Czapek - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

Czapek & Cie is a Swiss house whose roots go back to the 19th century, when François (Franciszek) Czapek, a former partner of Antoine Norbert de Patek at Patek, Czapek & Cie (1839), founded his own brand in 1845. The brand was established in Geneva (Quai des Bergues) and then in Paris (Place Vendôme). After a long hiatus, Czapek was reborn in the 21st century under the leadership of Harry Guhl, Xavier de Roquemaurel and master watchmaker Sébastien Follonier.

Historical origins and contemporary renaissance

The founding story permeates the current identity: the address “Quai des Bergues” – François Czapek’s first Geneva workshop – gives its name to the collection which marks the rebirth in 2015. This relaunch is financed by an unprecedented equity crowdfunding campaign which brought together more than 2 M CHF around a community of amateurs and entrepreneurs, validating the idea of ​​an independent house “co-supported” by its enthusiasts.

In 2016, Quai des Bergues won the Public Prize at the GPHG, a symbolic boost for a brand that was only a year old in commercial existence.

Aesthetic identity and philosophy

Czapek cultivates a classicism with a twist: balanced dials, fine finishes, but often a visual “signature” (visible double barrels, “Ricochet” guilloché, large power reserves, poetic displays). The house credo – “We collect rare people” – expresses the desire to unite a community of aesthetes around a transparent project (named suppliers, assumed collaborations) and an aesthetic that prioritizes readability and depth of dial.

Founding collections

Czapek Quai des Bergues: three-hand, hand-wound watch equipped with the SXH1 caliber (7 days), developed with Chronode on an architecture inspired by a pocket watch from the 1850s. The collection embodies Czapek’s “fine classic watchmaking” and remains one of its pillars;

Czapek Place Vendôme: line of grand complications – from the “Tourbillon Suspendu Ici et Ailleurs” (tourbillon + second time zone) to the spectacular Complicité with double escapement (Calibre 8, 72 h) co-developed with Bernhard Lederer;

Czapek Faubourg de Cracovie: the integrated automatic chronograph (SXH3, 5 Hz/65 h) and its Crossroads variants develop a more Sporty-Urban register.

Antarctica: the sporty-chic turn and the SXH5 micro-rotor

Launched in 2020, the Antarctica establishes Czapek in the field of integrated bracelets with an in-house movement – ​​the SXH5 – with a micro-rotor (openworked plate, “spread” gear train, recycled plate micro-rotor), combining 4 Hz and approximately 60 hours of autonomy. The design alternates textured dials (Drake Passage), Dark Sector in titanium, and openwork editions (Revelation). This watch was an immediate success, with the first series quickly selling out.

Notable contemporary complications

Czapek Antarctica Rattrapante (SXH6): automatic split-seconds watch “dial side”, showing the two column wheels, horizontal clutch and split-seconds clamp – a first welcomed at the launch. 42.5 mm steel case, 120 m, integrated bracelet;

Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité (Calibre 8): double escapement with differential and two visible balance wheels, 72 hours of power reserve, limited editions (5N gold or white gold, Stardust/Harmony series). These two registers – sport-tech and poetic high complication – outline the modern duo of the house.

Movements and manufacturing

The mapping of calibers tells the story of the rise in industrial skills:

SXH1 (7-day manual) for Quai des Bergues;
SXH2 (tourbillon + GMT) for Place Vendôme;
SXH3 (5 Hz integrated chronograph, column wheel/vertical clutch) for Faubourg de Cracovie;
SXH5 (automatic micro-rotor) for Antarctica;
SXH6 (open split-second dial side);
Caliber 8 (double exhaust with differential).

The brand documents its developments, indicates its partners (Chronode / MHM / Bernhard Lederer, etc.) and claims the machining/assembly of key movements or sub-assemblies in Switzerland, with a transparency appreciated by collectors.

Positioning, distribution and recognition

Czapek occupies the niche of “high-end” independents: meticulous finishing, sophisticated yet wearable complications, limited batches, and a select network of retailers. Victory at the 2016 GPHG (Public Prize) reinforced its reputation, while Antarctica served as a launching pad for a wider audience, without denying the old-fashioned elegance of the Quai des Bergues. The house has opened a boutique in Geneva (Rue de la Corraterie) and maintains a direct relationship with its community, inherited from the participatory shareholding of 2015.

Why is Czapek so attractive today?

The proposal appeals because it reconciles history and modernity: on the one hand, a very readable historical thread (Quai des Bergues, Place Vendôme, Faubourg de Cracovie), on the other, convincing contemporary gestures (Antarctica, Rattrapante, Complicité). The DNA is neither that of a “totally integrated” manufacture nor that of an anonymous assembler: it is a careful editor, who assumes technical co-creation with reference partners, formalizes movements with a strong personality (SXH5 openwork, Calibre 8 dual escapement), and takes care of portability (controlled proportions, readability, consistent water resistance).

Perception and community

The trade press praises the coherence of the range, the quality of the movements (SXH5 micro-rotor, dial-side split-seconds), and the clear editorial line. The Antarctic series demonstrated strong traction upon release, while the Place Vendôme “Complicité” confirms the watchmaking ambition. The whole makes up an identifiable brand—neither retro pastiche nor gratuitous techno—that favors “readable” mechanical solutions and showcases them tastefully.

Conclusion

Czapek today embodies an independent and mature path: an assumed historical base, an inhabited classicism (Quai des Bergues), a sport-chic chapter with strong mechanical value (Antarctica/SXH5) and complications that tell a story (split-seconds on the dial side, Complicité double escapement). If you are hesitating between several families, rely on the real experience of owners: prioritize the authenticity of Dialicious customer reviews to choose the Czapek model that best suits your desires.

(Updated August 2025)