e thought long and hard before launching our Antarctique collection two years ago,” states Czapek CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel. “The gamble paid off and it was the right model at the right time.”

It was inevitable that the successful launch of the original 40.5 mm Antarctique in 2020 would be followed by a smaller case size. The collection with steel case and integrated bracelet is the flagship of the brand, which is enjoying increased attention and has just relocated to a new, more spacious workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

“For Antarctique S it wasn’t a question of merely reducing the size of the case; we had to do something as innovative as its predecessor,” emphasises Xavier de Roquemaurel. Starting from scratch, the case was entirely re-engineered and the codes rewritten to ensure the proportions worked perfectly – not least the ratio of overall thickness to diameter.

The 38.5 mm case is defined by the characteristic taut lines of the original Antarctique but now the sides are flat, rather than cut away, and the shoulders protecting the crown have been subtly pared back.

Powered by the in-house Calibre SXH5, the Antarctique S is initially offered with a choice of three dials, each created in partnership with dial specialist Metalem: Czapek’s signature ‘Stairway to Eternity’ pattern is presented in the Passage de Drake Glacier Blue and Salmon, while the limited-edition ‘Frozen Star’ dial is made from the rarest precious metal on Earth – osmium, in partnership with Crystaltech and MD’Art.

Price: CHF 19,500 (CHF 76,000 for Frozen Star)

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