Many watch brands claim they cannot keep pace with demand. What they don’t say is that, much of the time, this is the result of a “scarcity strategy”, when production is deliberately restricted so that supply never quite matches demand.
For Czapek, an independent brand which won’t reach its milestone tenth anniversary until next year, having demand outstrip supply is a source of pride but also problems as it means, with limited means, placing orders for more precious metal, more cases, more dials and more straps, while keeping delivery times within reason. In 2022, Czapek even took the decision to press pause on orders for its Antarctique model for one year, giving the brand time to move into new facilities in La Chaux-de-Fonds and organise itself to meet demand. At that time the Antarctique accounted for 80% of orders, with 2,800 backorders and annual production of 800 units maximum. Since then, Czapek has got its ducks in a row and should soon be in a position to send out between 3,000 and 4,000 watches per annum.
Two new variants
Today’s announcement probably won’t take the heat off: on top of the titanium or steel models in the current regular collection, the brand has released the first Antarctique in gold - one yellow gold and one rose gold - and demand is likely to be huge.
Both these variations are based on the 40.5mm size in the regular collection (which also includes a 38.5mm diameter) and double down on the design features that make this such a distinctive watch: flowing curves combined with honed angular lines, and a studied mix of brushed and polished surfaces.
This perfectly mastered composition matches a modern aesthetic with a hint of a vintage accent that borrows from the 1970s sport-luxe repertoire – which is the design of choice for most brands right now, from the hugely successful Tissot PRX at entry level to the enduringly popular Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Vacheron Constantin Overseas, Patek Philippe Aquanaut or Girard-Perregaux Laureato.
First blue lamé dial
Dial-wise, Czapek returns to the much-praised lamé finish that was first seen on the Antarctique Terre Adélie. This technique, developed with dialmaker and long-time partner Metalem, uses a comb to make striations on the dial surface to create a finish that resembles straight graining but with greater texture.
Czapek has already made use of the lamé technique but only on a grey dial. It already has blue dials in its offering but not with a lamé finish. This new version of the Antarctique brings the two together, while the gold case / blue dial combo is a classic that always works well. In fact, it is a cornerstone of the Overseas and Royal Oak collections.
To avoid a buildup of orders, Czapek has decided to limit each of these two models to 100 pieces per year. Deliveries will begin as of April and the watches will be available from authorised retailers, the Czapek boutique in Geneva and on the Czapek website.
