss watch industry. This year, alongside a slate of new releases, the company debuted An Unexpected Renaissance, a documentary chronicling its journey from 2015 to 2025.But first, the watches.The headline releases include three limited-edition models in the Antarctique collection. Each features a titanium case with an integrated titanium bracelet, the brand’s signature box-shaped sapphire crystal and its proprietary Cosmic Blue dial. All are powered by movements derived from the SXH5 automatic caliber—Czapek’s first fully in-house movement.Czapek Antarctique Dark Sector Cosmic Blue (top image)The Cosmic Blue dial is enhanced with a velvety finish that adds notable depth and richness. A classical minute track frames two concentric, slightly domed circles, interrupted at 12 points to mark the hours as voids rather than traditional indices or numerals. Sword-shaped luminescent hands complete the display.The design of the hour track draws inspiration from the architecture of the SXH5 bridges, echoing their hollowed centers and polished surfaces.The model is available in two sizes: a 40.5mm case limited to 28 pieces and a 38.5mm “S” case limited to 10 pieces.The Czapek Antarctique Révélation Cosmic Blue CzapekMORE FOR YOUCzapek Antarctique Révélation Titanium Cosmic BlueThis version showcases the skeletonized Caliber SXH7, a new iteration of the SXH5, presented in an inverted layout to reveal typically hidden components. Achieving this required a full reengineering of the movement, including reversing the escapement so it is visible dial-side, along with the stop-seconds mechanism.The mainplate is fully skeletonized, creating a trompe l’oeil effect of layered bridges. Because the seconds hand can no longer be centrally mounted, a small seconds display is positioned at 4:30 on a smoked sapphire subdial. The engraved oscillating rotor is visible from both sides.It is offered in a 40.5mm case limited to 50 pieces and a 38.5mm “S” case limited to 25 pieces.Czapek Antarctique Tourbillon Titanium Cosmic BlueCzapekCzapek Antarctique Tourbillon Titanium Cosmic BlueHere, the Cosmic Blue dial creates an illusion of infinite depth, with the mechanical elements appearing to float above it. The hour markers are mounted on the flange rather than the dial, heightening the sense of space.The finishing is particularly notable: hand-polished angles on the slender gear train bridge, an openworked barrel bridge, and satin finishing on the tourbillon cage. On the reverse, an 18k gold rotor—engraved with a black hole–inspired motif by independent master engraver Michèle R.—continues the floating effect.Powered by the Caliber 9, the brand’s first movement to be largely machined in-house, the watch offers a 100-hour power reserve.It is limited to 25 pieces in a 40.5mm case.Earlier Releases: Dial Craft in FocusAhead of the fair, Czapek introduced two additional models highlighting rare dial techniques.The Czapek Antarctique S ICE CloudCzapekCzapek Antarctique S Ice CloudThis model features a dial crafted using nacre brouillée—a rarely seen technique involving scattered mother-of-pearl. The result evokes cloud formations drifting across an icy sky.A 0.2mm base of polished white mother-of-pearl is treated with blue-tinted varnish applied by hand using a horsehair brush to create organic, cloud-like patterns. The dial is then fired at over 100°C to set the design.Developed in partnership with dial specialist GT Cadrans, the watch is housed in a 38.5mm stainless steel case and powered by the in-house SXH5 automatic movement with a 60-hour power reserve.It is limited to 10 pieces.Czapek Promenade Midnight PearlCzapekCzapek Promenade Midnight PearlThis model features a patented dial construction layering blue aventurine glass over Tahitian mother-of-pearl—an intricate process mastered by only two artisans at GT Cadrans.The nacre base, chosen for its gray tone and natural violet and green iridescence, is paired with a 0.2mm-thin aventurine layer, creating a dial just 0.4mm thick. Precision machining is required to accommodate the small seconds subdial at 4:30 without compromising the fragile materials.The watch is housed in a 38mm stainless steel case and powered by the SXH5.1 caliber with a 60-hour power reserve.It is limited to 38 pieces.Czapek Documentary, "An Unexpected Renaissance"CzapekCzapek Documentary: An Unexpected RenaissanceOn April 17, Czapek hosted the premiere of An Unexpected Renaissance, a documentary exploring the brand’s unconventional rise. The screening took place at the intimate Ciné 17, complete with popcorn and champagne.For the occasion, de Roquemaurel traded his usual open-collar look for a bow tie—though his ever-present smile remained unchanged.Founded in 2013 by de Roquemaurel and two partners, the company revived the legacy of 19th-century watchmaker Franciszek Czapek. Born in Bohemia, Czapek later moved to Poland, fought in a failed uprising, and ultimately settled in Geneva, where he became watchmaker to Napoleon III and authored the first book on watchmaking in Polish.De Roquemaurel and his partners searched through Czapek’s original designs with the goal of creating watches that they believed he would have created if he were alive today. It should be noted that de Roquemaurel had no experience in the watch industry and co-founded Czapek because he had recently lost his job.The documentary traces the company’s journey beginning in 2015, when its founders presented a single prototype in Geneva and invited enthusiasts to invest—effectively an analog version of crowdfunding. The approach succeeded, and today the company counts more than 200 investors.Just a year later, Czapek won the Public Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève for its Quai des Bergues No.33bis—an improbable early milestone.The film does not shy away from challenges. The launch of the brand’s first in-house movement coincided with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, threatening the company’s survival. Instead, the Antarctique collection proved a commercial success that stabilized the company.More recently, de Roquemaurel survived a life-threatening medical emergency. Now fully recovered, he describes it as a turning point.Throughout the movie there are comments by partners, employees and watch industry experts. Among them are Marc André Deschoux, founder of WatchesTV; Sophie Furley, head of Digital Marketing at Phillips in Association with Bacs and Russo; veteran watch industry executive, Michael Margolis, president of Czapek Americas; and Valeria Garavaglia, Czapek & Cie head of communications.Throughout the movie, there’s de Roquemaurel’s calm and cheerful personality, smiling through all the challenges his young company faced during those 10 years. It also focuses on his seemingly innate ability to create a community of employees, collectors and investors. Czapek plans to begin streaming the documentary in May.