Introducing Czapek Unveils the Faubourg De Cracovie Crossroads Victory Green

After the brand was revived in 2012, Czapek reaffirmed its prestigious position in the world of luxury watches, introducing a remarkable range of collections, including the “Faubourg de Cracovie”, which features exceptional chronograph watches. In 2024 Czapek continued to innovate with a new release in two unique colors from this collection “Crossroads Secret Alloy” and “Crossroads Deep Blue”, reflecting its commitment to excellence and creativity.

Today Czapek & Cie expands its contemporary chronograph offering with the Faubourg De Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green, a timepiece that blends rare elegance with pronounced sporty character. Crafted in 316L surgical steel, the chronograph features a 41.5 mm case whose proportions are both timeless and ideally suited to an active complication. Designed to appeal to enthusiasts of what Czapek describes as “versatile sportiness,” it transitions effortlessly between settings—“from marathon to evening wear,” as CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel aptly puts it.

Water-resistant to 5 atmospheres, the case is visually lightened through refined architectural details. Delicately sandblasted recesses accentuate the lugs and flanks, while the chronograph pushers are seamlessly integrated into the extension of the crown guard, reinforcing both ergonomics and visual coherence.

For this urban collection with a sporty-chic identity, Czapek has positioned the tachymeter scale on the periphery of the dial, where the flange would traditionally sit. Once activated, this discreet scale allows the wearer to calculate average speed over a one-kilometer distance. A vital tool in the early twentieth century for pioneering automobile and aviation pilots, the tachymeter remains today one of the most appreciated complications among chronograph connoisseurs, despite the dominance of electronic instrumentation.

Integrating this scale required a reduction in the diameter of the guilloché dial surface. To preserve harmonious proportions, the 30-minute and 12-hour counters have been reworked: recessed beneath the main dial plane, their diamond-polished peripheries contrast with centers treated with a subtle circular azurage. Executing such finishes on a guilloché dial is particularly demanding, yet the result delivers both visual depth and excellent legibility. At 6 o’clock, a restrained small seconds display blends seamlessly into the décor, alongside a discreet date aperture featuring a semi-instantaneous jumping mechanism.

The dial of the Faubourg De Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green is once again produced by Metalem, one of Czapek’s historic dial makers and long-standing partners. As with the previous two versions of this chronograph, the Maison revisits the “Double Soleil” guilloché originally developed for the Quai des Bergues collection. For the Faubourg De Cracovie, however, the pattern is rendered straighter and more deeply engraved, evoking the tread profile of a sports car tire. This motif subtly references Czapek’s position at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. Finished in a distinctive “Victory Green” hue achieved through PVD treatment, the dial shifts character depending on the angle of light, enhancing legibility by minimizing reflections.

Powering the chronograph is an integrated, high-frequency (5 Hz) self-winding caliber equipped with a variable-inertia balance featuring four gold adjustment screws. Oscillating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, the movement employs a classic flat balance spring made from a stable metal alloy with virtually unlimited service life. Compared to most contemporary mechanical movements, this elevated frequency enables 1/10th of a second measurement, improved chronometric stability during operation, and enhanced shock resistance. Appropriately, the chronograph is certified as a COSC chronometer.

Bearing the reference SXH3, the movement was developed by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier in 2018 and customized to meet Czapek’s exacting specifications. The result of more than six years of research and development, it integrates advanced solutions for both timekeeping and chronograph functionality. Visible through a sapphire crystal caseback, the movement measures 30 mm in diameter and 6.95 mm in thickness, allowing the watch to maintain a strong yet well-contained presence on the wrist. The plate and bridges are sandblasted, anthracite-treated, and generously openworked, with hand-beveled edges accentuating their architectural lines.

The bi-directional winding system is driven by a widely skeletonized 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight, delivering a power reserve of nearly 65 hours. Its openworked construction reveals finely executed details, including circular-grained wheels, polished flat-head screws, a polished column wheel, and the high-frequency regulating organ.

The Czapek Faubourg De Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green is a limited edition of just 18 pieces. It is offered on a hand-sewn calfskin or Alcantara strap, paired with a deployant buckle. The watch is priced at CHF 32,000, approximately AED 147,850.

For more information visit Czapek's official website.