THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: CZAPEK
MODEL: RATTRAPANTE
YEAR: 2022
BOX/PAPERS: YES/YES
CASE DIAMETER: 42.5MM
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC
The year was 2020. We had just entered the first Covid lockdown here in the UK, the world stopped, and we were all trying to figure out if this would pass in a few weeks or if we were actually approaching doomsday. An unexpected side-effect for watch enthusiasts, however, is that all of a sudden we had even more time to browse / shop for watches. Along with the crypto-craze, we witnessed a rush in the watch market that we'd almost never seen before.
Amongst the watches that caught fire, integrated bracelet steel sports watches (IBSSW for ease…) undoubtedly took the crown: the prices of Patek Philippe Nautilus, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and Vacheron Constantin Overseas were going up by the second. However, the coolest IBSSW from the year is arguably from a brand that had not existed for over 100 years and only just revived a few years prior: Czapek & Cie.
The history of Czapek dates back to the 1830s, involving a Czech-born Polish master watchmaker, François Czapek, and a fellow Pole, Antoine Norbert de Patek, who later went his own way and founded a brand you might have heard of. However, sadly, Czapek's history abruptly stopped just 30-40 years later, until 2011/12, when Harry Guhl purchased the name and revived the brand through crowdfunding.
Its first offerings revolved around dress watches with impressive power reserves. So it came as quite the surprise when the brand released the Antarctique Terre Adélie in 2020, a limited production IBSSW featuring an in-house micro-rotor movement calibre SXH5 and gorgeously decorated lamé dials. Shortly after, the Antarctique Passage de Drake collection was introduced, this time featuring a unique three-dimensional trapezoid motif dial.
Czapek did not stop there: following their entry to the official Only Watch auction in 2021, the brand released the Antarctique Rattrapante, a skeletonised monopusher split-seconds chronograph IBSSW. It features a 42.5mm case with sapphire crystal front and back, proudly showing off the calibre SXH6 movement, developed in collaboration with Chronode and featuring the patented satellite minute train, split-seconds clamp, and a recycled rose gold rotor signed Czapek & Cie.
The watch has real presence on the wrist, and we'd recommend a wrist size of 16.5–17cm or above if you'd like to wear this. But if you're blessed with a decent-sized wrist, this haute horlogerie sports watch is simply stunning. This example came from 2022 and remains in unworn condition. It comes complete with all of its original boxes, winder, accessories, and the original paperwork.