Czapek’s Antarctique Tourbillon Is High Watchmaking Done Right

This year marks two anniversaries for Czapek: 10 years since the brand was revived, and 180 years since watchmaker François Czapek founded the Maison. To celebrate, Czapek didn’t release a reissue, special dial color, or a commemorative engraved caseback. They built a tourbillon. Not just any tourbillon—a flying tourbillon, fully automatic, housed in a slim stainless steel case with an integrated bracelet and a guilloché dial that looks like it’s alive. It’s called the Antarctique Tourbillon, and it’s the headline release from one of the most quietly compelling brands in modern watchmaking.

We have Czapek to thank for getting us into Watches and Wonders this year, which we are incredibly grateful for.

The Backstory: Revolutionary Roots to Enthusiast Revival

The name Czapek goes all the way back to the 19th century. Franciszek Czapek, a Polish watchmaker exiled to Switzerland after the failed November Uprising, joined forces with a fellow émigré named Antoni Patek—yes, that Patek—to form Patek, Czapek & Cie in 1839. After their split six years later, Patek went on to found what became Patek Philippe, while Czapek’s name faded into history.

Fast forward to 2012, when three watch collectors revived the Czapek name through an equity crowdfunding campaign geared entirely toward other enthusiasts. Since then, the brand has made a name for itself through distinctive designs and an unusually transparent manufacturing model that continues to evolve today. Czapek designs and constructs its own movements, and even manufactures most of its components: an increasingly amount every year. For those components that Czapek does not manufacture, it partners with top-tier manufactures and artisans, all of whom are celebrated and showcased by Czapek (as you’ll find out soon).

A Flying Tourbillon in an Integrated Case

The Antarctique Tourbillon is Czapek’s first tourbillon in its flagship integrated-bracelet collection. The watch measures 40.5mm across and just 11.5mm thick, which is impressive considering the complexity of what’s inside. Key movement components are visible from the dial side: at 6 o’clock, a flying tourbillon with a polished titanium cage rotates in full view. At 12 o’clock, the mainspring barrel is exposed beneath its own sleek bridge. Through the center runs a sculptural horizontal bridge, which supports the minute and hour hands above and the great train underneath—an elegant, architectural approach that lets the movement breathe without overwhelming the dial.

Surrounding all of this is a mesmerizing hand-guilloché dial created with Czapek’s longtime partners at Metalem. Metalem is the same dial manufacture behind Czapek’s Antarctique ‘Purple Storm’ and Promenade ‘Guilloché Soleil’: two of our favorites that we’ve covered previously. The new pattern—called Singularité—creates a vortex effect that pulls the eye toward the tourbillon. It’s one of those dials you find yourself staring at without realizing. Three versions are available: a glacier blue, a warm “photon sphere” rose gold alloy, and a stealthy “mythical grey” made from Czapek’s own proprietary Secret Alloy (limited to 50 pieces).

The case features anti-reflective sapphire crystals front and back, 50m of water resistance, and comes fitted to an integrated stainless steel bracelet with Czapek’s “Easy Release” system and micro-adjustment clasp. A rubber strap is also included.

Caliber 9: Not Just a Complication—A Statement

Inside the watch is the all-new Caliber 9, Czapek’s first tourbillon movement. It’s automatic, delivering 72 hours of power reserve via a hand-engraved 5N gold micro-rotor. The movement features sandblasted and blackened bridges, satin finishes, and hand-beveled edges. It has a Swiss lever escapement with a variable-inertia balance, regulated via four gold inertia blocks.

Caliber 9 was designed, conceived, and constructed in-house by Czapek. Most of its components are machined in-house as well, though the brand has no interest in going fully vertically integrated just for the sake of it. Instead, Czapek focuses on bringing in the parts of production that help them stay agile—making their own bridges, plates, screws, etc.—so they’re not stuck waiting 10 months for outside suppliers. It’s a pragmatic approach that aligns with their roots as enthusiasts. The Caliber 9 is a major technical leap for the brand, but it’s also a continuation of the same mindset that launched it: start with design, then build the capabilities to match.

Final Thoughts

Czapek is still relatively young in its modern form, but this release doesn’t feel like a brand trying to prove anything. It feels like a brand hitting its stride—confident enough to make a flying tourbillon in steel at 11.5mm thick, and thoughtful enough to make it feel personal. At 63,000 CHF (before tax), this isn’t an entry-level watch. But as a statement of where Czapek is—and where it’s going—it’s hard to beat.